apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

It's a beautiful space but I truly love the cowboy boots!

Perfect. no more to say. PERFECTION!!!!!!!!!

I love the dark floors against the white walls, with a good portion of color brought in by the artwork on the walls. Great Place!

I did not need to see a photo of the owner of the place, a bit on the pomp-is side.

Good God, that is awesome. I hate you.

What a gorgeous space!

Is that a white or a natural Eames Modernica rocker? I suspect the latter and I'm second-guessing the order I placed (for the white version) last night.

wow, another case of an internet millionaire wunderkind. i love these peoples style, but isnt it hindered a bit when its potentially hand-me-down money. im not dogging on the guy, the place looks amazing, and i would assume a very cool guy, but dont you all wonder?

p.s. for f-'s sake, hes got about 3 grand in eames stuff alone...

The 1st shot is "the Money Shot"... for sure.
A very tastefully done place- and a great "backstory" as well, about the remote sourcing- a man well versed in keystrokes- for sure.

Only thing I'd rethink, is the "splatter painting" -
Maybe one of Andrews photographic images- output on to Canvas- or as a Translux would be "homier".

Who makes those cowboy boots?? I need them :)

Aww I think the pic with him in it is cute! Sounds to me like someone's a little jealous... Anyways, this space is fantastic, kudos for a job SPECTACULARLY well done!

Love this space! It's one thing to design a place remotely, but I would love to know how he got the custom elements done without being there to supervise the work. I mean, I doubt that white brick painted itself!

Anyway, great job - clean, modern yet clearly not a "cookie-cutter" space.

manofsteel,
i like the splatter painting there. it brings a bit of chaos and disorder to an otherwise OCD-like cleanliness.

andrasklang,
i know what you are saying.. and i sometimes feel the same way.. but thats because i am jealous, and have crappy furniture.

ManofSteel you touched on a pet peeve of mine as a photographer and what I view as a major faux pas.. I think photos should never be printed on canvas, paintings should be on canvas. Photos should be printed on paper and framed. There are a lot of fantastic minimalist/contemporary ways to frame photography.

Although I agree, printing on translux or alternative materials would work really well with his other artwork.

i too am jealous. as i have a very good job and cant afford any of this stuff, even with having no car payment. it irks me that this guy looks to be a bit older than me and has it made. how? is it a "thanks mom!" or work his ass off situation. i mean, i know pretension, i live in ann arbor. kids in audis are a daily occurrence. overall, its just stuff i guess...

Just the kind of home I like. Perfectly balanced between white walls and dark furniture & floor. Minimalist but not the typical white/black combination.

I can't forget to mention the Mozart picture. Funny pop art!

sooo masculine

LA - pompous, not pomp-is

Not that I agree, just commenting on the spelling.

OCD rant over.

I am so &^%$'ing tired of the negative speculation and comments about how much money a person has and/or how they choose to spend it.

House Tours allow you to see inside someone else's home and how they've chosen to furnish it. But that's all it is - a chance to look - I don't see how that gives you permission to criticize or speculate on any other aspect of their life.

And crying about how "life's just not fair" is just pathetic.

Haven't commented before, but felt the need to now!

I agree with Kathryn! This guy has had the gumption (and yes, maybe a little pride - what's wrong with that?) to invite complete strangers into his home.

Readers need to do the right thing... be a good house-guest and be respectful and gracious!

I, for one, think the place is fantastic - well done my friend, and thank you for allowing us visit your home!

kathryn, im not one to bitch and moan. i like the house tours, i usually save most of the pictures to my computer for future idea stealings... however, i think im just tired of yuppies. this guys place just seems unattainable, it reminds me of some kind of rich bitch mentality, or maybe a character from cloverfield (what a pad that 20 something had). its just kind of sickening, akin to the prima-donnas and dilettantes that consume our tabloids.. just postulating, theorizing. i wish this guy was my friend, but im probably not cool enough with just a model 7 chair and a lcw... or am i just nuts?

love the look .. very clean and quite peaceful i'd imagine ..... anyone know where to get the workdesk that he's got on there? is that custom? thanks in advance.

OMG!!! The claws are coming out!!! So what if you can't afford half of things in this guy's house?? It's meant for inspiration and inspiration only. And I, for one, am very inspired by his clean and very modern apartment.

Right on, Katherine!

This place makes my head spin a bit - everything is so expensive and brand-oriented, it's distracting. But maybe that because all of us on this site know too much about furniture...

