Name: Matt and Otto
Location: Chicago, IL (Rogers Park)
Size: 800 sq. ft.
Matt and Otto moved into their Rogers Park rehab last December. When looking to buy his first place, Matt really wanted as open a floorplan as possible. What he found was a two-bedroom condo with kitchen, dining, and living areas that all flow into one another without a lot of walls getting in the way. This seems to be a rarity in Chicago, where many apartments have living/dining rooms at one end of a long hallway with the kitchen all the way at the other. Not great for hosting dinner parties.
After only four months calling this place home, it (like all homes) is a work in progress, and one of Matt’s main goals is to make it feel less “antiseptic.” When Matt moved in, he automatically got wood window frames, an exposed brick wall, and rooms drenched in sunlight, so he’s off to a great start.
Onto the stuff: For the affordable, extra-long dining table, Matt used two IKEA tabletops, attached them to legs that he already had, then pushed the two pieces together. He found the four folding chairs at one of his favorite antique shops on Lincoln Avenue and reupholstered them himself with rich, red fabric. The painted fabric wallhanging was passed down from Matt’s mom, where he gets many of his antiques, along with his grandmother, who used to be an oriental antiques dealer.
Out of everything in his house, the red two-piece couch from Roy’s Furniture was the biggest investment. One section is designed like a chaise (see Otto lounging), making the piece comfortable and large enough for two. The visitor registration desk works as a great conversation piece and rotating display for books, records, and magazines, (plus the antique dealer told Matt it was used in The Untouchables movie). We have no choice but to believe him.
For wall art, Matt’s still looking and open to ideas. So far he’s framed images that are simply pages torn from secondhand coffeetable books. The stunning black-and-white photographs were taken by Matt’s dad in Hawaii, the family’s home state.
This home gave Matt his first opportunity to separate “bedroom” from “office,” and he made sure his bedroom had no unnecessary stuff. He kept things simple, with good sound (he installed speakers on each side of bed) and calm, serene colors in whites and greens. We think Otto approves.
I agree, Michelle. I don't like the idea that someone has to "style" their books. I like to see a few "fingerprints" in a home, evidence that yes, someone actually does live a real life there. I think Matt finds a good balance with that - a lot of style, intelligence, and affection for the personal.
so...answers....the couch came from roy's (on sheffield) in chicago....it's made by a company called "Klaussner" from Asheboro, NC........i made the plant shelf out of poplar as i dig the green color of it....it's essentially just two pieces of wood, one of which is the shelf and is mounted with shelf brackets, but reversed (top of the shelf and wall instead of bottom of shelf and wall...does that make sense?)...that way with anything on it you don't see the brackets and it can float on the wall...if you do this though you should use bolts instead of screws when attaching the shelf brackets to the shelf itself, so the weight of your plants isn't relying on the threads of the screws itself...the other piece is just the face that masks the planters on the inside and is mounted with brackets on the inside....i hope that makes sense.
thanks for all you comments, matt
S'ok...
While the space seems good with nice touches such as the brick and pretty nice kitchen, there exists no cohesive design or feel. It very much feels like he just moved in and hasn't yet lived there enough to figure out the flow of the space and design something to compliment the condo. Rather an assemblage of existing furniture and objects have been "fitted" into the space...
That being said it is a nice condo and it presents a very workable canvas.
The couch is fantastic. Is it only available in Chicago?
Yes, he just moved in. That's what it says.
he's been there four months? the place looks great (especially considering the timeframe). and i think the "assemblage of existing furniture" is the whole idea. it's by design. to me, it works.
oh- and that dog rocks.
What a nice place you have. I love the tea cubbies and the plant shelf.
Great use of colour throughout, but I especially love the absence of colour in the bedroom. Very masculine place without overstatement.
"a bachelor who is not afraid of commitment."
um, isn't that an oxymoron?
But ahhhh, look at the doggie!
Love the Hawaii photos and the plant shelf in the bedroom, and the effect of the red couch against the brick wall.
After the effort to create a cool extra-long dining table on a budget, it seems a shame to only have four chairs around it! Hopefully you will be able to pick up some more second-hand chairs that will work for an eclectic mix. I love the welcoming look of a big table with lots of chairs.
Great deep red couch. It would really pop against that blue wall. I think he's done a great job in 4 months.
ooh... the plant shelf is beautiful!
has anyone ever seen something like that for sale?
(i know, i know... it's probably not very hard to build, but i'm imagining that west elm or somewhere similar might have already done it!)
I'm impressed. The apartment looks fresh, and inviting. I like the mix and match furniture, the use of found objects, and most importantly the fact that they compliment each other and the space extremely well. It is nice to see that the entire bed room isn't taken up by some massive queen sized bed. Matt's use of space is innovative, attractive, and sensible. If I lived in Chicago, I'd hide myself in his closet all night and wait for him to leave. Then I could hang out in his sweet condo all day, so long as I could remember to everything back in it's designated spot, like Matt's tooth brush, or his dog.
I just can't keep plants alive, but I do do do do do love that shelf thing with the plants in it. I kind of love corporate-setting-looking plant things, for some reason, and for me, I mean that in a good way, although I wish I could think of a better phrase for it.
I think matt did a great job of using color and theme to piece together a warm and inviting space. I love that it is not cluttered yet not stark.
Matt - Thanks for opening your home to us. It's lovely and Otto is adorable (bonus points for featuring cute pup). In addition, I like the photography by your father, it really works well in your space and I like that it's something that personal - not some random photography you purchased at a store (although I like the random bits too, but displaying work from friends and family is special).
Where did you purchase that plant shelf? It's super.
Holly
The dog is very cute, but the apartment? Not. The brick walls are nice features, and the bathroom is ok, but all those books? They don't look like they were styled to look like that, they just look cluttered. Isn't that something Apartment Therapy is about not having? Thumbs down.
MP
Margo,
It is coments like this that make people(including me) read AT but refuse to submit their homes.
A home is a relection of the person living there. He obviously put thought into making this place a home. His home. If is not your style it is kinder on a peron to say "not be style" instead of "thumbs down". It is a simple house tour not a call for a rating.
Geeez
thumbs up. the space is stylish and clean with distinctive sophistication. i can't believe it was all done in only 4 months.
i especially love the large black and white photos. matt's dad is a terrific photographer, does he sell prints?
I suppose I'm spoiled because I look at so many magazines all the time. It's just mediocre to me. Sorry.
MP
I agree with Michelle that these are tours, and should not be subject to rigorous critique. However, I hope that both those who show their homes and those who view them are interested in at least some candid commentary in addition to the generous praise and questions about how to and where from. I hope to post our place soon and look forward to suggestions, even critical (but a little praise never hurts!).
I like it. I dig the red theme that ties the place together (the dining room wall, the dining chairs, the kitchen cabinets, that GORGEOUS couch, and the drum in the living room). Like dop, I also love the absence of strong color in the bedroom; it's very soothing to my eye.
One thing that caught my eye was the art above the couch. its smallness doesn't work for me. The scale is wrong for the size of the wall and the couch beneath it. Maybe add a few like-feeling pieces to the two that are already there, to make a group? That would be visually larger and more in scale. Or move those two to a different, smaller wall where they will be a better fit and do something else above the couch. Have I mentioned I LOVE that couch?? :) Good job Matt!