by Furnishly | Mar 1, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Lighting, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
When I first moved into my apartment, I was truly appalled by its lack of lighting. Everything else about the place was perfect — big windows, hardwood floors, and a spacious layout — but it was dark. Without a ceiling light in the bedroom or living room, I knew I had to get creative with some unconventional lighting solutions that didn’t involve any electrical work. After a little digging, I finally found a light that was stylish, well-made, and, most importantly, illuminated my space.
The Tubicen Portable Lamp I landed on is under $60, which is cheaper than any other solution I came across during my search. The best part? It looks expensive, thanks to a modern design that boasts a sleek curved handle and a frosted glass dome (you can even select from a variety of metal finishes on a slightly pricier model).
Depending on whether we’re having company over, making dinner together, or if I am reading in our comfy corner chair, our Tubicen moves around the apartment according to our nightly activities. Its nomadic nature is no hassle though, thanks to a lightweight build and the fact that it has no cords. At just two pounds, the Tubicen is easy to carry around as we please — so much so that my boyfriend and I have even taken it with us on date night picnics.
Speaking of date night, this light really helps to set a mood. With four brightness settings, you can easily adjust between sultry mood lighting and focused work illumination with simply the touch of a button. Plus, no matter what setting you have the lamp on, it truly lasts for a long time without needing a recharge — I’m talking seven hours minimum, which is a real lifesaver. Here in California, it’s gotten me through multiple power outages during this past wildfire season. When it is time to charge up (and I do have power), it’s as simple as plugging the lamp into a USB cable for a few hours and voila! It’s ready to transport once more.
I have found myself repeatedly suggesting the Tubicen to family and friends alike who are in need of inventive lighting solutions, or even those who have overhead lighting they find is too bright for a chill evening at home. I have to say, I was pretty sure I was this light’s number one fan — until I checked out the reviews on Amazon, that is. Buyers rave over the Tubicen’s versatility, the warm hue given off by the energy saving LEDs, and its stylish aesthetic. “I am OBSESSED with these lights,” wrote one reviewer, “They’re so sleek, modern and make any room look so chic.” Let me tell you, that reviewer is not wrong!
by Furnishly | Mar 1, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Name: Sekile M. Nzinga
Location: Rogers Park — Chicago, Illinois
Size: 1200 square feet
Type of Home: Condo
Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting
For Sekile Nzinga, the Chief Equity Officer for the State of Illinois and the founder of The Nzinga Collective, this 1200-square-foot condo in Chicago’s Rogers Park has been a sanctuary for awhile. She rents the space now, but it is owned by a close friend, and Sekile spent significant amounts of time in the space before she ever officially moved in. “We served together on the board of the Chicago Abortion Fund,” explains Sekile of how she knows the condo’s owner. “She gave me a key years ago so that I could crash at her place when I worked late or a snow storm prevented me from making the one and a half hour commute back home to Oak Park from Evanston. I always appreciated her generosity. When she moved away, I asked if I could rent her place, which had become a sanctuary to me over the years. Now I try to keep the same spirit of generosity going that she afforded me by regularly sharing my space with my sister friends whenever they need respite or a retreat from their busy lives.”
Beyond the soothing sanctuary aspects, Sekile says there are a lot of things she appreciates about this condo’s architecture. “I love that it has lots of natural sun light that pours into the living room and dining from the south- and west-facing windows. I also love that my place is roomy but also feels cozy,” she describes. “I do also LOVE my walk-in closet! It’s the biggest one I’ve ever had! I’m really into vintage clothing and I’ve packed it with all my favorite pieces from across the decades!”
But vintage clothing isn’t the only cool collection that lives in her space. She’s got a ton of plants, original artwork made by her daughter, and lots of feminist art and books. “Most of the art and photography has representations of the female/feminized body and black women,” Sekile writes. “I draw upon iconic black women singers, feminist artists and authors, the body, and the beauty of our natural world as my sources of inspiration.”
The entire condo is not just a space to relax. Thanks to the decor and art she’s incorporated in every room, it’s a place to inspire creativity, too. “I also finished my latest book in this apartment in 2019. So this space will always have a special place in my heart. I think because it’s a sanctuary I can rest and then feel recharged in order to be creative and finish projects,” she writes.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: My style is eclectic — vintage, earthy, feminist, and warm.
I wanted my place to be a sanctuary for me and all others who enter. I furnished it with thrifted furniture and decor that is mostly vintage. I like to decorate with candles, mirrors, brass, copper, and jewel tone accents, botanical textile prints, plants, and found objects from nature like sea glass, driftwood, and rocks from my walks along Lake Michigan. The artwork displayed throughout the apartment is feminist and created by my daughter, my former students, or is thrifted.
And my books — I have them in my life as an educator and writer! I tend to incorporate them into my decor as a way to center the contributions of women, feminists, and progressive social movements throughout my space. I not only display my books throughout my place but I also like to decorate with the written word — feminist quotes and poetry, letters from my former social work and women’s studies students, protest signs, my grannie’s recipes, decor with my initials on them, etc.— they all ground me and remind me of my connection to others and our world.
Inspiration: I draw upon iconic Black women singers, feminist artists and authors, the body, and the beauty of our natural world as my sources of inspiration.
Favorite Element: My windows. My favorite is actually in my bathroom. During the warm months, I like to lay in my bed as the morning sun shines in and admire my books and plants that are nestled there. I also love that I can see the red brick of my apartment building peeking out behind the window. It reminds me of the old public housing projects I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island.
Biggest Challenge: My biggest challenge was not being able to switch out lighting fixtures. I wanted something grander over the dining room table but renting often means simply accepting that you’ll have to live with some things even if they are not in line with your aesthetic.