I personally would feel awkward being this showy, and of course, I'm a little jealous. But it's not our place to judge how this guy spends his money. He might be drowning in credit card debt to pay for all this. Maybe he doesn't have kids nor a car (I've easily put several Tolomeo lamps worth of repairs into my old pickup). Alimony payments can cost more than Eames chairs. Maybe he eats mac & cheese out of a blue box every night to subsidize his purchases.

We're only seeing are pictures of his house when it's shined up for a photographer. Just comment on whether you like the decor or not.

Ack, sorry! Right on, Kathryn (wish you could edit posts here sometimes). ;)

Online purchase - 1st time seeing the home was after closing? What! I kind of agree w/ andrasklang - except I don't need the friendship. Nice home, thank you and all for letting us in. I admit I looked at the show w/ interest but after the show I was left feeling uninspired and wished I had my 30 seconds back. I mean if he had a story about laying the floor down - some hammering and nailing that would have helped. And just a note: if you are going to put picture of yourself in - just sit there, smile and be cute. Don't act like your on the Mac.

Hi everyone -

Just a reminder that AT took these pictures and put together this post, not the resident, Arthur.

The AT photographer requested a personal photo, since we feel that it is a good addition to the tour for the readers to see the person who has shared their home with all of us, and this is certainly not the first (or last) tour to include one.

love the photo of the hands in the foyer area -- somehow very soothing and welcoming.

i love you instantly detomor. i want to see diy, sweat and blood, and love. not visas, pristine eames, a faux 5 o'clock shadowy musk-ness. btw, sorry for voicing my consistently thought of as negative opinion.

andrasklang -
and there you again! i am trying to resist making this personal, but you clearly didn't get what i was saying. Now you're calling him a "yuppie" with a "rich bitch mentality" but you want to be friends with him --WTF?!

It takes a lot of guts to put pictures of your home on the internet and ask for comments. I know, I was the subject of a House Tour myself a while back:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/house-tours/house-tour-kathryns-loft-life-009235

Comments and off-topic speculation like yours turn people off and I fear that eventually AT will run out of willing participants for the House Tour feature.

I must be missing something because I don't see an overly rich apartment here. Sure, there are some expensive pieces of furniture but as Arthur said, "it's not how much something costs, it's how much you paid for it."

The kitchen is very nice but it's not that big either. The appliances are nice but they're not Sub Zero either.

To me, this looks like a nice, modest, modern loft on the West Side with just the right amount of luxe and just the right amount of carefully selected artwork to make it personal.

The one thing that he does have that I could never afford is the ability to have a wardrobe that impressively stocked and organized. Poor me.

Well, vitriol aside, I love it. I think 'modern hip' sums it up perfectly. To me, it also feels very natural; I don't think Arthur did this with the aim of impressing other people, he's just put an immense amount of thought into surrounding himself with cool stuff. And I don't begrudge him that.

@Andrasklang - I wouldn't necessarily call this 'unattainable', there's IKEA in every single room! I do think it's more tasteful than some of the more expensive homes we've seen here.

Arthur, when you see this - you have impeccable taste and a great sense of style. You made great choices, and your home looks fantastic, cool, comfortable, clean, organized - and a great space to throw a party! Well done, especially considering you set up from afar.

hey, im not dogging the guy. again, sorry for opening a can of worms. i live in a place that is fairly nice, and is 900 a month. about a quarter of the size, no wood floors, and no nice, high ceilings. i live on the outskirts of ann arbor, an expensive town, but its no chicago. that place must be fairly expensive. its fairly unattainable. its probably an underlying jealousy. kathryn, dont take this personally. i was bringing up a point. i live in an area where i have seen dumbshits that have bentleys, audis, etc as their college car (no joke), so i have some distain for people that have this kind of stuff. he holds it together well, it just seems like its out of a movie. overall, these are just words, if people are going to get so bent out of shape, maybe we need more outdoors time. i think most know what im saying, understand the validity of it, but are getting hung on syntax. my final thoughts (as you needed them....pfff(sarcasm))

awesome home! thanks for sharing! :]

I think the use of his own art and photographs is what makes this more than just a designer loft. I also love that he isn't afraid to mix IKEA with Eames. This house is all about mixing practical with luxury. Good Job. As for how he got it, good for him for having a good paying job and smart of him if he works and travels alot to have someone help him decorate it. designer is better than DIY but neither is DIY better than designer.

I think this home is beautiful...the one thing that drives me crazy is the dishwasher/sink placement in the kitchen. You can't stand at the sink and load the dishwasher.

Everything seems to be very well put together, and I, too, love the balance between dark and light that is going on in this place. He's got to get to the bathroom, though! He could have so much fun! (What is that purpose of a place that is this good for a date/party if you can't end up drunk in a fantastic tub or car-wash shower with your date at the end of the night?)

