Tyler Joseph Ellis is a classic New York multi-hyphenate: an actor, a content creator, a singer, a director. But in his heart of hearts, he’s a theater nerd—one who moved into his rental apartment in Hell’s Kitchen with little more than a box full of framed Broadway posters. “It was clean, and quiet, and it had this sizable hallway,” says Tyler. “I’d always wanted a gallery wall, so I fell in love with it almost immediately.”

This combination of theatrical passion and a blank slate offered the perfect starting point for designer Ally Doman, principal of New York–based decor studio Doman Decors. Tyler had reached out for help to make his cookie-cutter rental into a proper home; Doman took one glimpse at his Sunday in the Park With George print and hit the ground running, developing a palette of blues and rusts and exploring a mix of contemporary and vintage pieces.

“It’s exciting getting my hands messy. I get inspired by what people hold on to when they move to somewhere new,” says Doman. While she tackles redesigns for homeowners too, Doman has carved out a niche helping renters revamp their spaces, and she brings a handful of tricks and insight to each project. “It was so great just walking through the space with Ally, because she understood so much better than I could what was possible,” says Tyler.

Though knocking down walls was obviously not an option, Doman’s thoughtful application of furniture, accessories, and color in the living room and bedroom transformed the humble 800-square-foot space all the same.

That’s not to say Doman and Tyler didn’t break out the toolkit on occasion. They immediately swapped the apartment-standard light fixtures with statement lighting from AllModern, Wayfair, and CB2. “To me, it’s a criminal offense to have one of those ‘boob lights,’” says Doman with a laugh, referencing the cheap ceiling dome fixtures that appear in many a cookie-cutter condo. Now, Art Deco–inspired lights line the hallway poster gallery, and a dramatic chandelier hangs above Tyler’s bed. “I had no idea, as a renter, you can keep your lights and put them up later,” Tyler admits. “I just didn’t know the rules of the game!” (He has the original hardware tucked away for a future move-out day.)

Doman pushed Tyler to replace the drapery too, swapping out cheap plastic blinds (“They’re so…loud,” Doman jokes) for luxe-looking pleated Roman shades. Doman hung them on the outside of the window frame. “There’s something about that placement that just elevates the space,” she says. In the bedroom, this elegant touch is particularly noticeable. It’s a room designed with sophisticated minimalism in mind, painted wall-to-wall in a dreamy blue-gray with just a few key decor elements. There’s a black-and-white framed photo on one wall, and a Pop art–cool framed mirror (also from Urban Outfitters) on another.

At the foot of the bed, Doman placed a cream-colored upholstered bench—a detail that brings Tyler delight daily. “There’s something about a bench at the end of your bed, it makes it feel like you’re in a hotel,” he says.

In the living room, a denim-hued West Elm sofa and pumpkin-colored velvet armchairs from Soho House tie in nicely to the Sunday poster, but they also accommodate Tyler’s palette preferences. “I’m color-blind, so I can see blues really well and bright oranges, bright yellows. I wanted colors that would be pleasing to people with ‘normal’ vision, but also that I could enjoy every day, too,” he explains. They went through what Tyler describes as “a million” samples to find the perfect gray for the bedroom, too.

From the statement-making concrete CB2 coffee table to a lamp that looks like a Grecian bust, it’s a space that confirms at every turn that this isn’t just a place to crash: It’s a home. “No one told me I couldn’t have a Sondheim-themed living room,” says Tyler with a laugh. “If you walk in, you know this is my apartment.”

Have you taken on an ambitious Rental Revamp—or do you know someone who has? We want to hear about it! Reach out to edit@dwell.com with photos and a brief description.

More Rental Revamp stories:

A Designer and Her Filmmaker Boyfriend Make Their Brooklyn Loft Feel Like a Showroom

A Brooklyn Artist Infuses Her 1,000-Square-Foot Apartment With Her Signature “Pantone-Punk” Style

A Comedian’s L.A. Digs Get a Plush, Boudoir Treatment

Project Credits:

Interior Design: Doman Decors / @domandecors

Client: Tyler Joseph Ellis / @tylerjosephellis

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Rental Revamp: An Actor’s NYC Apartment Takes Its Cues from Sondheim