Name: David
Location: Andersonville
Size: 1200 sq/ft
Years lived in: 2
David has this huge place all to himelf. He's been busy curating a home that is warm, filled with humor and style. His apartment is dramatic and glamorous, yet in this case that doesn't preclude a feeling that is also friendly and fun (one of the original photos he sent us is of a "waffle party" taking place in the living room).
Enter Slideshow
David is a collector, a lover of art and curiosities. He shops high ticket (Holly Hunt) and low (free! from his Mom's garage and basement) and everywhere in between. To name a few: estate sales on the North Shore, IKEA, Ms. Hunt's sample sales, Target and the School of the Art Institute annual sale.
When he finds something he loves, he makes it work; he bought a Victorian parlor chair that someone decided to turn into a latrine chair. He says, "
I found it and thought it was the coolest thing ever....and spent more on having the fabric and tacks redone and the chair reglued than I spent on buying the actual chair."
He also knows what will and will not work for him, and a skimpy closet wasn't cutting it. He converted the larger master bedroom into a dressing room, which in his own words, "always looks like a nightmare but it helps me to keep the rest of the place tidy."
A mix of classic Chicago apartment architecture, personal style, art, fabulous furniture and color - Thanks David for this look into your home!
my Style: is an eclectic mix of furnishings that are geared to not drain my wallet but reflect my high pomp personality.
the Inspiration for my home: can be summed up as lots of crap on the walls.
favorite Element: is the moderately creepy baby head sculpture on the fireplace mantel. I fell in love with it at the artist's studio and told him to hold it for me. Unknown to me, my good friend went in and bought it as a gift; I was very bummed out when the artist would not sell it to me but overjoyed when I opened up a package a few months later.
biggest Challenge in designing my home: was working in all of the trim details in the space. I love the arts and craft styled detailing, but it made the rooms feel very busy when the walls were all white.
what Friends Say: usually revolves around it being a little too perfect. I get a lot of Martha Stewart comments, but I think I have my own style.
biggest Embarassment: is probably the ever present pile of dry cleaning heaped in a corner of the dressing room. Every time I go to the cleaners I take at least 100 dress shirts with me.
proudest DIY: is a toss up. I built a floor platform in the sunroom to level out a very uneven floor to make the space usable. I also love the huge lampshade that I hung over a very unattractive foyer ceiling fixture.
biggest Indulgence: is probably my decision to turn the master bedroom (twice as big as the second bedroom) into a walk in closet and dressing room. I would not let it be photographed because it always looks like a nightmare but it helps me to keep the rest of the place tidy.
best Advice given or received: is to take time to curate the objects you have. Regardless if you go to Holly Hunt or to Ikea, if you buy every object in a space from one resource your home will absolutely lack character.
myDream Source for stuff: would be a mixture of objects from Holly Hunt, Pavilion on Damen Avenue, and Swallowtail in San Francisco. Holly Hunt does a wide range of well crafted items, Pavilion shows pedigreed pieces from the 20s to the 70s that they import from Europe, and Swallowtail mixes some of the most unusual stuff (think original Phrenology heads and taxidermy goats) I have ever seen for sale.
Resources:
Foyer:
Sideboard is from moms basement.
Vase is from Crate and Barrel.
Red branches are painted olive wood from Jayson Home and Garden on North Clybourn.
Lamp is from the Holly Hunt warehouse sale.
Art is by Marc Chagall and was custom framed by Armand Lee on North Milwaukee.
The red Jesus is actually flocked velvet and doubles as a bank. Everyone asks me where it was from and I actually got it as a housewarming present and have no clue.
The paint I refer to as 'Bile' and is actually Benjamin Moore HC 16 Livingston Gold.
Dining Room:
The sconces are from Crate and Barrel.
The dining chairs are from Mom's basement again and were recovered by Eli Wyn on North Elston.
The theater seat piece is from Pomegranate Home in Lakeside Michigan.
The blinds are from Target and the curtains were custom made for a previous place.
The table cloth was clearance from Target.
