by Furnishly | Dec 26, 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.
Bathrooms are a utilitarian room in the house: Much like the kitchen, a bathroom serves a clear purpose, and usually isn’t the room you spend the most time in, so it can fall by the wayside in favor of more exciting projects, like the living room or backyard. But take it from these renters and homeowners: bathrooms are the perfect place to go bold, embrace original details, and even create a lounge space. Their small square footage is the perfect opportunity to think out of the box when it comes to design, as evidenced by these incredible favorite bathrooms from house tours this year.
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1. A Lounge-y Brownstone Bathroom
Of her Upper West Side apartment, Jessica Rachel Williams says that the “entire brownstone is immaculately maintained. You can feel the landlord’s love and care for her property, even from the outside,” and in particular, the bathroom includes some stunning original elements. Jessica says the bathroom was likely a former kitchen due to the presence of a dumbwaiter and a fireplace. “Having a studio apartment, where practically everything takes place in one room. I overcame it by making my kitchen welcoming as a room and creating a lounge feel in my bathroom.”
2. A Spa-Like Retreat in a Big City
What was once a dated, run-down bathroom in Erin and Ben Hung’s Hong Kong apartment is now a spa-like retreat thanks to careful planning and coordination. “We found inspiration in the surroundings of our property,” Erin says, “where it is low density, quiet, and natural. We used lots of earthy colors like sage green and terracotta, working in pops of more jewel tones for interest as well as materials like reclaimed wood, rattan, linens, and bamboos for soft furnishing mixed with brass. We also loved the old world, relaxed vibe of the Spanish villa tiles, and used Zellige and vintage patterned tiles as well as slabs of terrazzo in the kitchen and bathrooms.”
3. A Playful, Geometric Shower
All of Simon and Emma’s London home is swathed in bright, bold color, but the bathroom is particularly cheeky, featuring pops of geometric tile in the shower. “We also lost one small box room to create a good size double bedroom and two bathrooms,” Emma says, so “one is en suite so the house has been considerably reconfigured up as well.” The playful tiles are by Tom Pigeon, and are hand decorated with lithographic prints.
4. A Mix of Classic and Modern
Stephen and Christina’s main goal for their Detroit, Michigan, home was to blend both their styles into a storied space, which is quite evident in the layered, earthy bathroom. “Using unique materials that told a story were very important to us when designing throughout the house,” writes Stephen. “We wanted a mix of classic and modern. Italian with Scandinavian. And Christina’s maximalism to my minimalism. Ultimately it ended in a home that reflects both of our individual styles together.” Their best advice? “Definitely find contractors you trust. Make sure you get good recommendations or pay a little extra and work with a general contractor.”
5. Luxe Wallpaper and Original Features
Hilary Schwartz says her biggest embarrassment is “the amount of times I changed my mind on bathroom designs,” in her Detroit, Michigan, home, but judging by the fact that not one but two of her bathrooms made this list, we’d say the indecision paid off in the end. This powder room features show-stopping Gucci wallpaper and olive green square tiles that coordinate perfectly with the original vintage sink.
6. Striking Marble and Simple Fixtures
Now, the primary bathroom in this Detroit, Michigan, home might be even more stunning (though we’re definitely on the fence between the two), with high contrast Calcutta marble, a vintage-inspired light fixture, and simple, clean ceramic.
7. Shimmering Zellige Shower
“I’m obsessed with the bathrooms,” says Kit Williamson of the home he shares with husband John Halbach in Yucca Valley, California, “which is amazing because they started out as the worst rooms in the house. I’ve never had a windowless bathroom before, so I was a little unsure of how to design them, but we took a big swing with bold cement floor tiles and Moroccan Zellige showers from Villa Lagoon Tile and it feels like stepping into a magical stone cave. And I’m in love with the bronze exposed pipe showers from Signature Hardware.”
Given that the name of her brand is “Three Boys and a Pink Bath,” it’s no surprise that Sofie Hepworth has a pink bathtub in her Kent, UK home. But the location is a bit unusual. “The outdoor pink bath was a snap decision that everyone thought was crazy at the time,” Sofie admits, “but not only is it beautiful it gets used ALL the time (no killer spiders in this country, guys).”
