Name: Benjamin Cottrell
Location: South Loop — Chicago, Illinois
Size: 900 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years — rented
When Benjamin handed me his business card I noticed that the title under his name says Life Stylist. Well if Benjamin can make my life feel as stylish and lux as his home, I'm sold!
The first thing I noticed when I walked into Benjamin's one bedroom apartment was the fabric wall. The chocolate velvet drapes frame Benjamin's bedroom and also wrap around the length of the little hallway. In this lofted space, the fabric was a stylish way to soften up what may have otherwise been a very cold wall.
The crystal chandeliers are in beautiful juxtaposition against the wood beam ceiling. And while hanging the zebra mirror by chains may have been a necessity, it's a look that totally works. In fact, using the chains seem intentional, as if Benjamin was trying to create an industrial glam vibe.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Modern glam.
Inspiration: High-end luxury hotels.
Favorite Element: Crystal chandeliers hanging from 16' timber wood ceilings. The idea of high glam meeting the elements of a raw loft space.
Biggest Challenge: Hanging a very heavy zebra framed mirror! After realizing the piece would not hold to the drywall, 4 guys had to lift the mirror up and hang it from metal chains off the beams in the ceiling.
What Friends Say: Beautiful, classy, yet very comfortable...I love that!
Biggest Embarrassment: The brick wall along the windows. Although I like the brick, I didn't want to see that much of it, so I hung straight silk panels on either side of the window that go from the ceiling and drop to the floor.
Proudest DIY: Hanging all my pictures and the fabric on the walls.
Biggest Indulgence: My very plush bed, always with white high thread count sheets!
Best Advice: Be daring and bold. I love creating a space people will talk about! Also don't rush into doing something in your home if it doesn't feel right. I lived in my home for 2 & 1/2 years before I felt it was finally "right!" Now I LOVE IT!
Dream Sources: Jayson Home and Garden. I want one of everything!
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
- • The perfect color for any home, palace white on the main walls.
• Accents walls in truffle brown and matte black.
• Bedroom walls are custom faux finished in a metallic plaster in charcoal gray. I wanted the walls to look like worn leather.
• The bathroom is Ralph Lauren beep blue.
ENTRY
- • Marble top table: Create and Barrel
• Hide skin and horn bench: Art by God
• Mirror: Z Gallery
• Fabric: Fishman's
LIVING ROOM
- • Sofa: Boston Store Furniture Gallery
• High gloss white coffee table: West Elm
• Sisel rug with black leather trim: Bombay Company
• Crystal chandeliers: Swarovski
• Lucite lamps with black shades: Lamps plus
• 2 armed chrome side lamp: Macy's
• Black wood side table: vintage
• Iron glass top writing desk: Bombay Company
• Black lucite ghost chair- Design within Reach
• Zebra framed beveled mirror: vintage
• Gold Italian rope and tassel beverage cart: vintage (along with the barware on them)
• Black wood cabinet: vintage
• Telescope: Bombay Company
• Leather slipper chairs: Elements
BEDROOM
- • Brown leather tufted bed: Z Gallery
• Bedside tables: Design within Reach
• Lamps: vintage (grandma's basement)
• Side chair: vintage
• Wood stool with leopard top: vintage
• Faux finished walls to look like warn leather: Kath's Creations
Thanks, Benjamin!
Images: Jason Loper
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Comments (68)
I'm in love with the masculine opulence here - This is one for my "Inspiration" files...
love the kramer
i love it. this is probably the house tour that comes closest to my personal style. this reminds me so much of my first studio apartment - but his is much nicer. and all of my furniture was from ikea...
Love the green cabinet in the bathroom!
I like this space everything about it.
The Marshall Field's clock pic is interesting where it's placed.
Btw, what exactly does a "life stylist" do?
Gorgeous home.... I just want to curl up there and read a book. :) Kudos!
Not my style, but I think it's wonderful. Lofts are like stage sets, and I love to see them "dressed." The powerful neutrals are great for the space.
Love the moody bedroom. The velvet curtains are fantastic.
Divine. I second @bepsf - 'masculine opulence' is the perfect phrase.
I love the mix of dark and light contrast in this space. I also like how he separated the rooms using curtains - I've seen this before, but this is really well executed! Very beautiful.
I think it's cute that how your 'biggest embarrassment' is brick. If only!
Way to not do the stereotypical loft thing. Our styles are very similar, so I adore!
the zebra mirror hanging from chains=AWESOME
LOVE the umbrella stand by the front door!
Where is it from?
Simply stunning. A few comments: One, I'm shocked the dark color scheme works so well in your loft with such a limited source of day light. I live in a similar loft conversion (with less concrete) but you're making me rethink the traditional modern wall white-out...
Forget my remaining comments! Care to come over sometime and help me achieve the same look?!?!
Also
subtract the "Also" from the above comment. Thanks!
Love the Kramer as well.
The chandelier in the livid room is fab. Also really like the mixture of textures.
Oooh, very nice. I second Ban Clothing's comment about the chocolate drapes - l love them.
icarus
the boot umbrella stand
http://www.zgallerie.com/p-7485-boot-umbrella-stand-white.aspx
I couldn't find the bathroom paint - and I love it. Could someone help out?
Yawn! I prefer to style my own life, and believe I do a better job than this chap....
stunning.
