Would You Rather?

Would you rather live in a dark and quiet apartment or a loud and sunny one?

By Mayra David  | July 24, 2013 - 2:56PM
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Quiet and dark as a tomb--or as bright and loud as a street fair? We asked five New Yorkers which kind of apartment they'd rather call home, and the answers were nearly unanimous. Seems like city-dwellers really appreciate their peace and quiet.

  • Quiet and dark: I love my apartment. But the bus screeches by and stops just past my window. Loud cars, loud conversation, I hear it all. When I move to my next apartment  I’ll definitely be looking for apartment descriptions like “quiet and cozy” rather than "tons of sun from huge south facing windows," which is what I have now. More window means more street noise. The next apartment should at least have a quiet bedroom. -Alicia, Upper West Side
  • Quiet and dark: In this city, as much quiet as you can get is just more important. You can decorate a dark apartment to feel cozy. But noise is hard to fight.  -Ann Marie, Bronx
  • Quiet and dark: I’d rather sleep soundly than sunbathe in my apartment! I also want as much privacy as possible. So if I can’t hear my neighbors, that means they can’t hear me. -Alvira, Morningside Heights
  • Quiet and dark: I’m in a dark apartment now because I only have one window that faces out on the street, and the others face the back alleyway. I have the quiet zone in my apartment and the loud zone. I definitely prefer the quiet zone. When my roommate and I first moved here, I was a bit bummed she got the light room. Now she’s bummed that she did. - David, Upper West Side
  • Loud and light: Light is life! I have a ton of light now and that means I also have lots of thriving pots of herbs. Every morning I get a dose of Vitamin D and that pretty much guarantees a good day. Sunlight fights depression and who wants to ever be depressed? To me, city sounds are just a natural part of city living! -Alexandra, Harlem

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