Seriously, some people just get off on trashing anybody else based on their own perceptions of them. It's called "all about me". Maybe there's a blog somewhere called Group Therapy. Good Luck.

Oh...and Arthur's place is 100% A . Great job.

I think those boots are Lucchese:
http://www.zappos.com/n/es/d/722113464/page/1.html

ARTHUR: you are a brave soul - both for buying sight unseen (not only the place, but all the things in it!), and for subjecting yourself to this. Your home has elements we all wish ours did, which I think is the root of all this debate, despite the financial tangents it's taken.

my mistake--River West not West Side.

Well said firecracker..agreed!and thanks so much for the link, I'm in hot pursuit of those boots!

Love it.

f-ing amazing! I absolutely love it. It's clean and perfect... and damn good!

I really enjoy this guy's space and what he's done with it - It's clear to me that he put alot of thought and effort into his space, which is alot more than I can say for lots of other folks.

As others have hinted at here; it's not the money that matters, but what you do with it. He could have spent the same amount or more on Ethan Allen/Pottery Barn/generica, and he didn't. Kudos to him.

andrasklang - Perhaps you should post photos of your space too so we can revel in your creativity (or lack thereof?)

Sounds like there's jealousy in the room. I also think andrasklang needs to get a better job or marry rich, because it seems like money is going to be his only source of true happiness.

To Arthur: I am envious of your organized closet and large art. I too once had an apartment with enormous ceilings and didn't take advantage of it, unfortunately. You and your home are gorgeous ;)

I'm in love...with the closet. Arthur, you're cute, too. ;)

Of all of --which is really great, not as warm feelings as I like, but it's not my space now, is it? -- my very favorite thing is the the spider plant in the clear glass planter lined with moss. I've been trying to figure out how to bring a plant into my living space without a plastic or ceramic planter that would damage my wood surfaces.

Well, glass is uber chic, and won't cause damage. Thanks for that inspiration!

ZZZzzzzzz.......

Chuck Taylors...check.
MacBook...check.
Scruffy beard, hipster glasses, vintage Eames...check.

I might be a little in love with him.

Arthur rules! Simmer down, jealous kids! You should strive for this fantastic, perfect apartment, not knock him for it.

This place is gorgeous. It totally is my dream home. Great job, Arthur!

p.s. I don't get it why someone would have "disdain for people who have bentleys, audis, etc as their college car". If they can afford it, why not? Does it make them "bad people"?? Don't we all work our ass off because we all want to afford this kind of things some day?? (even if we don't want to admit it).

Great space! Very "bachelor pad", which I think is a sexy style.
I like the use of the brown and white scheme throughout, which has more warmth than black&white and has just enough splashes of color to not to feel too "color-schemed".

It also somehow avoids feeling like a DWR showroom, which considering how many items are sourced from there is a great achievement!

As to the ongoing discussion about budget- I don't think the "why can he afford it and I can't" approach warrants a response. It's more than a little pathetic.

i think what mustn't be overlooked is that the ceilings are super high and the walls and flooring are pristinely new. with that kind of foundation, almost any spare and tasteful items would knock our socks off. what a lucky duck!

Can you tell me if you bought the Movable Curtain Track Hardware and curtain from the Chicago Canvas and supply? Did they finish it for you? Can you tell me which material you used?

Hey Arthur -

You have a beautiful home. Thanks so much for sharing.

Kath :-)

I was going to make a few light criticisms of this decor, but having read the naked vitriol that has preceeded, I don't think I have the stomach for it. Jeez, people.

It's a beautiful space, and the swivel chairs in the living room especially are way cool. Yes, the splatter painting is awful, but the framed photo over the landing strip makes up for it. So overall it's a good effort.

My one suggestion would be that he edits his wardrobe. Never trust a man who owns six pink business shirts ;)

Beautiful space. I am saddened by all the negative remarks made in relation to his money. It is a home tour and he was kind enough to share his home. Is this how you would react if you were invited in face to face? Sad to think many hide behind their computers and throw out insults.

Thank you for inviting us into your home. It is beautiful and decorated so well. Whether that decorating budget was 10 dollars or 10 million, it is beautiful and can serve as inspiration for any budget.

Not thrilled with the choice of artwork, but he's got excellent taste otherwise. Great shoe storage. Overall, it's a enviably gorgeous home.

Very nicely put together and organized. I think that was the intention. And, it is very well executed.

Nice job!

Um, is he single [and straight]?

Kidding. Kind of.

