by Furnishly | Jul 7, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
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Name: Bria Randal
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Type of home: Studio Apartment
Size: 548 square feet
Years lived in: 6 months, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: This is the first time since living alone that I have come home everyday and smiled because I love my space. I am a extroverted introvert, so the way I recharge is spending time in my apartment arranging flowers or hanging art. I love light, color, and antiques. I also decorate with consistency, memorable pieces, and creams/whites. I think I come off as free-spirited and joyful, but in truth I am pretty calculated and thrive best when I feel like I can rely on my safe spaces. I want people to come into my space and feel like they can take their shoes off and lay back to speak freely.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: A spicy siesta
What is your favorite room and why? Since my apartment is a studio, the entire thing is my favorite! My favorite piece of art is the only thing I’ve truly spent money on. [The print] is called “The Siesta” by Paul Gauguin. He depicts “the unaffected grace and communal ease of Tahitian women impressed Gauguin enormously.” As a woman of color, I wanted my art to reflect beauty I could identify with, not beauty that has been outwardly promoted.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Estelle Colored Wine Glasses. I know it’s not furniture, but they are very important for my wine nights with friends! Also this Johnny Was quilt. It has given so much life and spirit to the apartment.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time. There is nothing like seeing a piece of furniture or art and having an emotion tied to it. For example, I got my Siesta painting from a vintage antique store with my mom. Every time I look at it, I think about the excitement in her eyes when she held it up for me. That was worth having bare walls for about three years!
by Furnishly | Jun 9, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Name: Brett Bralley and dog George
Location: Downtown San Jose, California
Type of home: Apartment
Size: About 500 square feet
Years lived in: 10 months, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: What instantly sold me on this downtown San Jose historic studio apartment was the wall of windows. I’m a writer who works from home, so that natural light flooding in at all times of day is essential.
It took a few tries to get the layout just right, but now I have a separate space for living, sleeping, working, and cooking. I’m amazed at what the right layout can do in such a small space.
I wanted this apartment to be me through and through. And it is — from the bold colors to the warm textures and the funky art (much done by dear friends.)
I moved in right after a tough breakup, so I decided to do literally whatever I wanted, which is, of course, a perk of living alone! And one thing I wanted to do was bring in bright accents with paint. I painted the archway that separates the kitchen from the rest of the apartment a bold pink. Then I freehanded a “mural” behind my bed. I also added a peel-and-stick yellow backsplash to my kitchen.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Playful, happy, colorful, eclectic, me
What is your favorite room and why? It’s all one room, but I love my “living room” the most. It’s groovy, plant-filled, and has a view of downtown San Jose. It’s the perfect place to unwind after work with my pup.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Have fun. If you want to try something, try it!
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
by Furnishly | Jun 7, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Name: Desiree Lilly, wife, 4-year-old daughter, and Airbnb community
Location: Harlem, New York, New York
Type of home: Condo
Size: 525 square feet
Years lived in: 6 months, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My wife and I bought this as a second home earlier this year. Our main home is in Atlanta, Georgia, but we both have tech jobs based out of New York. The top of the pandemic was met with a lot of uncertainty between being laid off and having to “flee” the city in 2020 to now owning two homes; I would say it’s nothing short of a miracle.
We chose this home because of its location. We rented an apartment in Harlem for five years and fell in love with neighborhood. So when we stumbled across this new condo conversion nearby, we knew we had to have it! The space was very nice when we moved in but almost immediately we swapped out the light fixtures in the foyer and bathroom then replaced the main light with a low profile ceiling fan. Just those changes alone completely changed the look and feel of the space.
We were able to bring in these three vintage suitcases that were originally my wife’s grand mothers’. They’ve aged beautifully and just the perfect pieces to bring into our space. We originally brought them with us from Atlanta, to our Harlem rental, to our South Bronx rental, and now back to Harlem. I feel we’ve finally found the perfect home for them.