Lizzie Darden is living the original mid-century tiled dream, with two bathrooms in her Florida home that have original tile. “When we toured this home in person one of our favorite parts was the bathrooms — two mid-century original pastel tiled bathrooms with matching monochromatic fixtures,” she says, “like, complete with sky blue toilet and towel bars and everything. In the 1970s condo we had just moved from there was a similar style set of bathrooms, one pink and one blue just the same, but they were in rougher shape and couldn’t really be restored, so we saw this as the perfect opportunity to do it right this time and really lean into the kitschiness of the style.”
This Barcelona apartment is graced with an archway in every room (how lucky?!) and that includes the bathroom. “They bring an aesthetic harmony and it is the first characteristic that always strikes our guests,” says Amina Camilleri, and in the bathroom, creates a natural vanity.
11. A Very 1980s-Style Kids’ Bathroom
Have you ever seen a more exciting kids’ bathroom? This bold, bright, and made-for-kids bathroom in Emily Wassall’s Los Angeles home is a perfect example of designing for kids without sacrificing on really cool finishes. The bright yellow vanity and tiles, combined with the custom rain shower curtain, blue shower, and pink accent wall create a decidedly ’80s, Nickelodeon vibe that’s still elevated enough for adults to enjoy.
12. A Riad-Inspired London Bathroom
Believe it or not, when Hannah Drakeford moved into her London home, it was a bland, beige box with all beige everything: walls, carpet, kitchen, and bathroom. But now the bathroom — which once had beige tiles, a chrome towel rail, and faux wood laminate — is her favorite DIY. “The inspiration for this room came from a trip I took to Marrakech a few years ago. The riad we stayed in had the most amazing circle motif tiles in the bathroom and I always knew I had to try and recreate this in some form.”
13. Terrazzo Instead of Tile
Terrazzo shows no sign of slowing down, especially not when it’s used to such great effect, like in Dylan and Jess Odbert‘s guest bathroom in their San Clemente, California, home. The irregular floor and countertop perfectly coordinate with the clean lines of the vertical tile, and the final pop of a translucent shower curtain and sink basin pull the whole space together.
by Furnishly | Dec 25, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
As someone whose camera roll is mostly filled with photos of my dog in cute, disobedient, or bizarre positions, I know how difficult it can be to take great — read: not blurry — photos of a creature that doesn’t speak a human language. But somehow, the photographers who document our house tours are fantastic at capturing the cutest pet moments, from cats perched on sunny windowsills to dogs laying perfectly still on beds and couches. Maybe it’s because they’re professionals? Regardless, it’s a delight, and perhaps the only thing I love more than seeing how people decorate their spaces is meeting their pets (even if virtually).
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For all the other animal lovers out there, we’ve gathered some of the most adorable, fluffy, and stately pets featured in home tours throughout the years. Hope you enjoy as much as I do!
1. Rosallina the kitten — Florence, Italy
Not only was this Florence, Italy, apartment the most popular house tour of the year, it’s also home to the sweetest little kitten, Rosallina, whom homeowners Sara and Luigi recently brought home.
What’s that? An entire tour devoted to rescue cats and their various beds, perches, and chill zones? Yes, this is a cat sanctuary designed to look like a suburban house from the 1970s, and it’s just as incredible as it sounds.
3. Sweet Pea the Boxer and Gidget the Chihuahua — Denver, Colorado
Stephanie Wilson lives in this Denver apartment with her boyfriend, Matt, but the real owners are Sweet Pea (an 80-pound boxer), and her sidekick, Gidget (a three-pound Chihuahua rescue). “Sweet Pea claimed the couch as her own as soon as she came to visit the first time,” Stephanie says. “In fact, she kinda moved in before her dad did. Matt lived in the same building two floors down, and when the elevator would stop on his floor when we were on our way up, she refused to get out to go back to her apartment.”
4. Aster the Dog and Szutt the Cat — Washington D.C.
What’s better than one dog or one cat in a house tour? Oh, one of each, of course. DC-based artist Erin Shirley shares her lush apartment with Aster and Szutt, who are equally adorable.
