Mindy Kaling's Unexpected, But Oh-So-Welcome, NYC Apartment Makeover

Mindy Lahiri's bachelorette pad may embody a playful Miami kitsch that's representative of the title character's personality. But Mindy Kaling's recently revamped Nolita apartment is nothing like her alter ego's palace of shag rugs and Lucite. It's more pared-down than anything the fictional gynecologist would even sneeze at, with just the right amount of eclectic details to keep it from being Danny Castellano levels of snoozy.

With the help of designer Sally Gotfredson and The Studio at One Kings Lane, Kaling's pied-à-terre is now a little bit midcentury-modern, a little bit Moroccan — and definitely not up Lahiri's alley.

The apartment also stands in cross-country contrast to Kaling's L.A. home — and she likes it that way. "My home in New York is a little bit more sophisticated and minimalist, whereas my style in L.A. is just everything I’ve accumulated over the past 15 years," she told OKL.

Kaling's initial reaction to the makeover was super-relatable.

"The first time I walked into the space after One Kings Lane designed it, I thought, Who is this chic person who lives here?" she told OKL. "I couldn’t believe it, and I desperately didn’t want to mess it up because it’s just so chic and clean."

"Mindy wanted it to feel different than any of the other spaces she’s lived in before," said Gotfredson. "She’s always gone for tons of color with layers of pattern, and this time she really wanted to push herself out of that comfort zone." One thing's for sure, though: It looks comfortable enough for staying in the zone and getting a lot of writing done.

Kaling said her father Avu, an architect, helped guide her style evolution. "My dad loves midcentury modern, and the house that we grew up in was furnished with a lot of pieces in the Danish midcentury style," she told OKL. "As I grew older, I reacted to that. Whereas at one point in my life I loved wallpaper and gilded things, now, as a 37-year-old, I’m gravitating more toward my dad’s style, and I think Sally really captured that in the vintage pieces she found."

These include playful items like patterned poufs and tasseled throws, as well as midcentury-style furniture like this Tulip table. Another standout, pictured here, is the bronze chandelier with wineglass bulbs. Okay, so there's one piece Mindy Lahiri would adore. (By the way, if you like what you see, you can shop the look here.)

When it comes to the palette, all of the inspiration photos Kaling had sent Gotfredson were in warm colors, like yellows, pinks, and reds. "I think those tones informed the style of the entire space," said the designer. The hues also reflect Kaling's street style, she mused to OKL; "great accents on top of a neutral palette."

Last year, we reported on a photo Kaling shared of the crumbling L.A. building where she lived as a staff writer on The Office, which has since been condemned. She's certainly come a long way.