Kitchen:
Counter units are from Ikea. I have oiled the tops weekly so they are actually water and stain proof now.
Wall mounted dish rack is from Ikea and is very functional.
The bowl on the counter is from the Brown Elephant on North Halsted Street.
The platters are from everywhere; the really cool ones are from Scout on North Clark Street.
The knife rack is from Ikea.
The print in the pantry is by Howard Finster.
The prints in the hallway are by Joe Cernius and Hai Sum.
Living Room:
Chaise was custom made by Eli Wyn Upholstery on Elston and covered in mohair from Holly Hunt.
Coffee table was bought at McDrew estate sales in Glencoe. They are a great company that does high end tag sales in the North Shore. I paid under $200 for the table.
Gold armchair is from my mother's basement and was hand gilded and covered in Kravet paisley velvet fabric.
Red armchair is one of a pair originally from the Cook County building in the loop from the 1930s and was purchased at Scout on North Clark Street.
The yellow glass lamp is an original Venini piece from from the 1950s.
The large copper finial was purchased from Revival on Irving Park.
The area rug is a 1920s wool fake Persian that I purchased from a frat college boy off of Craig's List.
The tall flower vase is from Crate and Barrel Outlet.
The small stereo is a wonderful JVC piece. Will Truman of Will and Grace has the same one and it has the best sound ever for a little thing. This is the second one I have had, the first died and I bought this replacement on Ebay.
The round mirror object is actually the bottom on a chandelier, turned sideways and purchased from the Artist Frame Service Outlet.
The white drawing with a putty colored mat is a Georges Braque piece from the early 1950s and was framed by Armand Lee.
The overall paint color is C2 Paint color 'Buckwheat'
Living Room, detail:
The baby head sculpture is by Jay Strommen who exhibits at Perimeter Gallery and has been featured in SOFA. Most of his work is clay based and is pretty amazing; out of my entire collection, his pieces are my favorite.
The architects lamp is vintage 50s and is from Scout on North Clark Street.
The glass vessels are early 50s Venini. The stoppers are kept in in a drawer because I think they look odd.
The large print is a piece by Jae Non that I purchase at The SAIC annual art sale.
Office:
The desk is from Parallel Lines at Quinlans furniture on North Elston.
The chair is vintage 50s from an alley and was recovered in Donghia fabric.
The lamp is from the Brown Elephant with a custom painted shade.
The painting is by Davmo and is a 'reclaimed' piece of art by Babe Nasset.
The curtain is from Ikea.
The rug is from Crate and Barrel
The other side of the office:
The lamp is from Wright Auction House.
The table is from the Unitarian Church garage sale.
The rug is an antique silk Persian prayer rug.
The pillow is a custom made leftover.
Bath:
Mirror is from Target.
Light bar is from Restoration Hardware.
Shower curtain was custom made (it's pretty tall).
Soap dispenser was from the discard bin at Bed Bath and Beyond.
Reflected in the mirror is a weird fez baby by Jacob Walker called 'Moonlight Serenade'
Bedroom:
Headboard was custom made from a 1940s tapestry I bought from Italy on Ebay.
Bedding is Isaac Mizrahi from Target.
Nightstand is from the Brown Elephant.
Lamp is from Crate and Barrel.
Art is by David Barnes.
Paint is Benjamin Moore 2110-60 Pampas Grass.
Living Room, me:
The chair is another piece from mom's basement. It was recovered by Eli Wyn upholstery on Elston.
The brown glass orbs are form Crate and Barrel.
The tent lamp is vintage Phoenix Day from the Brown Elephant Store on North Halsted.
The Danish tile table is from Converso Modern.
The large painting is late 1970s work from Russia by Kabikov.
(Thanks, Dave and Evan!)
really nice, wish i could see the closet!
David love love love it. At last a place that looks like someone lives there and not throwing partys. Please advise on your paint color. Also if you don't mind I plan to steal some of your ideas.
Sorry didn't read everything just looked at pics first. found the paint color
Love the kitchen!!! I love those old sinks, you're lucky to have one. And I love the platters above the sink.