This is a great place. Very clean and masculine. He looks comfortable there, not forced. With so much negative space, it really draws the eyes to the artwork and pops of color.

Agree with Dawn Marie...
I think it's lack of good manners to be "invited" into someone's home only to diss him or the apartment because of money... that only happens in the internet, hopefully not yet in real life.

Everyone can afford this stuff, just maybe not all at once. Maybe this guy has been saving his money for a while... who knows?

I don't think it takes guts to put pictures of your apartment online, especially when you have done a great job, like this guy has, of selecting only great looking pieces (the only thing I don't like is the Toto Cube and the Random Light, both of which seem gimmicky to me). Besides, it's fun to critique decorating schemes.

I like this apartment -- so why do I feel like it is missing something? I think it is texture. This place lacks texture. We need some throws in here! Some puffy rugs and ottomans and flowy curtains!

jeeze. ill come out of the nerd woodwork once again.
i wasnt poking, proding, dissing, shoving or name calling.
sorry for opening my mouth. if i knew i would get a gaggle of people that i like not to like me i would of kept it to myself. i think if most read what i wrote (before saying i better marry for money, get a better job, get a grip, join therapy, lack creativity, etc) they would understand. arthur, if you read any of this, sorry.. i really like your place. i wish i lived there. i think most do.

last word (hopefully) to respond to the haters.
1. my apt isnt cool, therefore i wouldnt post it.
2. it takes no bravery whatsoever to send someone pics of something you are proud of.
3. we have wasted too much time on this syntax issue.
4. to say that college kids could work hard enough to afford a bentley is one of the dumbest things i have ever read online.

Let's just suppose (because there seems to be a lot of speculating on this site) that the guy busts his ass and works hard. Say for example, he's a doctor or a software engineer. Would he somehow be worthy of this furniture/lifestyle? Do you have to be poor and living in a hovel to get street cred? Also, suppose he paid far less than the market value for some of his stuff (he did site craigslist as a place for furniture). Would he suddenly be allowed to hang with the cool kids, or would you feel better knowing that he was an unemployed hack who found all his furniture on the side of the road?

God, this is probably the rudest damn thread I've read on AT. What is your deal with this guy? If he was a nice guy and worked hard for all of this (and not relying on mommy and daddy like some had assumed), I hope you would give yourself a good swift kick in the...... Im sensing a lot of jelousy and bitterness. Perhaps the readers who chose to criticize the individual on the basis of nothing more than the lifestyle you only wish you could afford should take a good look at themselves and realize that he is not the one that looks like a jerk as a result of your unsubstantiated assumptions.

BTW, I wasn't talking to all those people who seem to realize that we are being invited into someone's home.

Am I the only one who likes the splatter painting? I live in the Chicago area and would love to live in a place like this, I wonder what part of town it is. I'm assuming it's the side of town where parking costs more than my rent.

kudos if he is a doctor, kudos to any of the above.
to be frank, i think the ones that are showing hostility understand my point very well. to be given the world, doesnt mean you appreciate it more.

p.s. i like the splatter painting. i also like the skateboard on the wall. and the track oclv in the corner.

trek oclv i meant.

What are we all...late 20s, early 30s? Are you guys still working in coffeeshops?

Just some ideas for people who think they can't afford this stuff. You could get a bank loan for the down payment and use some of it (or your nest egg) to furnish the place. All of this probably cost under 15K. That's pennies, people. Resale will be pretty high on most of these pieces (i.e., an Eames lounger for 2.6K resold for 2K), if you ever want to get rid of any of them. Live there 10 years with this awesome furniture and a low mortgage while your apartment appreciates in value, and its resale value will cover your initial investment plus money lost after resale of the furniture. Cost to you, $0. Just an idea.

I'm surprised nobody has complained about that Mozart thing! I guess everyone thinks it's fun.

Just to beat a dead horse here (and because I've seen on so many other house tours SOMEBODY that comments on money): I think that the fact that somebody has/makes a lot of money doesn't void their style. Style doesn't come with money.

And I don't think we're getting hung up on "syntax." To quote:

"i like the house tours, i usually save most of the pictures to my computer for future idea stealings... however, i think im just tired of yuppies. this guys place just seems unattainable, it reminds me of some kind of rich bitch mentality, or maybe a character from cloverfield (what a pad that 20 something had). its just kind of sickening, akin to the prima-donnas and dilettantes that consume our tabloids."

I mean, come on, you totally just called the guy a yuppie (not the most flattering term). That whole post was a criticism based on the fact that he has money. Sorry you (and I, for the record) don't. Boo hoo.