While most drama I like to forego, a dramatic entrance takes the cake! I can just imagine the home owner welcoming friends into his den of luxury from the first shot. Not many house tours get all accolades, hmm?
Bravo!
Btw, what exactly does a "life stylist" do?
Darling, if you have to ask, you can't afford him... :)
I like the subtle play of colours, and the vintage card "art" on the wall of the bathroom. The only addition I'd like to see is a white panel suspended horizontally over the bed, to reflect the white of the colour scheme and to enclose the bedroom to make a more intimate space.
I love it. Everything. I think this was the first space I've ever seen where I couldn't find anything I truly didn't like.
I especially love the dark colors. Absolutely fabulous!
How did you hang the drapes?
How did you hang the picture on the drapes??
Did you put the blue (matches pillow on chair too) throw folded on the end of the coffee table because you put your feet up when watching TV?
Beautiful and appealing home!
That is one outrageously sexy bedroom. Wow!
Love how you made a nothing special bathroom look great just with paint.
I am in love with this home. I can definitely see the masculinity coming from the textures, furniture and colors in this place. Although, I think some of the decorative pieces are a little feminine, but I still find them extremely lovely. STUNNING.
a fine home
YUM!!
I could spend hours sleeping in that bedroom.
Loving the dual chandeliers in the living area!
That bedroom is the ultimate "man cave". The living room I love! But to scrunch it all up to have the space between it and the kitchen seems a waste of space. I'd enlarge the LR area,( and here comes my pet peeve) put up a screen between it and the kitchen. IMHO, the kitchen kills the beautiful mood set my the LR.
Oh,and I'd kill for the bricks, the huge windows and deep window sills!
i like the white coffee table. i wish they still carried that model in store.
wow. i feel so inspired. How would someone hang a heavy mirror if there were no beams? I have that situation now.
The day I walk into a mans apartment and it looks like this, is the day I fall in love.
this is an incredibly sexy space. i can smell the manly cologne already. well done, its lovely.
Does anyone know the publisher of that Ralph Lauren book? Or better yet, the ISBN? Thanks!
Very cool. Two things..
1) Do the vintage postcards on the bathroom wall not get damagedby the mositure/humidity in there?
2) Could you do some sort of treatment to your door - decal, fabric, art - so it blends in with the rest of your aesthetic?
@ekkuj - Here is the Ralph Lauren Book...
http://www.amazon.com/Ralph-Lauren/dp/0847829901/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300983529&sr=1-1
wow!
It's interesting that people see so many masculine elements here, when I see ever so many which are, or can be read as, something that is, to me, more feminine - perhaps preventing it from being an over the top masculine space.
What I see as feminine? The crystal lamps, the zebra stripe and flowers/objet de art, tchotchke, etc.
Hmm, that sounds pretentious, must be the silly gender book I've been reading causing me to read things...
i'd love a brick wall, but to tell the truth, i didn't even notice yours b/c everything is done so well - had to go back for a look...
but PLEASE, tell me how you did the fireplace? j'adore the look of fire and ice.....
Wow - I'm moving in!
Not what I was expecting, it's really lovely. I love how Benjamin still has his belongings out and about, without any feeling of clutter. The bedroom is divine.
I like it!
wow amazing!
Love your home! Where did you find a white television!?! Sure helps hide it within the
room!
Interesting! I love the zebra mirror and the green cabinet in the bathroom. The first thing we see when the door opens is a wall of curtains which I don't find appealing at all, I would rather have a better view of the apartment from entering. The bed is fabulous though.
I'm outing myself as a Gerard Butler fan here, but is that the film version of "Phantom of the Opera" on the TV?
...just saw another screenshot in the tour. It totally IS "Phantom of the Opera." Somehow that's just totally appropriate. Talk about opulent! :D
Hot! Can I have a personal tour of this house? And yes, please style my life too!
That bedroom is fantastic! Smouldering. Dark and Mysterious. I love it.
Beautiful! The only thing I might add is a large framed piece of artwork or a mirror over the fabric at the entry to your apartment, to prevent the opening-the-door-into-a-wall effect. But it is lovely.
I love the contrast between brick wall and crystal chandelier-so daring and so beautiful. it's a pity there's no pic where entrance with foyer table(?) can be properly seen-would love to take a look at it as well, seems pretty from the side.
clearly, that's apartment with good bones, and you made a lot of it as well.
absolutely flawlessly put together - great juxtaposition of elements - love how you made the loft seem luxuriously cozy.
Amazing interior!! I just loved it.
Pasta Boat
>foogiefive: Thanks a million! My copy is on its way already <3
Love this!
Love the whole place but really keyed on the little guy holding the "I Farted" sign in the bathroom. Where is that from?
Faux finish in bedroom? I need details so I can steal this for my dining room, please? Exactly what I was looking for, metallic grey plaster! I have looked at the hardware stores in LA and some of the paint stores and they look at me like I am deranged. Thank you Benjamin!
Whew...sexy!
Drop dead gorgeous.
You can't be straight (:
It just couldn't be possible.
Great place. Pops with personality. Question - what are the letter/notes in the bathroom?
Gorgeous place! Where is the fireplace log & "ice" from? Thanks
Are those Sterno cans in the fireplace?
Benjamin ! props to you ! love the living room!