Name: Dabito / Graphic Designer + Photographer / Old Brand New
Location: Carthay Circle – Los Angeles, California
Size: 1000 square feet
Years lived in: Five months
Dabito's apartment is in a beautiful historical building with original detailing. I love how he contrasted that classic architecture with his mid-century modern furniture and decor. What also makes his place so amazing is that almost everything was thrifted or purchased second hand. Talk about creating the ultimate look on a major budget!
Dabito is constantly adding to the decor and changing up the place; he just can't sit still. In the short while I was at his home, he had hung a number of art pieces, styled his credenza in his bedroom, and switched out a few accessories. I can't wait to see how his place has changed by the next time I visit!
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: The foundation of my style is pretty Mid-Century Modern, but I like to infuse it with prints and patterns, a bit of whimsy and color, and a mix of different eras, old and new. It's constantly evolving as I move from place to place. That's right, I've moved to a different place every year for the past 5 years! While some people think I'm crazy, I enjoy moving every year so I can test out all the vastly different neighborhoods in LA before I eventually settle on a place to call my forever home. I'm like an urban nomad! I'm also really drawn to sculptural pieces, such as the harp chair by Jorgen Hovelskov. It's a beautiful work of art.
Inspiration: I get inspiration from David Hockney's Calfornia colors, Justina's Jungalow, the Eames' House living room, the desert, and, like Mondo from Project Runway, I love the beauty that you can find by mixing unexpected patterns, colors, and shapes.
Favorite Element: This house was built in the 1930s, and I was charmed from the second I walked in. I love the windows; it's the first thing I look for in any home to see how much natural light gets absorbed into a space. The beams in the living room add a nice element too.
Biggest Challenge: My biggest challenge is probably working with a super low budget. I don't think I spent more than $2500 for all the furniture and accessories in my home. I'm always trying to find a balance between maximal and minimal. I'm always editing.
What Friends Say: "I'm moving in!" They all love it. They say it's fun and homey. Also, they wanna steal Beatrice from me!
Biggest Embarrassment: This is kind of embarrassing — I no longer have a dining table! I turned the dining room into a media room since I went about four years without ever eating at my dining table. Instead, I prefer to eat in front of the TV and catch up on Modern Family, Mad Men, and my new favorite show, The Killing. It's much more entertaining than sitting at the dining table with Beatrice — she may be cute, but she isn't the most talkative one out there!
Proudest DIY: This is a small one but I love my happy accidental drip planter.
Biggest Indulgence: The Persian Kilim rugs I got from the flea market add so much personality to my home. Also, my Y-base bench is pretty awesome — it's the most I've spent at a flea market, but it was worth every penny.
Best Advice: Take your time to get your place together. Shop secondhand. Don't be afraid to use a bit of color. Most importantly, have fun. Here are four things that will make your home infinitely cozier: rugs, plants, art, and pets!
Dream Sources: Rose Bowl flea market, thrift stores, Craigslist, and that's it!
Resources of Note:
FURNITURE
- Crate&Barrel Petrie sofa - Craigslist
- Purple sofa - Craigslist
- Coffee table - Modernica Warehouse sale
- Y-Base Bench - Rose Bowl Flea Market
- Eames LCW chairs - Goodwill
- Eames rocker - Modernica Warehouse sale
- Dipped side table - West Elm
- Helix bookcase - CB2
- Ikea Stockholm TV bench - Craigslist
- Nordiska Kompaniet coffee table - Goodwill
ACCESSORIES
- Planter - Modernica Warehouse sale
- Beatrice - West LA Animal Shelter
LIGHTING
- West Elm branch lamp - Goodwill
- Pendant light - Flea market
- All lamps from Thrift stores
- Wall sconces came with the house
RUGS & CARPETS
- Jute Wool rug from Target
- Kilim rugs from Rose Bowl Flea Market
- Kilim rug 3x6 - Kazoyan Brothers Oriental Rugs
WINDOW TREATMENTS
- Ritva Curtains - IKEA
- Woven stripe curtains - Urban Outfitters
ARTWORK
- Henri Matisse The Heart - Thrifted
- Photographs, etchings, lithographs are my own
- But the Sun always comes out - Rifle Paper
Thanks, Dabito!
(Images: Marcia Prentice)
• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE: Check out past house tours here.
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.
• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.
The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit
Ana Creates a Community at Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
Your home is amazing! I love the renaissance/ modern vibe of the chandelier in your living room.
Gorgeous! I'm so hiring you as my decorator dabito! :)
I imagined the space without the plants and realized that your use of plants plus the beautiful natural light you get in your apartment really makes the place feel vibrant and cheerful. I'm going to have to try that! Past attempts have meet with dismal buggy failure, but perhaps I will go for the hardier varieties that you have and be more plentiful about it. Would you mind letting us know what your favorites are?
Love that plants are everywhere!