5. Tyrion Lannister Cream Puff — Charleston, South Carolina
Yes, this cat’s name is Tyrion Lannister Cream Puff, and it couldn’t be more perfect for him. Mr. Lannister Cream Puff lives with his human, Grace Atwood, in Charleston, South Carolina. “Tyrion loves the big windows in the living room,” Atwood says, “He’s usually perched in the window, watching birds or the neighborhood dogs. Everyone in my building seems to have a dog, and they all love coming to say hello to Tyrion!”
6. Birdie — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. Autzen the Cat and Elaine the Dog — East End, Boise, Idaho
Residents of Boise, Autzen and Elaine are lucky enough to live among lots of art, books, and tiny house sculptures.
8. Bear — Los Angeles, California
There’s nothing better than a window perch for a cat, proven by Los Angeles-based kitty, Bear.
9. Leo — New York, New York
Leo the Pomeranian is lucky enough to live in a rainbow NYC dream, where his mom, Jessica, has decorated with a giant gummy bear, a “Friends” replica front door, and tons of DIYed art.
10. Pony — Hollywood, California
Ah, to be a cat in a 2,000-square-foot Hollywood home, with plenty of sun-drenched places to relax. Pony lives this life, and mom Champagne says he “especially loves enjoying the day basking in the sun-lit patios!” Lucky Pony!
11. Flex — Los Angeles, California
Have you ever seen a cuter underbite? You’d be hard-pressed to find one. Flex lives in Los Angeles in a boldly-DIYed home, and can be found chatting with his mom, Franchesca, in his free time. “When I’m not at the pool with friends/neighbors,” says Franchesca, “I’m inside working, cooking, and talking to my dog.”
12. Miss Jo March — Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington
Another fabulously named cat, Miss Jo March (or Jo for short) lives in a “Little Women”-meets-nautical 570-square-foot studio, with her mom, Madison, in Seattle. If we had to guess, Jo probably spends a lot of free time writing.
13. Rita — Barcelona, Spain
Rita lives in a gorgeously designed Barcelona home, which mixes mountain cottage vibes with Mediterranean inspiration. As you can see, she’s right at home perched on an armchair in the living room.
14. Pumpkin and Stringbean — Chicago, Illinois
Cats Pumpkin and Stringbean are living their very best boldly colored lives in a 1924 Chicago bungalow, bursting at the seams with vibrant hues, pop art, and whimsical touches. Their mom, Becky, even converted a coat closet into a “cat room,” where the litter boxes are. “My coats all hang on hooks or in my closet, so it was an easy decision to pop a cat door on the coat room and put the litter boxes and an air purifier in there,” Becky says, “now the cats have their own space, and the litter remains mostly contained in the room.”
15. Ari — New York, New York
Maitri Mody‘s NYC apartment is chock-full of color and quirky design choices, but her favorite spot is actually the same as her pug Ari’s. The bed next to the bay window is their favorite spot to watch airplanes at night, see the pink-orange sunrise, and people watch over the street and tennis court below.
16. Schnitzel, Ducky, Louise, Pat, and Rodger — Silver Lake, California
It wouldn’t be home without the chickens, at least for home stager, Francesca Grace. “It was love at first sight,” she says, as “the home is canopied by fig trees with space to raise chickens and a brick fireplace for cool California evenings. The morning light dips through the primary bedroom’s stained glass windows and paints rainbows on the hardwood floors. I’m very proud of my Sunset Junction abode.”
17. Axolotl Rose — Atlanta, Georgia
This Atlanta, Georgia condo might also be home to Moonpie the cat and Laurel the human (an infectious disease scientist), but perhaps the most interesting resident is Axolotl Rose, the ever-smiling amphibian with charming little gills and delightfully creepy eyes.
18. Salazar ‘Sal’ Slytherin II — Washington, D.C.
Not just the moderately evil cofounder of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin is also an adorable Yorkie who resides in Washington, D.C., with his talented mom, Imani Keal.
by Furnishly | Dec 24, 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.