PS. Nice pad.

andrasklang, here's another dimension to your criticism: when I see house tours like this, where the owner clearly has had the resources to buy and furnish a gorgeous space, I expect nothing less than supremely good taste put to good use. Arthur did a good job.

When we see a house tour where the owner has a lot more limitations (financial and otherwise) pull off something stylish and unique, we can choose to applaud them even more, since they had to put in a lot more effort. Either way, we can choose to be inspired by all of these people who've chosen to open their homes to us.

It's a huge shame when one encounters someone with a lot of money who have no sense of style or cannot be bothered to be educated about it. Would you rather see those houses instead? Because I've seen too many in real life.

And a response to M (@00:33:11): Some of us have massive student loans to pay off. Some of us live in cities where it's very difficult for a single person to ever afford to even own property. Some of us may have elderly parents and families to support. Some of us may have had misfortunes like debilitating illnesses and/or injuries, divorces, etc. I'm awed by Arthur's snazzy pad, but I know I'll never be able to afford any of that in my lifetime. But then again, you might not understand since it seems you've got it all figured out.

neat place, out of my range, makes me envious, the photos make it seem so polished that it alienates me--feels like a magazine spread. This kind of home tour while impressive, isn't what I come to AT for (although I did look at all the photos--hey what happened to the "view all thumbnails at once link"?). Fine, not a problem. I'll ignore it next time if it still bothers me.

My question is: did this get reposted? Why has it been moved to the top of the page, when I know I saw this hours ago, and it should already be a few pages down? Preferential treatment or blip?

nice

For the folks who are mentioning the costs of the items present...

Ignore it.

Ignore the costs, ignore the location. Just check out the space. The colors. The shapes. The way it's laid out. Does it please the eye or not?

Could we replace many of the items with similar items that cost much less? Yes. That cost much more? Yes. But how is the space itself handled? Wonderfully.

The furniture (no matter what it costs) is the right size for the space (no matter how high the ceilings or what the walls are made of).

The colors are pleasing, relaxing, with a bit of whimsy to take the edge off any seriousness that may have been implied from the usage of brown and gray with furniture that has a first and last name.

The splatter painting? I like it. And it reminds me of a photo negative of a space image, sort of like this:
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080224.html

His bedroom? I've loved yellow and gray for years. I've been fond of this image on a flooring site for maybe 3 or 4 years:
http://www.armstrong.com/assets/shopbyroom/enlarge/stalbansgrayl6514_2.jpg

People that have more money do buy more expensive stuff.
http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,1185612_3,00.html

What? Are those gold doors?

Am I jealous of gold doors? Um, no, because I don't want to have to clean them. It's a completely different world. A different reality.

But I can get ideas from Arthur's home. Like on how to organize a closet. On size and scale of furnishings and artwork.

Image 4 shows a lamp that is on a small table. The lamp looks like a floor lamp? But not quite tall enough? Or maybe it is a table lamp, but really tall? Anyway, I could use that idea to raise up a similar lamp, right?

Other ideas. Look at Image 7. People often have odd nooks and crannies in their homes. A desk with overhead cabinets, perfect. That could be done with IKEA cabinets, overhead AND below, and a kitchen counter top going across. Right?

Image 9, that's probably some fancy mirror. But I bet a regular, under 20 bucks door mirror would have the same impact. Right? Not quite as long. And probably far less expensive, but serving the same purpose to reflect light and enlarge space.

Image 12, another niche that Arthur has made into something lovely. Right? Hands, poster, five bucks:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90140162
Put it in a frame ($20.00), put it on a shelf (jarpen, $10.00, two brackets, $4.00 each), add nifty vase ($2.00):
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50102911

Voila. $45.00 for the Arthur niche. Not identical. But similar. And affordable.

See, some folks are seeing name brands with big price tags. I'm seeing 4 chairs and a table that fit the space. A sofa and two chairs with some small tables. That is what I see. And if I like that look, I can hunt down some of those things in prices *I* can afford.

So can everyone here.

last time i checked yuppie meant young urban professional, with the connotation of having your nose up a bit in the air. which if you collect vintage furniture, i think this may be predetermined. this is a bit of the syntax thing i was talking about.
(get a $&#*!^$ grip guys.......its the internet.)
i didnt pull a e.l.f, splatter green paint on the guys doorstep and spit in his face and call him a racist. i simply voiced an unpopular opinion. god forbid anyone do it again.

p.s. did anyone read where i said sorry twice, said i liked the place, said i was envious (like the rest of you), and said i like his bike? no. because you have a punching bag and you seem on beating the dead horse.