I. Love. That. Headboard.
instead of being embaressed of your closet -why not get a big laundry hamper for the dry cleaning, one for whites and one for colors? that way your dirty laundry can be organized and not in messy piles. I'm as anal as you probably and get the same kind of comments; this has really worked for me and made me feel a lot better about my 'mess' and disorganization.
Really lovely home! I love how it is classy and inviting to all, yet has what are obviously very personal touches (i.e. the artwork). Particularly love the kitchen in all aspects. Nice work!
I want that sink.
I love love love your place. I just finished reading your list of where everything came from and it makes me happy to see someone who can buy things from unexpected places and make it look good together. I think it makes it all much more fun when a person has an obviously expensive art collection (I wish I had a Braque drawing and a Chagal) but props it up in front of something from an outlet store. How long have you lived in the place?
Wow. I love every inch of this place.
This is beautiful. I love the warmth.
How does someone with your kind of belongings move anywhere? I just made an expensive move from NYC where we had professional packers and movers. We have some very expensive pieces, but no fine art and only a few pieces that are irreplaceable. I always wonder what people with real art collections do when they move.
I was so shocked and pleased when I popped on to AT tonight and saw my own foyer staring back at me. Thanks for all of the great compliments on the place; the photographer did a really good job of making the apartment seem more cohesive than it really is.
To answer the questions:
There are about 20 paint colors in the apartment. I think I listed the major ones, but if anyone needs specific rooms and paints that aren't listed shoot me an email via the link and I will send you the formulas.
The laundry situation in the dressing room is something that you would have to see to believe. My washer is down in the basement, which I hate going to so I do tend to stockpile. Actually, I don't mind having the room be a disaster as long as I can close the door to it. The piles of dry cleaning and shirts are what really seem to build up.
I have lived in this apartment about a year and a half. When I moved here I had someone living here with me and it was really put together to reflect both of our tastes. I am debating on redoing a lot of things and making it a little more funky and a little less old lady....it is important to me that this place obviously look like the home of a kinda shiek man in his mid 20s who refuses to use coasters.
Moving is always a chore when you have collections. There are several services in Chicago that deal with fine art moving. I can give out shameless endorsements to any who need to use them. When I moved in here I wrapped all of the art into bubble shrouded things and fit them either into doubled boxes full of packing peanuts or flat cases. The huge Russian painting is always a chore, simply because it is super delicate and requires four people to move it correctly. I am a big fan of using a large box filled with peanuts and two layers of cardboard thick to pack a very small object. What you probably dont realize is that I have over one hundred wall hung pieces of art, most of them large an scary to move! If I were going to move cross country I would absolutely hire a qualified art mover, and I would be sure to take out an extra insurace rider to cover the items in transit.
The kitchen sink is majestic and lovely but is so shallow is splashes shamelessly. I always get a little bit of a bath when I do the dishes but I think it is a small price to pay.
The headboard gets lots of comments. I have had a few Catholic fellows get a little freaked out when they see it! Jesus and I have the occasional conversation late at night.
I think this is one of my all-time favorite places. Super lovely individual pieces, but the sum of the parts emanates a human quality that is so many times lacking when things look like they're placed "just so". David, thanks so much for the inspiration—stunning yet comfortable.
it's not old lady, it's sophisticated. 20something guys rarely spend more than $200 on anything for their apartments and always let it get too dirty.
LOVE that little Marc Chagall print. So pretty seeing Chagall in b/w.
Also adore the kitchen sink. My grandmother has the same one - it's so massive yet the curves give it this gentleness, so it doesn't weigh down the space at all.
I like how personal everything is - it's not a cut and paste of some catalog.
I'm so pleased to see your space.
Holly
What an amazing place! I am esp loving the more playful elements. So great.
Rich and satisfying like a chocolate caramel. I took multiple viewings.