They say you shouldn’t have a favorite child, but no one ever said you can’t have a favorite house tour, right? Right. And even though we love all the homes we feature each year, some in particular stand out as fan favorites. From a Cincinnati jewel-box colored home to a super-smart 190-square-foot studio, our editors’ favorite homes of 2022 were totally unafraid of color and stuff. They all seemed to nail the concept of maximalism, without veering into clutter. Plus, they’re all full of lovingly-sourced antiques, bold pops of color and pattern, and clever uses of space, which are just some of the things that make Apartment Therapy home tours inspiring.
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This Retro English Cottage Blurs the Lines Between Decades
“This cottage in the U.K. is splashed with color in a way that doesn’t feel super overwhelming,” says Deputy Lifestyle Director, Madeline Bilis, “something I hope to mimic in my new apartment.” This home is filled with English charm while also embracing the colors, patterns, and groovy vibe of the ’60s. Bilis particularly loves the “decade-dabbling” the home plays with, as it exudes very old cottage from the exterior and through the floors, which is paired with an Eames lounger or a very-1960s orange daisy wallpaper. “And that crane mural in the bathroom?” Bilis adds, “It’s amazing! Bathrooms are a place to go bold (and/or stick to a theme) and this one does that perfectly.”
Bold Color Meets Original Woodwork in Cincinnati
If you love original wood trim and molding, but also like a personal touch in a home, you will surely appreciate this tour. Staff writer Sarah Everett counts this home as her favorite this year, as she loves “the historic wood details paired with jewel tones,” which is certainly a unique choice that pays off in wow factor. “Although almost every view is whimsical and dreamy,” she says, “I think my favorite little vignette is the dining booth in the kitchen. The woodwork is stunning — the booth is actually made of wood from bowling alley lanes — and the stained glass is envy-inducing.”
A Super-Tiny Studio Is Joyful With Afrohemian Vibes
It’s no secret that studio apartments are tough to work with, but when they’re approached creatively and cleverly, the results are often amazing. This 190 square foot home (yup, 190!) is no exception. “I love not only all the smart small-space maximizing ideas that she incorporated into her studio apartment to make it feel organized and comfy,” says House Tour Director, Adrienne Breaux, “but I also love how many intentional and meaningful elements she folded into her home’s design.” It’s true — renter Crystal Wyatt infused pieces of her late mother throughout the space, and “after a lot of big life and career changes, she turned what was essentially a tiny white box into an incredibly warm, cozy, and personal safe space that embodies so much of what we value here at Apartment Therapy.”
A Coral-Pink Paradise Is in the Heart of NYC
If you’re looking for the answers to millennial financial questions (Why can’t I afford a home? Where should I invest?) you might already know Amanda Holden, but she’s also got a knack for striking the perfect stuff vs. no stuff apartment balance. Home Director Danielle Blundell says her Brooklyn apartment is “a perfect example of maximalist minimalism insofar as it packs lots of personality, color, and pattern punch, but still feels like a place where you could just chill out without feeling visually overwhelmed.” Holden also wields color to her advantage, and Blundell adds that “the expert use of coral paint also made me rethink the idea of accent walls and the color orange in general, two things you don’t see as much of in 2022 as you did, say, in the ‘80s, ‘90s, and even the early 2000s. Still, the place feels totally modern.”
This Colorful Space Is Inspired by Orange, Retro, and Scooby-Doo
“My favorite content on TikTok is young, fly Black girls living in cute spaces,” says Assistant Home Editor, Savannah West, and since she’s been a follower of Lauren W. for some time, she was super excited to see her home featured on Apartment Therapy. The big orange couch, the squiggly motifs, and ’70s-inspired pieces made this apartment “easily my favorite this year,” says Savannah.
This Tudor Strikes the Perfect Balance of Old and New
“I adore this Tudor style home,” says Cleaning and Organizing Editor, Stephanie Nguyen, “It’s absolutely charming and cozy and I love how it mixes old and new, with so many thrifted finds and antiques that decorate the rooms.” And it really is stunning, using muted and jewel-toned colors throughout, brass hardware, mid-century lighting, and more traditional textiles for a perfectly balanced mix. “They wanted it to be timeless and unique,” Nguyen points out, and adds that her favorite room is “probably the kitchen,” thanks to “the beautiful scallop details, like the custom hood cover.”