We were lucky to have a proper foyer in this unit, my wife created a nice little nook with decals from Amazon, an Edison bulb light fixture and a couple accessories from IKEA to round out the space.
I don’t know how we got so lucky to have two closets in a New York studio but that was one of the first places we invested in renovating. We got two custom Elfa Shelf closets designed and installed by The Container Store. This has completely changed the way we are able to function in the space. We have a place for luggage when we travel, and drawers for our clothing and shelves for anything else. We were able to convert our smaller closet into a storage space that stays locked when we are hosting (toilet paper and paper towels for DAYS). We knew that this would be a short term rental during the times we weren’t in the city so as we were designing the space we knew it had to be intentional, functional, and beautiful.
We are mothers first so we knew the space had to function for a family. Our daughter has her own seating, toy/art cabinet, dining set, and Netflix profile. She travels with us into the city quite a bit so the space had to be functional for a growing jet setter. We are now pregnant with daughter #2 so we have kept some functional and collapsible baby pieces that we will have in this unit once our daughter arrives.
My wife is a graphic designer and has an eye for design. When we were finishing the space I knew I wanted to have some of her work displayed and I love the three custom pieces she came up with for our apartment!
We’re in Harlem so we didn’t want to shy away from our Black and Hispanic heritage. I believe this is reflected in our monochromatic color palette, custom artwork, and accessories.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Intentional, cozy, eclectic, BLACK, Harlem
What is your favorite room and why? Well, we are in a studio so the entire apartment is my favorite room. I love our wall bed and custom working desk. When we got our wall unit installed we were discussing with the contractor what our plans for the space were. He drew this design on a piece of scratch paper and two weeks later it was installed. It works so well for us because we can use it for work and our daughter can use it for her artwork or during her screen time and it doesn’t take up any of the living space. We were gifted the two shelves above the desk and that’s worked beautifully to display our accessories.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? We were nearing the tippy top of our budget for this apartment and found a cheap accent chair that broke soon after we bought it. Since our apartment would double as a short term rental we decided to go with a mid-priced and beautiful option from Article. It was the perfect piece to add to the space. Leather (easy to clean), black, and solid wood. It’s light enough to move around but sturdy enough to withstand multiple guests.
Any advice for creating a home you love? When dealing with a small space like ours we had to go with function first. We would have loved to bring in oversized pieces with ultra plush upholstery but it wouldn’t have fit our needs. We created an intentional space and then filled it with pieces we love. The feedback from our apartment has been so great; people see the work that went into creating a seamless place where you can work, relax, repeat. It’s been a blessing to be able to open up our home to guests from around the world.
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
by Furnishly | Feb 17, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Name: Kevin Coleman and Langston the Labradoodle
Location: South Loop – Chicago, Illinois
Size: 642 square feet
Type of Home: Studio Apartment
Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting
Kevin Coleman says his life’s mantra is “simplicity” and it’s also a philosophy he employs in his home, this small studio apartment in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. “The goal was to create a sanctuary not only for myself, but for anyone who enters my home,” begins Kevin.
“My home is definitely a reflection of me; I’m a sucker for clean lines and neutral tones. I would like to think my studio abides by the Feng Shui principles with a slight twist, due to the nature of the room. One thing I pride myself in when it comes to my space is catering to all your senses. From the mood lighting to essential oils or the different fabrics to the ambient music, I like to create an elevated, memorable experience for anyone who enters my abode.”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Geometric Minimalism
Inspiration: Scandinavian design is the biggest influence for my home. The focus on clean, simple lines, minimalism, and functionality without sacrificing beauty plays a heavy role in the curation of my space.
Favorite Element: The view from my apartment must be the best element. I live on the 24th floor facing east, which gives me a view of a small park, so between watching the vegetation evolve throughout the seasons and waking up to the sunrise, it almost feels magical in a way to witness mother nature at work.
