Name: Alexandra
Profession: Assistant to the Curator of Design at The Art Institute of Chicago
Location: Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL
Size: 250 square feet, early 19th century studio apartment
Years lived in: 4 months, rented
Alexandra's first home of her own reflects her thoughtful, keen sense of style through the prism of a small studio apartment. She thoughtfully utilizes a limited color pallette of white and pink with dark wood and black accents to create a sophisticated look that feels surprisingly spacious and inviting despite the limited square footage.
Thanks to a sharp eye for vintage furniture, help from family and friends and a little bit of luck, Alexandra has been able to outfit her pad on a budget- never spending more than 50 dollars on any one item in her home! Not only do her furnishings work well with Alexandra's feminine and polished taste, every object has its place and is appropriately scaled for the size of the apartment, creating spaciousness and warmth in a small environment.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Eclectic, with a bit of glamour.
Inspiration: The era (early 19th century) and architecture of the building.
Favorite Element: The Hinks & Sons converted oil lamp from the turn of the century that I had repaired and restored in Lathrup Village, Michigan at Michael's Lamp Shop. I love the way it looks on the 1930s desk my Dad refinished.
Biggest Challenge: There are no electrical outlets in the bathroom, walk-in closet and the whole wall by the Murphy Bed. I guess that's what you get in an old apartment. Finding a solution to having no kitchen counter was also something that was a challenge, but luckily my mom found a narrow vintage table with wood cutting boards that flip up and down on the sides. Shockingly, there is enough room to leave them up all the time.
What Friends Say: Nobody has seen it yet!
Biggest Embarrassment: Where to start? My air conditioner, TV and extension cord wires. Oh, and the AWFUL fan and ceiling lights.
Proudest DIY: The curtain tie-backs I made using antique door backplates and vintage door knobs.
Biggest Indulgence: I haven't spent over $50 on anything. Yet.
Best Advice: I think it is great when you work with the elements and era of the space you are in and let that be your guide. If I was living in a loft, I would probably have completely different décor!
Dream Sources: Sotheby's and Christie's auctions.
Resources of Note: Estate sales, Antique stores, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, my mom and sister!
Thanks, Alexandra!
Images: Smith Schwartz
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Une Femme est une femme!
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!
Kudos on the use of space. Those pink chairs are so pretty. I think I would go nuts in such a small space.
cute! I'd love to see a (pink?) horizontal striped ticking bedspread on your bed.
very pretty and feminine :)
Very tasteful!
You've done such a great job with a little space and it sounds like you're a badass bargain hunter to boot! I love the feminine (but not frou-frou) feeling of your place.
And wow, that kitchen sink!
I think this appartment is very sweet, modestly elegant, timeless and a nice change as well. I especially like the armchair and how it looks with the desk and converted lamp. This is exactly the kind of space you can live with for years without getting fed up, and yet it also leaves room to evolve. And everything at less than 50$ ? Goes to show taste is all you need !
Nice job !
That is the most darling kitchen in the history of kitchens! Love the skirted sink.
Very nicely done!
Lovely! It has a tasteful paired down feel of Art Deco meets Old Hollywood meets Craigslist chic. :-p
I epecially love the desk area and that chair, wow! If it's true that you didn't spend more than $50 on anything, then what a steal!
I'm assuming you can't paint so the only big things I would suggest would be more plants (particularly floral arrangements) and some colourful throw pillows for that couch. Other than that, great place!
archeological study bible? nice :) (the place looks great!)
That kitchen alone is worth living in 250 sq ft! I am impressed with your finds for under $50. The only thing I would do differently to further define the different living spaces (if it were my place) is incorporate some rugs with some of your accent colors break up the beige-ness of the carpet. What a great find for a first place!
My goodness, that is adorable! Very impressive and sweetly elegant. I like its femininity without the girlishness. Very well curated and edited. I think the couch could use a few more pillows, but I imagine since you sleep there, you would get tired of removing them every night. Well done!
Love it! I like how the bed is in the closet - I've never been big on having a lavish bedroom - great use of space!
Only thing I would change is get a white cabinet for the TV to let that adorable radiator shine!
Wow! Love, love, love!!
floor plan, please! :)
Pretty....but that closet is giving me convulsions. Your kitchen is so neat - what happened in the closet??
So lovely how some of the staple furniture pieces like all the chairs and bedroom bureau go with this early 1900's architecture & aesthetic. I would suggest saving up for an antique couch and maybe a tall decorative ladder to stick in the kitchen. How on earth does anyone reach those high cabinets above the refrigerator!?
There are so many cute and lovely touches in here. The carpet though and the tv are kind of ouch! not good! The less than $50 dollar finds could use some brightening up. But wow, 250 square feet. Good on ya'. (ps, agree about that closet!)
Cute place, but it's early 20th century, not 19th. 19th would be the early 1800s...before Chicago was settled. Sorry to be such a nerd.
