Name: Katie and Toby
Location: Edgewater
Size: 1200 sq. ft.
Years lived in: Together for 4 years. Toby 6 years total.
Inspiration: Were inspired by all sorts of periods, movements and styles, which is why we cant or dont want to stick to one particular style. We love Art Deco, Bauhaus, Minimalism, Mid-Century Modern, Danish Modern, etc. etc. Overall were inspired by anything with clean lines.
My/Our style: Vintage-modern with a touch of funk and a whole lotta love! Blending two lives, tastes and styles together seems to result in this sort of mix-match look. We are still in the process of combining our similar but slightly differing tastes into a cohesive look.
Favorite room: We both love to cook, so the kitchen is our favorite room. Its a cheery room with fun tile work and it gets the best light.
Most talked about element: Our artwork. Katies paintings and Tobys ceramics.
Most embarrassing element: Cat hair tumbleweeds when we dont get around to sweeping as much as we should.
Proudest DIY: Our annual summertime herb garden
Dream source: Herman Miller. Design Within Reach. Original Bauhaus pieces. Angela Adams rugs. Luminaire.
Reality source: IKEA, antique stores, hand-me downs, architectural salvage stores, Crate and Barrel, CB2. Craigslist is a goldmine for us! Weve gotten some great finds and good deals. An art deco dresser and Wassily chairs were two somewhat recent finds.
Best advice: Dont buy just to buy. In the long run it will be a big waste of money and you will be unhappy. Save up for pieces that you really love.
Found treasure: Geroge Clinton dreadlock
Had forever: Katies Strawberry Shortcake trashcan (A 24 year old Christmas gift from Santa.)
Just got: Chocolate brown 600 thread count comforter. Its so soft and fluffy and just heavenly to sleep under.
We knew we'd love Katie's home from reading her blog K-Fresh Designs, one of our favorite everyday clicks! Now she and Jessica are up to even more design mischief with Design Boner...
Thanks Katie and Toby!
-janel
Do you have an idea for a house tour?
Let us know - chicago(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com - thanks!
Katie & Toby's place is sunny in person but it looks even more sunlit in these photos! Nice work, Janel! The kitchen is also my favorite room. What i wouldn't do for bubble gum tile and a deck right outside! They might not be able to afford all the fancy, straight-lined furniture they want right now but i think they found a pretty good balance. K & T choose sleek and simple pieces that sneak out of the background of the mundane, tap you on the shoulder, and say, "Hey, look at me. I'm pretty."
I don't know...I like structure and cohesiveness, plus I am a minimalist...so I'm biased.
My opinion means nothing to anyone but me, but the place is too hodge podge for me. My eye keeps moving back and forth from one object and color to the next. Brain and eye overload for me.
Yay! Finally a real place I can relate to. I love the combination of personalities and styles, as well as the use of some splashes of color (hello bongos!). You can tell this is a home that people live in and have fun in. It feels good and warm and bright, and while nothing is matchy-matchy, there is a nice clean, cohesive feel. And Katie has some great advice about working to achieve the look you want. Way 2 go!
Very nice. I really like the design of the studio worktable. Like the art pieces too. I would take advantage of all those walls and hang your lovely artwork.
Wow. I actually like this place alot, which is really saying something because I generally do NOT like mid c modern inspired design. The drums are good. The ceramic mugs are adorable in a kind of macabre way. The kitchen is cute. This apartment feels artsy and young, in a good way. Nice job.
I was so surprised to seee the apartment on this site. Toby used to be my roomate and I lived in that house for almost 3 years! It looks amazing! Well done guys!
go kate!
xo
holly
is that a backgammon board on the board???
if I could rephrase my question:
Is that a backgammon board on the wall??
Foreigner who cannot even write a sentence..
DiDo O. yes that is a backgammon board on the wall. i believe toby purchased it from a middle eastern store in andersonville.
hey jen!! small world!
Wow! Having spent many happy hours in this apartment, it is so cool to see it captured by the artful eye of Janel! I think Katie and Toby have done an amazing job capturing and incorporating both of their styles and personalities in their apartment. Congratulations to both of you on creating a fun, functional, and interesting space!
Really, really nice place. And THANK YOU for putting a hilarious name on a phenomenon I know well: the "cat hair tumbleweed!"
Hey, looks fab! Knowing how great this apartment is 'in the flesh', it's good to see it looking so elegant and glam on a website. Looking forward to visiting again!
Katie-
The place looks smashing! I love the tile in your kitchen, it's the best. I'm so happy I get to have my very own original Katie Brown piece in my home... Love it!
HI KATIE, I JUST OPENED YOUR HOUSE TOUR --- I
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. AT FIRST, I DIDN'T THINK
IT WAS YOUR APARTMENT....THEN I STARTED TO
RECOGNIZE SOME THINGS --- WOW! THANKS FOR
SHARING --- HOW DID YOU CHANGE IT SO
DRAMATICALLY????
LOVE
hey katie its your cousin kim. great place. i have your old bedroom set that must have gone with the strawberry shortcake waste basket. i dont know that it would fit in well with your current style. hope all is well. have a great summer
Kate & Toby,
Very cool place! I love the colors and whimsy. Can't wait to see it in person. Love the Katie painting of Katie painting!
Fantastic! Kate, are you selling any of your paintings? You pulled all your eclectic finds together just right. Love the Wassily's. Your living room is the best use of the color red I've seen yet. It's not too overpowering. Thanks for the decor tips. Your combined, fresh, artistic style is right up my alley!
Thanks Mindy! I am selling my paintings. If you are interested, my email is katiebrown83 at hotmail dot com.
Glad you like the red living room. It can be a tricky color, but I think we've tamed it!
Hi Katie and Toby,
I just absolutely love your space. The kitchen is just remarkable! You guys did an amazing job! Just lovely
Did you get those chairs at the Brown Elephant per chance? If so, I might have been the donor. They came from a basement I was cleanout job. They look much nicer in your place than in the dingy basement. Inspiring!
I like the place and think that there is a good mix, however, I cannot stress this enough: Christmas lights should never be used for decoration of anything but Christmas trees. Not in the dorm, not in an adult's kitchen, not ever! Otherwise, a nice place.