Hey Girl, watcha doin’? Still dreaming about living in the New Girl Loft? Me too.
It’s been three years since we bid a reluctant farewell to apartment 4D and its beloved residents but I still think about those sprawling open plan living spaces, original brick interiors, and irresistibly quirky design touches on a daily basis.
For avid New Girl fans like myself, The Loft quickly became as much of a character as Jess, Nick, Schmidt, Cece, and Winnie The Bish themselves.
Firstly, it’s incredibly welcoming with its enormous colonial style windows, quirky pops of color, and believably-thrifted classic furniture pieces (like that timeless leather sectional and playful open shelving throughout!).
And please don’t get me started on the wonder that is Jess’ dreamy bedroom. You’d be forgiven for thinking that green walls, a vintage-inspired floral bedspread, shadow boxes filled with fruit and flowers, and lacy net curtains wouldn’t go together. But, somehow, they absolutely do!
It’s the kind of home many of us could only dream of. And, seeing just how much fun the gang has here playing True American (still trying to work out the rules of that one), swapping stories on the couch, making frittatas in the open-plan kitchen, and eating ‘Pour Some Sugar on Meatballs’ at the mismatched dining table and chairs, gives me the warmest feeling. And major apartment envy!
Now for the big question…
Is The New Girl Apartment Real?
Sadly, as is most often the case with TV homes, the stunning factory-turned-residential-apartment interior was built on a sound stage at Fox Studios in L.A.
Many intriguingly clever design tricks were used to create a convincing look and feel of a real-life industrial interior. For example, the charming wood beams seen in the kitchen and living area were actually made from hollow wooden boxes!
Remember those distant, picturesque views of downtown L.A.? That was a huge custom-painted backdrop made especially for the show. What’s more, the famous iron curtain that concealed Jess & Nick’s almost first kiss was made from distressed metal panels glued to a sliding wooden structure.
Now, if we’re talking about the outside of the loft, that building is, of course, totally real. And, if you happen to be in L.A.’s downtown Arts District, on Traction Avenue to be specific, you can see the New Girl entranceway and exterior for yourself.
In real life, these stunning work-live apartments are known as the Binford Lofts and, as you might imagine, they’re are absolutely beautiful.
What on earth does the Loft’s floor plan look like?
If you’ve spent as much time debating the New Girl apartment’s floor plan with fellow fans as you have actually watching the show, you’re not alone! The loft’s layout is far from a simple one and therefore pretty tricky to pin down without constant pausing, squinting, and head tilting.
However, the internet can be a wonderful thing for stuff like this and there are plenty of like-minded lovers of interior design out there who have managed to nail it down. They’ve even come up with accurate floor plans of our beloved L.A. penthouse so you can finally understand the loft’s layout if you’re still as confused as I am!
How did they afford the rent?
Since studio apartments in Binford Lofts currently rent for around $2,500-$3,500 per month we dread to think what a 4-bedroom, top floor apartment would have cost the New Girl gang!
Aside from Schmidt’s high-paid position at Associated Strategies (Ass-Strat to you and me), I can’t tell you how a middle school teacher, a bartender, and a retired Latvian basketball player managed to afford the rent at the start of the show. But then again, that’s not unusual for TV characters, which often seem to live well above their means.
My takeaway? It’s a beautiful fiction. So even if you ‘have the credit score of a homeless ghost’, it shouldn’t stop you from daydreaming about owning an L.A. loft as beautiful as this one someday!
More homes from popular TV shows
The Real-Life Homes from Modern Family — and Where to Find Them
Netflix’s ‘Dead to Me’ Series will Have You Day-Dreaming about Jen’s Perfect House
All the Glamorous Penthouses, Suites, and Lofts in Gossip Girl
Monica’s Apartment in Friends — The Place where Friendship is Forever