There's tons of kitchens like that in Chicago. Especially places like Pilsen, that haven't been completely gentrified.
Absolutely love it, beautifully done
People have clean closets? I thought the whole point of a closet was a place to put all the crap that you don't want out for the world to see?
The kitchen alone was worth the price of admission. It's absolutely dreamy. You're a lucky girl!
Note to editor: Why even include a photo of the closet? Did we need to see that? Next time, give a girl a *little* bit of privacy. Sheesh.
Charming!
While I'd find a way to double-hang the closet pole (it's bending under the weight and due for a disaster), I love the way the dresser and mirror makes for a divine little dressing room feel.
Ditto on finding something else to house the tv...but it's another opportunity to haunt one of the great resale shops in Chi-town.
Gad, I love Chicago architecture...and this little apartment!
OKAY
very nice job. i try to think of what i would do in a place a 1/3 the size of my apartment and it's incredibly intimidating. you make it look effortless (cept the closet ;) that's okay though)
Wow, you have made this place look much bigger than 250 sq ft. Very nicely done. You have used a lot of timeless furnishings that will never look out of style. I love your kitchen sink...I used to have a similar one in my old apartment, and I still miss it!
Thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments and feedback! I wasn't expecting closet pictures, but it's a work in progress. Sorry if it caused convulsions. :)
Thanks for the suggestions and compliments, it's always nice to hear what people have to say.
You've done a great job with this place :) Very cute!!
My only negatives would be that the closet needs some serious organization, and that it makes me sad to see the desk blocking those gorgeous doors!
Cute!
It's sweet. The tiny kitchen is something I'm dealing with right now, and it looks like you make a go of it with aplomb.
Wonderful job in a cozy, comfortable space. Great job pulling all of these different pieces together. Love the kitchen!!!
So very cozy and nice!! Beautiful, so calm and peaceful.
Suggestion?..how about some light colored bamboo shades for privacy and light and a nice piece of granite to sit on top of the rad so you can have some additional shelf space. The slab will store heat too.
What a wonderful place to live. Amazingly elegant restraint. You should be extremely proud of your home, it's gorgeous.
one word: lovely.
Oh to have another 125 square feet! lol...is it possible that my studio apartment really IS that small? Unfortunately, at 125sq ft it really is. This is lovely.
Lovely, lovely, lovely! Alexandra, are you perchance a classicist? I am, and I can't help but notice and admire the touches of Italy, ancient and modern, in your apartment.
Alexandra, are those Pisa tower bookends? Do you know where they're from? love your glamorous home!
I looked at this the other day and didn't realize it was only 250 sf. It's adorable. I also have a small space - a cottage, tiny, tiny - and know how difficult it is to live in such a tiny place. This is elegant, fresh, and calming. Excellent job! But I would also like to see a floorplan. It would bring together the entire view. And, agreed on the closet. I would think a re-do on the closet would provide even more space and I'd like to see what Alexandra can do with that. If you can pull the beauty out of a studio, image the miracles that you can do with that closet! Looking forward to more.
Alexandra you did an amazing job with the space you have. I love, love, love it:) Makes me want to downsize and see if I can do as well as you did.
It must make you happy to come home to this each day after work:)
This is too cute for words,..and what? 250 sq. ft.? It looks tremendously larger, great placement of furniture, love those old buildings, wouldn't trade them for new ones ever. Love your kitchen, it's adorable, love retro, great charm, very sweet, very nice!
When you can people envious of a 250 sq ft space you know you've done an amazing job. Seeing your space makes me want to go back 20 years and get a do over on my first place...
Super cute and clean. Thanks for not having a ton of clutter and chaos.
Such a lovely little sophisticated place. You're a good decorator. And, you a very good photographer, too!
That should have said "you ARE a..."
;-)
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They will delete or block. Wow! Bunch of babies.
WOW .. PETTIT BUT VERY NICE AND PRETTY , AND THE WAY TO FIND SPACE FOR EVRETHING WAS INCREDIBLE .. CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!
Thank you again for all the nice comments everyone. I just wanted to answer a couple people's questions:
@sally305, You're right!
@ladymantle, those pictures are pretty much all you can get as far as the whole room goes because the space it too small for big camera shots.
@halfthesky and Heather C and anniekins ,I have since gotten a new bedspread and some throw pillows for the couch/bed, thanks!
@v!ntagesavvy, I do keep a fold down vintage stool under the sink to reach those high cupboards!
@romateamo, Yes, I did live in Rome for a year and still want to go back! I do have some remnants in the apartment, as you noticed!
@pipstar, Those bookends are coliseum bookends and I got them at TJ Maxx for $7 a piece.
Thanks!
Bravo! Your first home is really charming and looks comfortable. If you are allowed, it would be great to paint the bottom part of the kitchen in one of the colors from the lovely fabric under the sink. Then the kitchen, the heart of the home, would really make you feel like it was your space. Green or yellow would be really nice.
It's forward of me, please forgive. I am enthused!