This Swedish Home Is Wes Anderson-Inspired Maximalism
“I can’t get over this multi-colored single-family home in Sweden,” says Associate Lifestyle Editor Sofia Rivera, “where the homeowner describes the style as a mid-century modern foundation with Wes Anderson and maximalist influences (amazing). The eclectic gallery walls, saturated hues, and hand-painted murals all come together like visual ASMR — I feel like coming home here would just feel so happy, which is exactly what I think home should do.”
This Barcelona Home Has the Ultimate European Cottagecore Vibe
Style Shopping Editor Blair Donovan says it’s “a pipe dream of mine to move to the European countryside some day, but until then, living vicariously through this Barcelona cottage B&B will have to do. Homeowner Sonia Sanz — who bought the space during the pandemic to rent out — and her family have worked to maintain the property’s original charm, making it the ultimate cozy-meets-classic design inspo. The unique flea market furniture, well-curated accents (hello, red gingham kitchen sink skirt), and overall minimalist Mediterranean aesthetic make me want to move in ASAP.”
A Barcelona Home Is Light, Bright, and Chock Full of Personality
I simply could not get enough of this Barcelona home. I drank in each photo and parsed out every detail — there’s so much to see, and yet it’s not overwhelming thanks to the bright, airy walls and windows. The owner, Chloé, is a master at layering traditional pieces and antiques with modern, pop art, and quirky elements. The gilded mirrors and weathered wardrobe of the entryway somehow feel just as comfy in the space as a moose head or giant blue letters in the kitchen, thanks to her ability to juxtapose so many eras and styles. The entire home is a feat, but my favorite room would have to be the kitchen, which is dripping in character and personality, from the mismatched table and chairs to the boldly curated art selection.
by Furnishly | Dec 22, 2022 | Design Inspiration, DIY, 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.
We could talk about IKEA hacks all day, all month, all year… literally all the time. There’s always something new and creative that DIYers, designers, people on a budget, and Scandinavian design lovers are dreaming up, and more often than not, an affordable piece of unassuming furniture is transformed into a truly elegant piece. Whether it’s combining multiple IKEA pieces, swapping out doors and hardware, adding textural interest, or a few coats of paint, we’ve seen tons of impressive IKEA hacks this year, but here are 12 of our favorites we saw in house tours this year.
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1. From Gray IKEA HAVSTA Cupboard to Bright Red TV Cabinet
Hannah Drakeford produced a highly original and creative TV cabinet for her Southeast London home with an IKEA HAVSTA unit, which she actually scored for £20 on eBay. Her process was as follows: She knocked out the middle panels of the doors and removed the cabinet base, primed and painted all elements using Vintro Valentine chalk paint, added new feet, replaced the door panels with painted garden canes and glued them into place, and finally added semi-circular handles.
2. From Freestanding IKEA Bookcase to Space-Saving Built-In
One of the most unique ways we’ve seen an IKEA piece used? Scott Kangas had his KALLAX unit built into the wall of his entryway of his Chicago apartment. “When the developer was rehabbing the space,” Scott says, “I asked him if he could build my existing IKEA bookcase right into the wall between my kitchen and bedroom, I drew him a diagram on a napkin and he agreed. It’s accessible from both sides and is deep enough for a double row of books, much needed by me. It’s also great for displaying my antique clock that I bought myself for my 21st birthday along with some of my matte white ceramic collection.”
3. From Skinny BILLY Bookcases to Dreamy Green Built-In Showstopper
After months of searching for a bookcase that fit the exact space of her Roosevelt Island apartment, Sarah Jackson decided to DIY it herself with five IKEA BILLY bookcases. “Simply put,” Sarah says, “it’s constructed with five of the classic BILLY bookcases, with custom doors, hardware, and trim to give it a more refined, elevated look. The bookcase serves as not only much needed functional storage in an NYC apartment, but also a great way to display little artifacts from our life story and marriage. It represents a celebration of us and our journey as a couple, ranging with sentimental objects from our engagement in Cuba, elopement in Vegas, European travels together, and more, all within an earth-toned color scheme.”
