by Furnishly | Oct 25, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Maria C. Hunt
Maria Hunt is a lifestyle journalist and author specializing in wine and food culture, interior design and wellness. She believes pork should be its own food group, bubbly is meant for sipping anytime, and the Sicilians got it right when they made ice cream a breakfast food. Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, The New York Times, The Kitchn, Christian Science Monitor, and Forbes Travel Guide, plus she’s the hostess of The Bubbly Girl.com. She’s based in Oakland, California.
by Furnishly | Sep 12, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
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Name: Erin Funck and her cat, Birdie
Location: West Mount Airy — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Size: 520 square feet total (350 inside, 170 outside)
Type of Home: Carriage House
Years Lived In: 3 years, renting
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After 20 years of city life in NYC, Chicago, and Philadelphia, Erin Funck was looking for a change of pace. “I was recently divorced and purged most of my possessions in the process, and was traveling often at the time,” she begins. “A smaller space with more affordable rent was sensible, especially during a time where I was feeling untethered and ready for a new chapter. I had no idea what a carriage house was until a colleague was looking for a tenant for the one on her property. A tiny refuge that’s super close to my job and the woods but 20 minutes away from my old haunts in Center City? It seemed like the perfect situation to jump into.”
“I moved here about six months before Covid hit, and when my school went remote, it was the perfect time to have some solitude to think intentionally about the outdoor space, and get creative with my limited space inside,” Erin continues. “The screened-in porch is functional for about eight months out of the year (with a space heater), and really acts as my living room during the warmer months. Spending so much time outside has made me become a birder and a gardener, and is most appreciated by my cat, who loves spying on the wildlife in the yard. During the colder months, I really try to lean in to the idea of ‘wintering’ and give myself permission to hibernate a bit more. There’s something about only having 350 square feet that gives you more room to breathe — I have less to clean, fewer possessions, and can really prioritize having a calm and visually appealing spot to unwind each day. Downsizing to this extent is an adjustment, but this spot has been a welcome respite for all the curveballs life has thrown us in the last few years.”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Mid-Century Cottage
Inspiration: I’ve been obsessed with Tana Lawn fabrics from Liberty ever since I studied in London during college. I love to mix prints, and this space has been a fun exercise in using geometric patterns as neutrals in combination with florals. There are also a fair amount of plants and nods to animals and travel throughout my home — all things that are important to me and make my space feel like a safe haven that reflects my values. My furniture is mostly mid-century or vintage and creates a nice backdrop for the cozy elements incorporated from my love of prints.
Favorite Element: The bird chair that belonged to my Grandma Peggy has traveled with me all over the country, and is by far my favorite piece in the house. The original cushions had a cool 1970s bird fabric, and when I reupholstered it, we kept a swatch of the old fabric underneath the new cushions, and chose a more contemporary bird fabric to keep with the theme. There are references to birds throughout the house (including a cat named Birdie), which was never intentional, but has turned into quite a thing over the last few years with my growing interest in birding, and the general notion of this home representing some newfound freedom.
Proudest DIY: I’m far from an expert, but I really enjoy sewing. I made the slipcovers for my outdoor furniture, curtains, pillow covers, and a bunch of smaller items here and there. Buying fabric is a small investment, and the satisfaction I get from making things that are unique to my space is a huge reward.
Biggest Challenge: Growing up, I was obsessed with moving my furniture around my bedroom and would make a graph paper scale model to figure out the best layout… and that’s exactly what I’ve done in this space! When my school shifted to remote learning during the pandemic, I wanted a spot to teach from that wouldn’t reveal my entire home to my students… but it meant moving everything several times (by myself, which presents its own challenges). This is probably my fourth and favorite layout, and I’m glad I took the time to figure out the quirks to ensure the space was working for my needs.