Biggest Challenge: The biggest challenge for me was finding a balance between being too sterile and having that homey sensation. I know sometimes “minimalists” tend to get a bad rep for their spaces feeling inhospitable. With the added textures, neutral colors, and vibrant plants, I believe my space brings a serene essence throughout my home.
Proudest DIY: Moss Wall Art – I initially was scrounging the internet for a large moss mural and quickly realized the price range for the size I wanted started at $2500. So instead, I did some recon via Amazon and created my own for less than $250.
Biggest Indulgence: Purple Hybrid Premier 4 Mattress; it’s like levitating in your sleep.
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? I created “Routines” via the Google Home app, which allows me to set automatic sequences to accomplish different tasks. For instant, when I say “Good Morning Google,” Google will turn on my bathroom light, tell me the weather, and play my favorite playlist. I have curated different routines depending on the time of day.
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? Breville® Barista Pro and Vitruvi Stone Essential Oil Diffuser, both products bring an aromatic element to my home, which caters to your senses.
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: The tape measure is your best friend; knowing the measurements of the pieces you bring into your home can make a difference from a cluttered space to a free-flowing oasis.
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Deeply visualize your space and be intentional with the choices you bring into your home.
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
Sarah Crowley
Contributor
Sarah Crowley is an interiors, food + lifestyle photographer living in Chicago. When she’s not taking pictures, Sarah is likely out and about trying new sandwiches around the city with her fiancé, Jeff.
by Furnishly | Feb 17, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Name: Rebecca Sales
Location: Los Angeles, California
Type of home: Studio apartment
Size: 650 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: The apartment is from 1929 and retains historical details like the crown molding and arched doorways and has quirky surprises like a fold-out ironing board and Kelvinator icebox.
I work with textiles, so it was inspiring to create a color scheme and play with prints and textures. The custom Jacobean floral curtains work in harmony with the graphic fringed rug without feeling too matchy. Decorating the apartment also required ingenuity, such as using decorative window film to disguise the unsightly view across from me. Additionally, rather than hide the particular orchid bathroom tile, it set the tone, and my mom sewed a lavish shower curtain and other accoutrements to bring it all together using vintage fabric. I love the fact that my apartment celebrates rather than conceals its historical charm.
I use dressing as a way to reflect my mood, and the same goes for my surroundings. I like to use a lot of color and highlight little trinkets like postcards from my favorite restaurants in NYC or tiny watercolors I’ve painted while traveling. Friends comment that my apartment feels like me, and I couldn’t be happier with that sentiment.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Cozy, Whimsical, Transportive, Eclectic, Colorful
What is your favorite room and why? Being a studio, it is technically all one room, but the layout separates the space well. That being said, the dining area is my favorite room. I love cooking, eating, and hosting, so it always has a comforting glow about it even if it’s just me at the table. The first piece I found was a mid-century Keller dining table, and I was drawn to its delicate curved edges and versatile drop leaf construction. It fits the space perfectly without being too imposing. I also replaced an outdated light fixture with a pendant light that adds lightness and warmth.
Vintage Italian pieces like candlesticks from the ’60s and a playful vase add character and a touch of craft. To add to the spirit of wanderlust, I’ve framed pictures that I took while traveling and created a mini jungle using plants on top of the dividers leading to the kitchen.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I traveled to Italy this past September and found these amazing pressed flower cards by an artist Angela Raveggi. I finally had them mounted and framed to add to the gallery wall above my desk. I love the sentimental value this holds and the way that anything can be framed and turned into an art piece.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Enlist help! Sometimes having a second eye is crucial and can offer you important feedback even if you don’t always want to hear it. Create a focus and central mood so it doesn’t feel too disjointed. It’s exciting to have numerous ideas, but you want it to tell a coherent story. Stick to your personal style so that it maintains your aesthetic. Use resources like Etsy, Offer Up, and Chairish to find one-of-a-kind pieces, sometimes for a steal!
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