4. From IKEA BESTA Cabinets to Custom Credenza
If you’re having trouble finding the media credenza of your dreams, take a page out of Ben Cuevas’ book and hack some IKEA pieces together, seen here in his LA apartment. “I love a good upcycled IKEA hack,” Ben says, and the credenza is “two of IKEA’s BESTÅ cabinets, which I attached together and added walnut/brass mid-century tapered legs from PrettyPegs, and hand-made leather/brass drawer pulls from Rowzec, a German leather artisan on Etsy.”
5. From a Plain Gray IKEA Chair to Hand-painted Floral Lounge
This one is as simple as it gets. In lieu of her dream chair (the Knoll Womb Chair) Meagan Jain added some life to a plain IKEA armchair in this sweet reading nook in her Brooklyn apartment. “I like to get creative with what we have,” Meagan says. “We have this plain IKEA chair I bought from Facebook Marketplace that I painted daisies on and even though it wasn’t expensive, painting the daisies on it made it one of my favorite pieces.”
6. IKEA MOPPE Mini Storage Chests Turned Floating Nightstands
For a colorful (and storage-heavy) alternative to traditional nightstands, Haley Boyko painted two IKEA MOPPE mini storage chests a bright kelly green, then mounted them on either side of the bed to act as floating nightstands in her Long Beach, California, loft.
7. From Plain IKEA Mirror to Gold-Leaf Vintage Vibes
For an IKEA flip that anyone can do, Roanna Cochrane upgraded an IKEA NISSEDAL mirror that lives in the bedroom of her Toronto apartment. “I took a plain IKEA mirror and made it into a gold leaf, vintage-looking mirror,” Roanna says, and “it turns out that the worse you are at applying gold leaf evenly, the better! Who knew?! It looks so authentic and I feel so proud when I see it.”
8. From Plain Round Mirror to Custom Ball Mirror
For a more whimsical IKEA mirror DIY, Megan Zietz added little balls around the outside of a round mirror for a bit more flair in her Astoria, NYC, office.
9. From IKEA PAX Cabinets to Custom-Looking Cane Storage
Leave it to a couple of artists and woodworkers to totally transform one of IKEA’s most iconic pieces into a completely custom wardrobe unit. Aleksandra Zee and Antrom Kury needed extra storage in their Oakland, California, home, so they decided to take a PAX unit and give it a makeover to match the rest of their decor, and stand out as a piece of art itself. “Making over IKEA furniture is a game changer,” Aleksandra says, “for me, as a maker, if I can’t find it sold somewhere I make it. I love that my hubby is always game for my wild ideas!”
10. From IKEA IVAR Cabinet to Custom Console
“Our living room is our family room,” says Momina of her Toronto, Canada home. “We spend all our time there with kids outside of work and school. So it was important to have their (painfully growing) collection of toys in sight but not really in sight.” So she decided to customize four IKEA IVAR cabinets into a TV console that actually hold all the kids’ toys. Using framing lumber, she built a base for the four cabinets to sit on so that the base and cabinets were secured and flush against the wall. Thinking ahead, she made sure to drill some holes on the insides of the cabinet sides so TV wires could be easily hidden later. Momina added half-round pine molding to form a border around the cabinet doors and painted the cabinet fronts a neutral beige-gray (Behr’s “Wheat Bread“), then finished off the DIY with grasscloth peel-and-stick wallpaper.
11. From Simple IKEA Dressers to Elevated Storage
“A little project that I’m fond of (and which actually inspired me to start an Instagram account),” says Josie of her Lower East Side apartment, “was the dresser stand. We have two black IKEA MALM dressers, which always looked a little like the kind of thing you would put in a kids room in a rental without a lot of thought. I felt like it needed some kind of legs. I love the project partially because it was so simple to construct, and partially because despite the simplicity of construction, it came out looking really beautiful, with the raw wood color working perfectly with the black and both physically and metaphorically elevating the dressers.”