Personally, this IS the kind of house tour I visit AT for. I can really appreciate the way that Arthur has put his place together - the man's got style! If he'd had less money to spend on his home, I'm sure that it would still be looking great: his good taste is all HIS, he didn't buy THAT, people!

I liked the picture of Arthur at the end as well, it's good to put a face to a name and home!

Personally, this is the kind of guy that I would like to get involved with. Cute and with excellent taste. I don't care if he might have money or not. Money can't buy excellent taste.

But unfortunately he lives in the US and i don't.... :)

75 comments!!?! Arthur, baby, you've gotta be flattered by that. Congratulations!

This is an amazing place! Evan did a great work with the photos too.

He's hot and so is the place. Enough said.

I want that apartment... my goal is that kind of simplistic elegance.

N.

http://badhuman.wordpress.com

It's beautiful!!!

Nice hat.

Ditto to wister5.

Nice place. Really like the look of the painted brick and timber loft with the dark stained floor. (there was a great one in Greektown posted awhile back too). I imagine having this done while you were remote actually made things a lot easier -- we could all take a cue from you that doing a radical transformation like this works better if you're not trying to live in the place at the same time.

Custom built-ins are great too. Really doesn't cost that much more than buying crappy particle board shit that you'll end up throwing away later. (sure that was much harder to do remote - great job - it all seems to fit together well).

Think this is a great example of how you can take a moderate sized space and make it feel really comfortable, stylish, and spacious if you get rid of your clutter and spend your money in the right places. Good work.

You know after reading these posts, it's occurred to me that what I wish Nest still existed!

TRUE BLUE, I love you....

Great comments, my thoughts exactly

It's a nice apartment. However, I couldn't live there with the monochromatic color scheme. Too much like living in an office.

it's gorgeous, but feels slightly contrived. i still friggin' like it, though! dayyum!

What i'm wondering is: Is Arthur Sraight and Singel...and is he willing to re-locate to LA? :) (sorry, I know this is not a dating service but I couldn't resist!)

I thought this was Apartment Therapy, not Poor Peoples' Apartment Therapy. Who cares how much his stuff cost? That's his business, and he has good taste.

The kitchen looks great, but is there enough storage space with most of the upper cabinets removed?

this is definitely the kind of house tour i come to AT for. i am drooling all over myself. arthur, great job with the space. it's gorgeous all around. ignore the idiots on this board.

as for anyone speculating on how much money he has or doesn't have, whether he's an internet millionaire or a doctor: you know what they say about people that assume things right?

i also live in a 1000 sq ft loft with 16 foot ceilings. i am not a doctor. or an internet millionaire. i go to work every day to pay my mortgage. i have not inherited any money. i have an elderly parent that i help take care of, i lost another elderly parent to cancer a few months ago. i am 34 and have worked very hard to be able to own my place and everything in it: some of it expensive, some of it ikea. does this make me a rich bitch? or a yuppy as you condescendingly refer to some?

being jealous doesn't give you the right to speculate anything about anyone's life. how obnoxious are you? jealous much? but i guess you've admitted as much.

Nicely put together.
Same goes for the apartment.

He's a cutie...can I come over and see your....umm....place. :-)

Great apartment! I love how it has a strong but not overpowering masculinity. Bravo!

it rocks! jeeeeeez, people this dude must have some stones, i mean to let all the public jive in, just stay cool and don't take all that too personally man. as for the place the latest thing just bit too “unpolluted” and most cool are those hands – powerful reflection! when is the party?

KidMoe, you poor thing! Some people really have it hard. Props.

I really like this house, very masculine and stylish.

What a truly amazing space! Kudos to you Arthur for spending the time and effort to create an environment in which you want to come home to. Isn't that was this website is about? Enjoying and sharing other's passions for home decorating. I didn't join this site to judge how people afford to create their spaces. I joined to share ideas and encourage others to enjoy what they are doing with their own places.

Arthur- I love how you have incorporated your travels into your own sense of style. I will definitely be stealing some of your ideas:)

Very masculine - quite a bachelor pad. I agree with the person who said it could use more texture. With the neutral colors predominating, some texture would warm it up a little. But the space is planned/used well; great proportions. Some ingenious touches too, like the desktop, and the way it's built into that nook; the storage in the entry, and hanging cabinets on the wall in the dining area for a cleaner look.

Painting the brick was the right choice, in my opinion. I have an accent wall of bare brick, which looks great. Arthur has an awful lot of brick in his living room; leaving it unpainted would have overwhelmed the space.

I'm curious about your choice of a Pax wardrobe in the bedroom closet. Did you consider Elfa, and if so why did you go with Pax?

