Name: Anne Ream, Co-founder and Chief Creative Girl of Girl 360
Location: Printers Row, Chicago
Size: 1850 square feet
Years lived in: 10. The unit was originally designed and owned by the architect Martin Silver.
A few weeks ago, my son and I went on the annual Printers Row Loft Walk. What a fantastic way for the design-obsessed to spend a Sunday afternoon! We got to explore wonderfully unique lofts of all shapes and sizes and in the case of this space, we also got to meet the interesting and very gracious homeowner, Anne Ream...
As we speedily snapped these photos, Anne told us a bit about the newly launched uber-cool girl-power- building site for tween and teen girls that she co-founded, Girl 360. It's just one of her passions, along with books and music. Both of these loves are clearly visible throughout her colorful, personality-filled space; a guitar signed by the Sex Pistols, vintage concert posters, artwork featuring Jim Morrison's mugshot, a HUGE wall of books and the piano she learned to play on all have a home here.
Anne also tells us a bit about the historic building her loft is housed in: The Donohue Building was originally a book publishing plant and the first building to go loft in Chicago, in the eighteen hundreds. It has great book karma – the Wizard of Oz was published here (come to think of it, that book is rather in line with my aesthetic).
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My style: I wanted to live in a rock & roll jewel box. I wasn’t quite sure what that was, but I wanted to create it.
Inspiration: Book and album covers from the fifties and sixties.
Favorite Element: The floor to ceiling (15 foot) bookshelves and ladder in the library – they double as storage for my vinyl and cd collection and house the books that I can’t live without.
Biggest Challenge: Living in a space this open. I’m not allowed to be messy, and being sort of a mess this is hard for me!
What Friends Say: “Let’s throw a party here!” And when I do, they never want to leave.
Biggest Embarrassment: Nope, don’t have one.
Proudest DIY: I suppose that would be the interior design of this place. I chose the colors, the upholstery, the furnishings, the art, and tried to make it all work.
Biggest Indulgence: Silk Screens of Elvis and Jim Morrison, by artist Russell Young. And my Krell soundsystem, which really makes a difference when listening to music in a place this open -- the acoustics are kooky in here. Still, my favorite item in the place is probably the Ebony Steinway upright piano, which my grandmother, who was a pianist, taught me to play on. I love its elegant simplicity.
Best advice: Be different
Resources:
The Spargo Group (stainless steel doors and hardware):
Creative Wood Design, Chicago (book shelves)
Accurate Painters, Chicago
Kitchen and Restaurant Supply
Twenty Gauge Furniture
(Thanks, Anne!)
Images: Janel Laban
Wow! I really like the history of this space, and what great use of space an color. I love all the music posters.
view hmillic's profile
This place is AWESOME! So refreshingly original and personal. I love it!
view carrefour_ny's profile
Has a nice 80's vibe, and those peanut pillows are really cute!
view Raunix's profile
The Sex Pistols guitar is amazing. Want. Still, I do have a copy of the Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" single on EMI, so neener-neener. Love the memorabilia and all the color. Oh, and gimme that coffee table, kthxbai.
view rosenatti's profile
I was stopped dead in my tracks by that pesky KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON poster! What DOESN'T fit in with a rock n' roll theme more than that slogan?! Nice place otherwise.
view Vincent B.'s profile
SO. AWESOME.
view triedthistwice's profile
Yeah, that Sex Pistols guitar...the whole place rocks, literally.
I don't have any rare Pistols memorabilia other than my husband. His band opened for the Pistols here in Dallas back in the day. Does that count?
view phaskins's profile
Love, love , love this space! Very happy to see all of the rock posters. As a former record store gal and current radio station gal, I have a lot of great (and rare) rock posters myself so it's always great to see how people are using them to decorate.
view SonicPersephone's profile
I love the clock, source?
view Lizzykewl's profile
Um, I didn't understand the flow of the apartment at all. Nice details, but too many close-ups in comparison with zoomed-out ones :(
Request:
1. Start with a layout
2. Focus mostly on overview pictures
3. Add a few close-ups here and there
Those who have seen a place already know it, but the rest of us are completely relying on "the flow".
view luftskibet's profile
@ Vincent B. : I had the exact same thoughts.
view see's profile
Does anyone know what turntable that is?
view matthewhambrick's profile
@vincent B and others same here. She should have had 'Keep Calm and Dig' another war time poster and a rock 'n roll pun.
view hrhprincessfiona's profile
Love this, love the use of colours and contrasts, love that drinks trolley and particularly love that double lightswitch umder the red (fuse?) box
view idontdobeige's profile
I love your place! Who is the artist of that amazing pink painting of the man??
view greekgoddess18's profile
Does anyone know where the red paneled desk was purchased? I love that desk!
view jbrees's profile
that "man" is Elvis
view sunan's profile
Where is the bar trolley from? I've been looking for one for ages :(
view itsamandal's profile
Love the vivid colors on the walls and the fabulous music posters. Definitely a unique and very personal space. The picture of Elvis is wonderful..I believe that was an old mugshot of him.
view suzy8track's profile
Interesting....we went on this tour too, and one of the volunteers abruptly told to put my camera away when I tried to take some photos in this loft.
view Kathryn's profile
that metal bar cart is amazing.
view ghunt's profile