Proudest DIY: My proudest moment was when I found a large blue framed chalkboard for $5 at a thrift store. Since I wanted to hang it above my blue couch, I painted it gold. I like the idea of having artwork that I can change when I want to. I like to write quotes of Black feminist writers as my sources of inspiration. I also invite others who visit to leave a drawing, poem, or quote if they like.
Biggest Indulgence: My couch! I’m pretty frugal but I splurged mostly because I didn’t want to think about how I was going to get a used couch up three flights of stairs. I LOVE it and am proud of myself for choosing a bold blue color.
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? Well I did create a clever hack to bypass mounting my projector. I didn’t want a TV in my place but do like watching TV. So I decided to put my projector inside a jute macrame planter and it now blends in quite nicely without me having to put any holes in my walls or mount a shelf above my window.
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? I love my Dirt Devil. My velvet couch is a dirt and dust magnet. The tufted seats are somehow always filled with crumbs, sand, and who knows what else! I used to use a lint roller but recently upgraded to the Dirt Devil. Best purchase ever!
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: I use lots of small vintage suitcases, sewing baskets, and picnic baskets to store items in. They hold craft supplies, winter accessories, shoes, hair supplies, and my makeup. I love that they hide the clutter but also add to my overall vintage vibe.
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Shop for free in your alley or on your street the night before garbage pick up! I have scored so many free pieces over the years that often get the most compliments, including an MCM arm chair, a vintage rattan book shelf, a standing swivel mirror with storage in the back, vintage TV trays, desks, and even an umbrella for my deck! In fact, during the beginning of the pandemic, when stores closed, I would just drive around an “shop” from the alley for free!
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
Adrienne Breaux
House Tour Editor
Adrienne loves architecture, design, cats, science fiction and watching Star Trek. In the past 10 years she’s called home: a van, a former downtown store in small town Texas and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson.
Follow Adrienne
by Furnishly | Mar 1, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
If you’re looking to add some new life to your plant collection, whether indoors or outdoors, here’s an option that’s only gaining in popularity.
According to experts, this summer’s most popular houseplant will be the bird of paradise, a tropical plant with unique flowers that could easily be mistaken for, as the name implies, a bird.
It’s not difficult to see why demand for this houseplant has picked up. “We’re seeing more and more people opt for what we call ‘architectural’ pieces—showstopping tropical plants that are conversation starters and really finish off a room,” Maddie Porritt of The Stem flower service, told GardeningEtc.
U.K.-based The Greenhouse People also explained that the plant has that cluttered feel, which makes it perfect for another hot trend: maximalism. The group explained, “Maximalism has seen a steep rise in popularity, with many embracing the motto “more is more” over the past year.”
If you’re planning to get a bird of paradise, a few things to remember: You have to keep it under bright, indirect sunlight, and water every one to two weeks. Since it’s a tropical species, it prefers humid places and doesn’t like the cold. For soil, choose one that’s rich and well-draining but still retains some moisture. And most importantly, if you want your bird of paradise to flower, place it outdoors (since it rarely blooms indoors).
by Furnishly | Mar 1, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
In an ideal world, my apartment would be full of charming architectural touches — molding on the walls and ceilings, built-in fireplaces, exposed brick walls — you get the picture. As a renter in New York City, I definitely had to make some sacrifices during the apartment search while hunting for a new place last summer. While I’m completely happy with where I ended up, my apartment doesn’t have the level of charm that I often swoon over when scrolling through home tours online or in my favorite magazines. So that simply meant that I had to take matters into my own hands.
I moved into my apartment in July 2021, but I wanted to live in the space for some time before making any major changes to my unit. By January, I decided to have the walls painted in Clare paint’s Grayish. The paint alone made a huge impact in my space, but I wanted to up the ante a bit by doing something even more dramatic.
My original idea was to incorporate picture frame molding on the walls, but installing molding was far out of my budget, and I wasn’t willing to go in for the splurge, particularly given that my space is a rental. Plus, the molding would be pretty difficult to remove down the line, making it even more of a no-go in my opinion.
Then I had another idea. While scrolling through Amazon looking for some renter friendly molding that wouldn’t run me nearly $4,000, I came across this beautiful faux wall molding. Picture frame molding continues to appeal to me, but this was unlike anything I’d ever seen faked in a rental before, and I knew I had to try it out. Believe it or not, this wall molding is actually made from styrofoam. I know, I know — but trust me; it looks amazing. If I hadn’t touched some of the material myself, I honestly would have been convinced it was wooden or plastic based on how nice it looks on the walls.
The carpenter I hired on TaskRabbit did an amazing job using a miter saw and the corresponding molding glue I purchased to perfectly cut each strip of styrofoam and adhere it to the wall. The whole project took him about five hours, making it perfectly manageable if you’re like me and don’t want to deal with days or even weeks of disarray in your apartment and repair people coming in and out.
After giving my TaskRabbit a large tip and bidding him farewell at the end of the day, I sat on my bed in awe. I truly couldn’t believe how much of a transformation the molding and paint combined had made. My bedroom finally had that chic Parisian feel to it that I wanted, and it really couldn’t have looked more different than it did when I first moved in (if you don’t believe me, just check out the before picture below for reference!).
This molding is renter-friendly, paintable, and can easily be removed at the end of my time in the apartment, but truthfully, I may ask my landlord if they’d like me to leave it up, assuming it’s still holding up well whenever I do decide to move out. Don’t you agree it adds all sorts of charm?
by Furnishly | Mar 1, 2022 | Design Inspiration
Aldi’s square fire pit is a must-have for gardens this spring
Upgrade your outdoor space with stylish and hardwearing Millboard decking
Florence residents embrace ‘adopt a bill’ scheme to pay struggling elderly pensioners’ bills