I won't comment on the brouhaha, other than to say that it's bad form to criticize the character or source of income of anyone whose home is featured here. Both are irrelevant to the topic, not to mention rude.

I hope everyone will come over to the thread where the BEFORE images are posted. So you can really see what Arthur had to work with.

Prepare to be amazed.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/house-tours/chi-house-tour-before-arthurs-long-distance-home-045398

Remember that he purchased this home by only seeing the pictures. And that he used his MIND to create the finished product we have enjoyed in the slide show.

When you folks look at the before pictures, what do you see? Do you see the potential? Arthur did.

That is much more impressive than anything money can buy. Seeing potential. Knowing how to work space.

Most folks have wondered what he does for a living to have money. Or if he's single. What I want to know is if he can find me a great space to work with too. Ha!

Money and looks can change, but by golly, a creative mind is hot hot hot. Oooh la la!

I envy the person who can renovate their apartment remotely!

Living in it during...a bit of a challenge, physically and mentally.

I like this style a lot, but I just don't think I'm cool enough to pull it off. I tend to be visually attracted to more masculine furniture and design, yet in my own home it's sort of Martha Stewart-y. I keep asking myself what the hell happened, but I don't know. I see billowy pillows and I forget every Eames chair I've ever seen. When I see stuff like this I say, "Yes! This is what I want!" yet I have a hard time actually being able to design and pull this look off (for a decent price).

this authur guy is a real cutie pants. therefore i cannot like him.

Okay, this may be me, but what is the hoohah about this place? It is neat, decorated very well, all spaces thought out with maximizing of the floors and wall height.

The claws have come out with venom. Sad to see that here.

Love what has been done from before and after.
Heck, if Arthur has vision, learn from him.

I have tons of ideas from the home tour. His subtle creativity and insight is a joy.

I I just got done looking at the images; the comments made me a little crazy. Having just had a house tour put online on my new place I know how much I took some of the un-nice comments to heart, and how much I appreciated the nice things that people said. I would not have even known what to think if people had started discussing how much I made, how much I spent on the stuff, or how I factored into the grand scheme of the world. Great stuff is great stuff, regardless how people have the means or creativity to get it.

I do have to say, though....I thought that I had a fantastic, color coded, OCD closet area. But looking at his vertical majestic ode to closet thing makes me realize that my orgy with the over priced closet lady in no way transformed my 8' by 8' closet into anything more than an overcrowded, heavily folded tiny space with fancy closet shelving.

The few times I have started color coding my dress shirts I had to stop because I started obsessing over where to place striped shirts in the grand scheme of things.

It looks like he and I are about the same size too. Just saying....

Oh, and I detest natural gross Chicago brick in spaces but looooove how his looked when it was painted out. Bravo!

The reason these house tours are so valuable is that we get to "stand on the shoulders of giants." That is, borrow every idea we can and the and make it our own. Instead of seeing what we think is expensive furniture, look at what makes it so terrific, and then find furniture with similar vibes at a reduced price. Did anyone notice that there was a goodly amount of Ikea products? If Arthur is not a decorating snob, and has done such a good job, why should we be? Delighted to see a picture. Always wonder what the inhabitants of these show pieces look like.

i think it's absolutely stunning / crazy (not in the negative way) to buy a place online, sight unseen. i've been looking to buy a loft in river north but every one i've seen has looked completely different than the online tour. so arthur - if you're reading this - congratulations on that success alone. it's huge.
you've done a great job with the renovation, thanks for sharing.
as i've said before - bikes are part of our lives, and i'm so glad when they're exposed for everyone to see. now you just need a big dog.

clone yourself

Great great Job

Very nice, indeed--I love it!

I have to agree with decorator dave, having had my own place featured in a house tour too, it's weird seeing people say negative things about your home that you've worked hard to craft...obviously dave, me and arthur all love our places like they are...house tours should be more about sharing/getting ideas and less about other people's presumptuous and catty judgements.

Thanks for sharing Arthur...definetely a job well done.

KateN -

The Eames Modernica rocker is natural not white. With my dining room table chairs in white I wanted to keep the living room and dining room separate for me the natural color seemed to work with more items. It all depends on your other color schemes as the chair in white looks beautiful also. Very comfortable to kick-in and read a book :)

sweetheart -
both boots are from a store in TX called Luskey’s, the red are their own model and the tan are Tony Lama. Cowboy boots are probably the most comfortable footwear period….. along with Australian Blundstones!