Also, where did you get that stunning black and white bedding??
been following your blog for a while! great to finally see a tour! looks amazing! the tile in the kitchen! all of it!
Dreamy! I love that you got a lof of your stuff second hand. I did the same! Great space. Beatrice is the best accessory there ever was :)
Drooling over that mantel, and over the mirror
Love the place, especially the purple sofa. I'd never have one myself but it works wonderfully in the space.
Dabito, I admire you for moving to a new place every year. Why live in the one place forever if you know it's not "the one"? I've moved a little more than your 5 times, but nevertheless I am enjoying each new place that I call home. In two days I'll be in amazing studio plus that I cannot wait to make it my own, if even only for a year.
Read the past several months worth of your blog. I LOVE that Bea, she is such a joy!!
Really? How am I suppose to accomplish anything at work with photos of this gorgeous, attractive home grabbing my attention? Well done, Dabito and Apartment Therapy!
A man after my own heart with all those plants!! Lovely home!
Dabito - great space but... curious about your dog. He/she looks like the twin to one of mine, a rescue. What's the pooch's story?
Super smart, super inventive, super cool.
what is the picture above the 2 black chairs? I love it
Nice to see a housetour, I love your blog! Where's the heartmate, is he not living with you?
Both are so cute - Dabito and the doggie.
Lovely home (although I have to admit the outside of the house makes me raise my eyebrows), looks very comfy and homy. Lots of nice stuff.
The purple sofa is gorgeous.
great place - love the design, and dog, of course.
PLEASE tell me where you got that great bed cover?????
Love your home. So silently spicy. Was there a bathroom pic?
Man, that is some power thrifting. Very, very nice job -- and I join the consensus on how terrific it is that you have so many plants, which add softness and vitality to the space.
Your home is refreshing and I love the cozy living room with fireplace. You mention so many things about your space and yet I didn't see anything about, what appears to be, Japanese influences. The entire space is beautiful. You have a wonderful eye.
So gorgeous. And so true what Dabito says about 'rugs, plants, art and pets'! The fact that he did all this on a budget makes it ten times more amazing.
Lovely. Love the windows, the tile, the art (and the way it is displayed), and the architecture.
Off topic ( I guess ) :
The sub-headline for this post reads "HOUSE TOUR"
The sub-headline for the following post (Jeff's Resourceful Remodel) reads "HOME TOUR"
Is this to be construed as a judgement on house vs. home, or simply an example of AT's stylistic inconsistency?
WONDERFUL. One of my favourites ever. My favourite - your art in the living room.
Love the lighting fixtures! :)
I was wondering why it was taking so long to show pictures of your home on your blog.... I've been following (stalking) for a year now. But now I know...
This apartment is supremely tasteful, it's flea-market/thrifty done right! Well done and beautifully edited and arranged. Loved every second of it, especially Beatrice, she's adorable.
This place is awesome. I am seriously impressed by (and correspondingly feeling guilty about) your ability to budget and create something so beautiful. Thanks!
What a terrific home. I love the bathroom, the purple couch, and all the artwork. The vibe is wonderfully LA.
Adorable! He probably loves http://www.angelaadams.com/. His home reminded me of some of her designs. Love it!
Yeah, pretty much in love with Beatrice and apartment and owner. And his building looks a bit like the one in Modern Family! Love the dipped yellow plant pot, bedspread, little white camera . . .
your apartment is gorgeous. your bedroom looks so relaxing, I love the butterfly shaped coffee table and all of your artwork and plants!
@MSPICKY — My favorite is probably the snake plants or also known as mother-in-law's tongue plant. They're pretty neglect tolerant. I also love dracaenas and rubber tree plants. The fiddle-leaf fig tree is at the top of my list of plants to get. Those are absolutely gorgeous. Hope that helps!
Dabito the place is fun and lively, but isn't it a little too potch-keyed? I would prefer too see a little more unity.
This one has a lot of different elements, but I think it still has flow.
I love it!!! So beautiful and cozy. Love the way it flows. And Beatrice is adorable :)
neato neato neato
Lovely jubley
Dablito has both sophisticated and whimsical taste and is a great sylist! A feast for the eyes, and they won't get tired. I get the sense that he moves things around a lot, and it doesn't get stale. Can anyone say where that purple sofa in LR was purchased? Or is it possibly vintage?
Dabito - thank you for sharing with us your spectacularly beautiful home! May I ask what paint color/paint brand is on your walls? It's just the dreamiest white! Thank you!
i kept finding myself saying, "i have that" about the small details. i LOVE it all. and then i saw your calendar is set to my birthday. is that your birthday? i wonder if we are truly kindred spirits.
I live around the corner and I LOVE this building! So cool to see inside it, and to know that someone really put love into decorating the space so beautifully! Let me know when you move out, so my boyfriend and I can move in! ;)
I keep coming back to this house tour. My favorite one so far!