The most extraordinary moments often happen in ordinary places. Our new series, Ordinary Day, features our favorite tastemakers and the cities they call home. In the second installment, we hear from Anna B. Albury, a rug designer, interior stylist, and newsletter curator based in Brooklyn, New York.
New York holds a special place in our hearts. It's the city where Ordinary Habit was born—and where we cultivated a community that values calm, play, and connection. In fact, the latter makes us think of our friend, Anna B. Albury.
While Albury works as a rug designer and freelances as an interior stylist, you may know her as the visionary behind the design-forward newsletter coolstuff.nyc. Alongside her co-founder and husband Garrett, Albury's offering is wide-ranging—from neighborhood guides and interviews to offline events. (We recently joined the duo for coolstuff's Girl Power Market with Hester Street Fair.)
From her singular personal style to her enduring curiosity, Albury remains a source of inspiration. Her passion for local culture reminds us to stay engaged in the places we live—with the people we love. As Albury mentioned in our interview, "There's something special about the community aspect in Brooklyn specifically. It's a home for creatives and feels uplifting when we need encouragement from others in similar fields."
Read on to meet the design authority, who shares more about her background and love for Brooklyn.
What ordinary habit best describes you at this point in your life?
I spend a lot of my time getting inspired at museums, on walks through Prospect Park, and flipping through issues of Homes & Gardens. I love being a do-er and seeing how many fun events, hangs with friends, and meals I can fit into 24 hours. Filling my days with as much as possible has become my new normal—and it fuels me so!
What initially brought you to Brooklyn, and what is an early memory of life here that you look back on fondly?
After studying textile design at SCAD in my hometown of Savannah, GA, my natural progression was life as a designer in NYC. I sort of fell into the rug world and have been loving it ever since—it's all the fun parts of being an artist for a living, with the satisfaction of seeing a painting or design on an heirloom quality piece for the home that will be cherished for decades to come.
When you first move to the city, it's definitely not easy, but I quickly learned how much easier it is when you surround yourself with new friends. I met my best friend in the city when she and I both first moved to New York through mutual friends. I don't know what either of us would do without the other. Those formative friendships are crucial to exploring and getting excited about this place. During year one, we spent so much time running around museums, discovering new restaurants, and traveling together. This was so key to how both of us live our lives in New York today.
photo: Cheri Roohi
You reside in Brooklyn's beautiful Park Slope neighborhood. What are some other neighborhoods that have grown on you or changed the way you experience all that the borough has to offer?
Yes! I am Park Slope's biggest fan—the classic brownstone architecture, the closeness to Prospect Park and the Grand Army Farmers Market, the small mom-and-pop shops lining our "fifth avenue"... I could go on and on!
I spend a lot of my time exploring undiscovered areas of the city for the coolstuff.nyc newsletter. There's something so special about knowing a little secret spot in a city filled with so many people. I often feel like I'm exploring uncharted territory in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood—I love all the old maritime bars, curated shops and record stores, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. It makes the city seem like a small town when I spend time in a tourist-less neighborhood.
You mention that your work is "deeply defined by color, curiosity, and a positive outlook." How has your outlook changed as a result of living in Brooklyn? What aspects of Brooklyn inspire your aesthetic?
Living in the colorful borough of Brooklyn always has me on my toes for what's new and cool… whether it's all of the amazing design shops on Atlantic Ave in Cobble Hill, a new wine bar in Greenpoint, or all of Brooklyn's classics (like iconic restaurant institutions). A simple walk in Brooklyn can be all I need to get out of a creative rut and be inspired to create. I think living in such a classic neighborhood has also made my style become more classic and timeless—in life and my design work. It's fun to see how I can balance new and fresh palettes with classic and timeless design styles.
The city's creative community is unparalleled. How does Brooklyn foster your relationships and friendships? What has it taught you about community?
There's something special about the community aspect in Brooklyn specifically. It's a home for creatives and feels uplifting when we need encouragement from others in similar fields. Each event we attend (or host) makes us feel right at home in a world of like-minded individuals who encourage us to keep going.
In the simplest form, the community embedded in Brooklyn's history is inspiring to be a part of. Personally, Park Slope has taught me that even in a city of millions, friendly faces and kind neighbors can make your experience in New York any way you want it to be.
What misconceptions about Brooklyn would you like to dispel? Are there elements that you hope to see change or strengthen in your neighborhood for its inhabitants?
I do think when people haven't spent much time in Brooklyn, they picture Williamsburg and super edgy, super industrial areas... that's only a small part. While I love the whole borough of Brooklyn, I'm partial to South Brooklyn. It's filled with history, lots of trees, and a strong community at its base. As much as I'd love for those people who are unaware of South Brooklyn's beauty to experience it in full, the local aspect of the neighborhood(s) is what makes it so special and cherished by the people who live here.
What gives you hope when thinking about New York and its future overall?
One of the main reasons I'm in love with New York is its diversity, and I can only hope that it continues to grow in all areas of the city for years to come.
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Anna's Ordinary Summer Day in Brooklyn
An ordinary summer sight, sound, or occurrence in Brooklyn: Open fire hydrants and kids running through them like a sprinkler.
An ordinary summer day begins with... a trip to the Grand Army Farmers Market.
An ordinary summer day ends with... a sunset picnic in Prospect Park.
An ordinary coffee break takes place at... Un Posto Italiano in Park Slope.
An ordinary date night itinerary includes... a glass of wine at June Wine Bar's backyard.
An ordinary design site (in Brooklyn) worth checking out: Brooklyn Museum.
A habit you'll only maintain in Brooklyn: Large park summer parties with all of our friends.
A park that’s perfect for sitting down and assembling a mini puzzle: A Moment In Paradise in Cobble Hill Park.
A place that’s perfect to sit down and write in the For Now journal: My apartment stoop.
A journaling prompt you'd like to give to the Ordinary Habit community related to travel or being a tourist in your own city: Head to your favorite neighborhood spot, but take a different route and sketch all the new sites you saw.