Kathryn –
working from a remote location required a contractor who is 100% on your wavelength, able to reach & communicate with any time. If any visual questions needed answers he just sent a photo to my phone or email. I only had 8 weeks to make this renovation happen so multiple weekend trips were required along with a team of solid well orchestrated professionals. Thank you for the comments, Chicago has WAY to many cookie-cutter spaces. P.S. I am a big fan of your space, love the use of colors and furniture placement. Great comment about life not being fair – life is what you make it…. There was no silver spoon in this mouth, just values instilled from parents who immigrated to the States in 1972 with nothing but 2 suitcases. You’ll be surprised how far education, having a hard work ethic & being disciplined will take you.

Antimatt –
thanks for liking my splatter painting….. had a hard time finding something to fill that space so figured would make my own. All you need is a spoon, plastic bowl and some good music….. make sure the canvas is already primed.

Noodlesalad –
the desk, wall credenza & book/shoe shelving pieces were custom made by a local cabinet maker….. which were not that much more then regular priced pieces. All the white cabinets are from Ikea, including the PAX closet in the bedroom.

Caroline K –
Thank you very much……the B&W photo in the foyer is my most prized procession….dabbling in photography I asked my grandfather if I could photograph his hands. As a farmer and laborer his entire life I wanted to capture their character and life built thru hard work.

Chinju1974 –
correct the curtain and track were all purchased and tailored at Chicago Canvas and supply. Material used was Bleached White Muslin Drop. The fabric has a light translucency that creates a beautiful glow when the lights in the closet are on.

Surprised to see that all this carrying on took place over a few (and I repeat a few) comments that were not the most positive. 99% of the comments were in praise of this tour. It makes me ill to think that any comment that contradicts the "status quo" (in terms of the comments) or comments that came out of a response to the FEELINGS that these pics and his narrative evoked could make so many folks feel like lines have been crossed. It seems according to AT readers "if you have nothing nice to say then don't say it." I, however, would like to think that there is nothing you can't say - it is how you say it. Even if it brings up issues of priviledge and class. For some people those can be difficult things to ignore. It may not be fair - but it is honest.

I LOVE the idea of photographing your grandfather's hands. Do you mind if I steal the concept? My grandparents are 96 & 95. I think having a photograph of their hands together (clasped) would be so charming...and a wonderful tribute to a very long and loving marriage.

Pretty much the perfect place. Well done!

Apartment 'THERAPY'
...alot of it going on here lately.
:)
We love Arthur's sense of style and ability to plan, envision and transform.
And after seeing that personal photo: we simply love Arthur.
:)
Mind you, as usual, I was hoping for more 'critiques' here.
Personally, I love the simple, functionality of the kitchen.
I could actually work in it. Well executed.
I think the rest of the place is outstanding too.
However I think the 'nominal' appearance of the coffee tables could be replaced with something more prominent.
Thanks for showing us your space.

wister5 - Please do……. that is a FANTASTIC idea. Capturing this pure love between your grandparents would be breathtaking and a memory to pass along for generations.

The modern/urban style is really not my style, but I happen to think this is a beautifully done example of the style.

Usually to me, this sort of style comes off feeling cold and uncomfortable -- however this space is well laid out and it seems cozy and comfortable, in that black and chrome way.

I think he did a great job.

Good job. Seems like a great party place.

i love your floooorrrsss!

Beautifully presented, and inventive use of space. Mozart painting rocks--it's fun, bright, irreverent--and the flow of the spaces looks great. NICE (and great photo of Arthur too).

I just saw this loft on HGTV's "My House Is Worth What?"
Seems like Arthur will do the bath renovation and sell the place!

I just caught in on HGTV too.. Arthur's loft is valued at less than $400,000! In Manhattan this place would sell for at least a million.

Ha! Just saw the MHIWW episode too....clearly, I watch too much TV and spend too much time on this website. As soon as I saw the show I knew this was the same apartment.
And I thought it would've cost way more than $300K.

I am actually looking to sell the loft currently and the bathroom has been recently renovated. Black heated marble mosaic floors, floor to ceiling subway tile, all Grohe and Duravit fixtures, seamless glass door. Plus leaving many custom items and permanent fixtures such as the random light fixture, modern fan, Sony 50" Sony Aquos HDTV, computer monitor at desk...... etc. Literally move in ready with nothing to do. If interested e-mail me at amroczek@mac.com

I wish you well on trying to sell the place. This place is great and you will probably make the sell despite the mortagage crunch. We have 6 loft apartments where I live and all of them are own by a real estate company and none are for sale. I would shullllll nuff like to buy one. You look like Cooke Dean (if thats his name-the guy from Employee of the month).