12. A Custom Entertainment System
“I’m really proud of the entertainment center I built around my television,” says Grace Zhang about her Brooklyn apartment. “This was my first power-tool project, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to pull it off. I ended up researching a few IKEA hacks and was able to make it look fully custom.” To us, it looks like a 3-section BESTA unit with two doors, sitting on a custom frame.
by Furnishly | Dec 21, 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: Rachel Ramsower and Ethan Troxell
Location: Austin, Texas
Type of Home: Duplex
Years Lived In: Less than 1 year, renting
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“When I came across a home with a pink kitchen, a ’70s tiled bathroom, and old character, I knew we had to move in!” exclaims Rachel Ramsower, thrifting enthusiast. “I’ve always had a love for older homes that have their fair share of quirky elements and that was what immediately drew me to our now home. My boyfriend, Ethan, could tell you he is more of a modern guy, but to my surprise, he fell in love with our little vintage space!”
Rachel continues: “I always love seeing a new space completely empty and imagining what you will put where and how you can bring the space to life. Sometimes you really struggle with this vision but that wasn’t the case with this home. I immediately felt inspired by our belongings and how they would fit in our new place. It truly felt like I was meant to discover this home!”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: If you were to talk to me for less than 30 minutes, you would probably guess that I have a love for unique things. My style is no different! Whether it be my personal style or decorating eye, I truly love bringing together random, quirky, and unique things to create something special.
Inspiration: I take inspiration from lots of different elements. Antique stores, color theory, artwork, nature, fashion… There is endless inspiration in this world. While most of my creativity is sparked by vintage elements, I also pay attention to all sorts of design, from trendy to eclectic.
Favorite Element: The kitchen! I mean, how cute is the pink kitchen! This tiny ’70s kitchen is without a doubt my favorite element of our home. A huge bonus is just how perfect my vintage blue bar cart looks in there.
Biggest Challenge: I would say the biggest challenge for us was actually blending our two styles. This is mine and Ethan’s first time living together, which meant bringing together both of our stuff meaning two completely different styles! I’m lucky to have a partner who is so easy going and allowed me to decorate really however I wanted. I still had a goal to make our space feel like both of us though and that challenged me to get inspired by things I normally would avoid.
Proudest DIY: While this isn’t a DIY project, I am in love with my purse mini fridge!! This isn’t something that takes skill, but I guess it just really inspires me. It gets me thinking on how to decorate in unorthodox ways to truly make a space feel unique!
Budget: To be honest, we work with a small budget on the daily. Rent in Austin is expensive, and it seems like just waking up in the morning costs you $5! Our strategy though has been to thrift and get most of our pieces secondhand. It helps that I absolutely love thrifting so I seem to always find more eclectic pieces for our home! But what about the pieces we couldn’t thrift? We worked slowly on investing in more expensive yet classic pieces that we know we will love for a long time. Our bar area for example was an expensive purchase. But it’s one of our favorite areas of the house so it was totally worth it!
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? Well, I’ve already talked about my beloved purse fridge, but I haven’t mentioned my dress-up room! Basically, our second bedroom could be whatever we wanted as long as we had a sleeper sofa for guests. There was more space to work with, and I was imagining how I would fill it. I have always loved exposed wardrobes in homes so there was no question I wanted one of my own. This room now showcases some of my favorite quirky and fashionable clothing and accessories. While this isn’t the most unique use of a bedroom, I think it’s just another addition of what makes our space so special to us!
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: I won’t pretend to be the best advice giver, but I will say I have a few tips for decorating a space! 1. Don’t over analyze it. Thinking too much blocks the creative process! 2. Be open to shopping and sourcing at places you normally wouldn’t. This will help break up your home from being just one style (if that is your goal). 3. Decorate for you and your needs! Your space is yours, which means you have the power to fill it however you want.
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Stay true to yourself! There are so many tips and tricks that work and there are so many resources that will tell you the do’s and don’ts of home decorating. But the only person you need to please is yourself! Take inspiration from what you love and trust.