David, you are my hero right now. I feel like we have a lot of the same desires for design, and that's so refreshing! Also refreshing is that you have a great sampling of mid-century, but it is not overload, which I respect very much. Our apartments have a lot of similar elements, so I can easily steal a couple of your ideas:)
I am very impressed!
zebcarlson@yahoo.com
I just loveee it and want to marry you! Does the apt & the art work comes with the package??? :-)
Lovely, lovely apartment, and way to represent Andersonville well!
OUTRAGEOUSLY gorgeous. So nice to see a real "grown up" apartment, and one with such a great calm vibe that doesn't sacrifice individuality or edge.
A stunner. Thanks for sharing.
Your space is great. One of the best I've seen on this site. You do a great job integrating your art collection with your home furnishings. I'm Jealous! Also your apt. has a very Chicago vibe to it. I like that, Sometimes I see these Chicago Interiors that think they're in Malibu or the Design within Reach Catalog... Boring! Refreshing to see an interior were the owner isnt afraid of mixing high and low in addition to owners personality. Bravo!
What a wonderful apartment. I love the mix of high and low brow, not to mention all of the art. What is behind the little door in the kitchen? I love how small it is!
I like this apartment and how the collections are showcased. The platters look fab as does the gorgeous sink. The colour scheme would be too beige/brown for me to live in, but I would enjoy the space as a visitor.
Bravo David. This is my AT all-time favorite. Classy, serene,individual,interesting.
Beautiful in so many respects. I particularly like your headboard, art work; very well executed, tasteful, creative.
Wonderful.I love the colors.the little room behind the dining area looks so cozy...a good place to curl up with a book...what a beautiful home you have created.
I have a serious case of decor lust........
Lovely.
I agree about the molding and white walls - you're great at this. The headboard knocked me out. How great is that?
Thank you for sharing your space!
I've been there many times and it looks even better in person. Great space for dinner parties and SO SO Dave!
Sorry Dave, the headboard still creeps me out a little! :)
Best I've seen in a long while.
Thank you!
"What is behind the little door in the kitchen? I love how small it is!"
A spice cabinet is my guess.
I love this apt. and i would love to live here. Thanks for sending me here, Tate.
This place is divine.....the colors and art work are SO arranged.....are you a designer by trade?
I love your apartment! I'd lived in Chicage for a few years but now am back in the east coast. I miss apartments in Chicago - they were huge and had character. Love your sink.
One of the best apartments I have seen on this site! The design is perfect...well thought out, planned but presenting a feeling of being aquired. Well done!
Now this is what I call beautiful and classy, touched with stylish tranquility... love your apartment!... and I want that sink, too!
I agree with all of the previously posted comments about this apartment. it is one of the best apartments that I have ever seen on AT. I look at all of the decorating magazines and try to imagine myself living there. For once, I could see myself camped out in that living room. I like the fact that some of the items you have are super expensive but the overall look is not intimidating or off putting. I mirror the comment left earlier when I ask again if you are a designer by trade and if it is possible to hire you to help me with my lincoln park loft. Please send me a note to lbarene@sbcameritech.com
Interested in renting your space for a photo shoot? email me so we can chat. missallfun@gmail.com
Do you have the paint color of your fireplace?
Hi,
I looked at all slides. This is the only one I liked.
I would never tire of living in this space.
The plates capture the history lover.
Great!
incredibly sophisticated and well put-together, good balance of colors that express your collection perfectly ~ would love to see in person. am working on my SF Chicago home just purchased in 2006 and some of my color choices [before seeing this!] are also yours, and my penchant for the old and functionality of new together is similar. thanx for sharing !
david can you help me with design idears for my living/dining room im haveing a tough time with colors
please call ruby mitchell at 847 673 0871
by the way you did a great job on your apt
you are a very talented designer. i am interested in meeting you for coffee. please contact me by email listed above.
i am looking for a super comfy squishy couch. one with a chaise on one end...any suggestions?
Your style is very sophisticated, but not at the expense of comfort. Nice!
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that headboard takes away from what would be a very well decorated apartment. it's in poor taste, not funny, kitschy, or ironic.
ur big red sink is real treat.
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