Biggest Indulgence: A recent indulgence is the “Why Not Though?” painting from Derek Erdman. I bought this at a time when my best friend and I were talking about how we were practicing worst-case-scenario thinking on a pretty constant basis, and how we needed to make it a habit to think about the possibility that things could turn out great. The best-case scenario is just as unlikely as the worst-case, but it certainly puts you in a more optimistic frame of mind to ruminate on the possibilities of what could go right. Seeing those words reminds me that being hopeful is a practice, and while it’s not natural for me, it’s something I can keep working at.
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? It’s strange to not have a sofa, but I love that my friends cozy up on my bed when they visit during the colder months. It makes us feel like we’re in college again and has unlocked some middle-aged sisterhood friendships that are a huge win at a stage of life where it can be hard to forge new bonds. It also means that no one comes to my house to hang out unless we are both cool with them cozying up on my bed all fitting with the theme of only inviting what you love into your home!
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? Buying flowers for my home each week became a really important ritual during the pandemic. My friend Kaitlin Orner, owner of Pomelo in nearby Germantown, started a bouquet subscription, and it truly was a bright spot that got me through the solitude of the early days of the pandemic (and is something I still look forward to every Monday). The lockers on my porch from Mustard Made are a new addition that have ensured all of the random odds and ends that don’t have a space are tucked away and out of sight. They had a pleasingly ingenious design and I felt like I was building with Lego when I assembled them! Finally, the bar cart from Society Social was a huge splurge in my 20s, and one that has held up beautifully! When I was going through my divorce and trying to figure out how to downsize, it was the only piece of furniture that I refused to consider parting ways with.
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: For me, storage is secondary to making my space work. Decluttering and organizing is an essential daily practice. I’m constantly editing my wardrobe, beauty products, books, and pantry items. If I haven’t used it, or it doesn’t delight me, I give it away. While baskets and pouches can help keep things looking pretty, truly, it’s about accumulating less stuff. If you are really thoughtful about what goes and what stays, you wind up surrounded only by things you love. This is good advice for relationships and jobs as well.
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? The challenges of living in a small space require unconventional solutions that often take time to figure out — live in a way that reflects your daily habits and taste, and your space will reflect what’s most important to you.
by Furnishly | Sep 1, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Name: Crystal Wyatt
Location: University City — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Size: 190 square feet
Type of Home: Studio Apartment
Years Lived In: 1 year, renting
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Crystal Wyatt owned a house in Philadelphia for more than 18 years before needing a change. “There were great memories in that home, as I raised my son there, started my first business (a prison transportation service), and wrote my memoir there,” she writes. “But it was also the home that my mother had died in, and I could never really shake the sadness. So, after shutting my business down (it was stressful) and surviving the pandemic — I decided to sell!”
“I needed to do some healing work — for myself and my community — but I needed a new space to do it in. I also knew I wanted to go ‘tiny,’” Crystal explains. “I went on apartmentlist.com and found a (less than 200-square-foot) studio apartment in University City. I’d lived in U-City 25 years ago and was surprised that I could even afford to live there anymore. The fun fact about this property is that it is owned by UPenn and is somewhat ‘rent-controlled.’ With that, I’ve found a safe and affordable space to clear my head of past trauma and cultivate my new love for massage therapy and keeping plants alive.”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Inspiration: My home is inspired by a photograph of my mother from the ’70s. She was an Afro-chic woman, and a seamstress by trade that made 90 percent of our clothing growing up. In the portrait, she is wearing an orange-patterned head wrap and because of that, the subtle base color in my home is orange.
Favorite Element: My favorite part of living in this tiny space is that I get to see all my favorite things when I wake up. Downsizing from a two-bedroom home to a studio apartment meant that some of my art didn’t make the cut. But what did make the cut is a quilt a Yoruba priestess curated for me. It is made of two of my mother’s favorite jackets (one from the ’70s and one from the year she transitioned), one of my favorite dresses, and my son’s first sweatsuit as a newborn. It hangs in my tiny kitchen, and it grounds me.
Biggest Challenge: I know it might sound weird to say, but there are no challenges for me living in this space. As a 4’11″ woman, this is first place I’ve lived that I can stand on my bed and touch the ceiling (which is great for hanging my plants). But it is a challenge for guests over 5’8″ as my ceiling fan may skim a hairline or two.
