021710carrietour-01.jpgName: Carrie & Charlie Brown (dog)
Location: Los Feliz, California
Size: 900 square feet
Years lived in: 9 months (rental)

We wrote to Carrie about the possibility of a House Tour after spotting pics of her awesome home in Apartment Therapy's Flickr group pool--lucky for us, she happily obliged. Unfortunately, we twice had to postpone taking photos because of the winter storm rain that LA has been experiencing. On the day we finally got to visit Carrie (and her precious pup, Charlie Brown) the sun was beaming and it felt like a spring day in January. Carrie's apartment building is nestled off of one of those gargantuan Los Feliz streets that shoot off Franklin. As we stepped inside Carrie's home, we instantly felt the busy outside world come to a halt in her calm, cool and collected space.

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Everywhere we looked was immaculate and orderly, a crisp environment for working and relaxing at home. We were amazed that Carrie has only lived here for 9 short months (she's got a knack for setting up shop and making her house a home). A few of our favorite elements: the beautiful crown molding in the living room, the vertical architectural details separating the kitchen area from the den and the contrasting but complimentary paint color choices when you walk in. A personal favorite from our House Tour repertoire, Carrie's home vibe is exactly the sort of thing we strive to create in our own home.

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AT Survey:

My style: Mid-century modern mixed with a vintage nostalgia and an obvious theme of owls and robots.

Inspiration: Eames, George Nelson, Saarinen, Bertoia, Knoll, Mid-century modern, Scandinavian, and Japanese designs.

Favorite Element: The Lane cedar hope chest that my Grandfather gave to my Grandmother before they got married. It's very sentimental to me.

Biggest Challenge: The office work area which I wasn't planning to set it up in the living room in front of the window. It was the only place I had an outlet and a jack. Luckily, the desk isn't bulky so it allows me to work with what I have. I also prefer to do most of my business paperless, so it helps with the lack of clutter.

021710carrie-25.jpgWhat Friends Say: "I vote you as my friend with the best style! Love it all."

Biggest Embarrassment: The window air conditioners. The cords hang down which isn't very attractive. I can hide them behind curtains during the winter, so that's good.

Proudest DIY: I refinished two Eames Shell chairs. It was a challenging project and they turned out great.

Biggest Indulgence: I don't know if I really have an indulgence. I guess that would probably be my TV.

Best advice: Be patient and look for pieces that you truly love. You won't regret it.

Dream source: Scandinavian Designs, Knoll, Eames, 1stdibs, Design Within Reach

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Resources:

Furniture: Craigslist, Flea Markets, Yard Sales, Thrift Stores, Hand-me-downs, Wertz Brothers, Macy's, and drive-bys on the street.

Beds: Headboard from Craiglsist

Lighting: eBay and IKEA

Paint: Valspar (low VOC), Green "Spring Spirits" and Fawn "Lyndhurst Mushroom."

Rugs and Carpets: IKEA and Ross

Artwork: (within' my budget) Ork Posters, Good Shape Design, Amy Ruppel, Print Brigade, Threadless Tees, ebay, Art Walks, DIY, and gifts.

Window Treatments: IKEA

Accessories: Craigslist, Flea Markets, Yard Sales, Thrift Stores, Hand-me-downs, ebay, Ikea, Target, other online vendors, and gifts.

(Thanks, Carrie!)

Photos by Beth Zeigler

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We've had amazing response to our Apartment Therapy House Tour Submission Form. While we will work with homeowners of our favorite homes to feature full tours, we will also share the best as House Calls — short, quick tours of readers' homes. Submit your home here.

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