Proudest DIY: My proudest DIY is finding the right weight and style of room divider. Since the space was essentially a box, I wanted to create separation between the kitchen and living area without closing off the space. I also didn’t want to look directly at my refrigerator when laying in the bed. I searched high and low and found the perfect room dividers on Etsy. They are lightweight and see through. Hanging them was easy because I didn’t need a ladder. I just stood on a step stool and screwed the hooks into the ceiling.
Biggest Indulgence: My biggest indulgence was the velvet Chair and Ottoman from Albany Park. I had been stalking Albany Park, the Ekaabo Collection, for two years while living in my other home. I wanted the couch, chair, and ottoman but had to settle on just the chair and ottoman because of my tiny space. The chair actually fits two people and the ottoman I use as a separate seating area.
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? My favorite decorating product has to be the home stickers I purchased from Etsy. I used the tribal stickers on my sliding closet doors and over the stove as a “backsplash.” It was an easy way to decorate a space without using just paint. My other favorite are stools I purchased from HomeGoods. The bones were great. But I knew I wanted them reupholstered with curtains from my old home that my mother made for me. I use the stools as extra seating but also as seating at my desk (which is really a sofa table).
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? I think what’s most unique about my space is that I sleep on a twin bed. I told myself if I was going to sleep on a twin, it had to be luxurious. I chose a twin because I’m small, my space is small, and I didn’t want to use up too much of my floor space. As a licensed massage therapist, I sometimes massage clients here and I need to get around my massage table with ease. It works!
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: I can not reiterate enough the benefit of buying a smaller bed for your tiny space. Think about it, you only sleep on one side of a bed anyway! If you have guests, invest in an air mattress. (I have a twin air mattress too!) Also, when dividing your tiny space, be sure to use items that you can see through to allow energy to flow. Layer, layer, layer — rugs, pillows, and bedding!
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? My best decorating advice is to fill your space with items that speak to you. Don’t be afraid to put images of yourself up on the walls. Be bold with your patterns and keep your color scheme limited to four and use variations of them throughout your space. My four colors are: orange, black, green, and white. Those four colors have also been used in my business logo designs as well — again all inspired from the orange in the photo of my mother.
Thanks to Crystal for sharing a beautiful and inspiring home with Apartment Therapy and our readers! This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity. Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form
by Furnishly | Jan 14, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
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Usually, a school bus is a means to a destination, but have you ever seen a school bus that’s the destination itself?
In a rural area in Sooke, British Columbia, Canada, a 1969 school bus has been converted into the loveliest tiny home that’s available for rent on Airbnb. According to its host Miranda, the bus sits on a landscaped garden surrounded by natural beauty; stunning beaches, pristine forests, and fresh lakes and rivers—all of which you can reach by walking or biking.
The immediate outdoor space, meanwhile, includes a covered deck with seating, a propane grill, a hammock, and a cozy fire pit. There’s also an outhouse complete with a composting toilet and a sink with hot running water.
Inside, the vehicle features a retro vibe with modern amenities such as a queen-size bed, room-darkening curtains, a kitchenette, a propane fireplace heater, a countertop work area, a small lounge, and even a shower where the driver’s seat used to be.
The host informs though, to “prepare for an old school experience,” as the school bus has no Wi-Fi — but they do have cell reception and tons of classic board games, cards, books, and art supplies.
Also worth mentioning is the complimentary breakfast that Miranda will cook up: a serving of farm-fresh eggs, her famous homemade nutty granola, and coffee.
“Perfect getaway for those looking for an escape — a step up from glamping but the ultimate opportunity to unplug and explore the beautiful nature the island has to offer,” one review reads. Another adds: “This Airbnb deserves to be on the cover of a magazine. Miranda not only created a magical experience, but also put in so many little touches to make the stay extra memorable.”
Rates start at $110 per night. Hurry and book here before you get left behind by the bus.
by Furnishly | Dec 1, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
Olivia Harvey
Contributor
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via Instagram and/or Twitter.
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