Name: Bevin & David Early
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Size: Apartment 1,350 square feet, Warehouse/Garage 1,550 square feet
Years lived in: 4
We like to think that Bevin and David share beginnings with legendary art collectors Herb and Dorothy Vogel, who for decades have spent much of their modest income building an impressive collection of modern art. Both couples buy affordable pieces from unknown artists (some of whom become friends), and live for years with the art they love.
Few could function like the Vogels, however, in a cramped New York apartment, with barely room to walk for all the pieces they acquire. David and Bevin, on the other hand, manage a gallery-like feel with light walls and spare furnishings which let the art speak without distraction. It's a joy to move around their space and take in their point of view.
Much of their furniture is either secondhand, or built by David; the expansive garage doubles as his workshop and storage for found objects. In addition to his day job, and running Snowflake/Citystock (their gallery downstairs) with Bevin, he plans to start selling some of his pieces in the near future.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: minimal mod design (contemporary or vintage) mixed with worn/old items.
Inspiration: Friends apartments (artists and junk shoppers, too many to name). International Style, all founders and contributors.
Favorite Element: Windows, lots of light. Being off the street living on a second floor.
Biggest Challenge: Not having enough time to make ideas a reality.
What Friends Say: Day job friends, "Um.....? O.K." Regular friends, "Yeah"
Biggest Embarrassment: Spending a ton of time on rehab projects and not having time to take care of our place.
Proudest DIY: Learning to mud and tape (drywall).
Biggest Indulgence: collecting lamps and fans (knowing I'll never have the time to clean/repair use)
Best advice: Better to go a little over budget rather than going cheap on rehab projects.
Resources: wood blocks - Bevin Early, hallway bench and DJ table - David Early, photo/collage above mantel - Jamie Kreher, photo + glasses in office - Martin Morehouse, painting in dining room - David Linneweh, screenprint in kitchen - Coby Ellison, collage in bedroom - Leslie Mutchler, painting in hallway - Grant Miller, painting/sculpture of man by turntable - Brian Reckamp
Thanks, Dave & Bevin!
Images: Ann Manubay, Dabney Frake
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This apartment is "cramped"?! Um, WELCOME TO NEW YORK CITY!!!!! The average rent for a non-doorman building, one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan is more than $2,700: http://www.tregny.com/manhattan_rental_market_report#mean_prices. Please don't paint this couple as having a "modest income;" it's insulting to those of us who work in non-profits or are new in the workforce.
The space is lovely, the pieces are interesting but the use of the space and objects together falls flat. Rather than building a cohesive and comfortable space, it feels as if they chose to turn every sight line into a vignette as if the only way to properly appreciate the space was through selective and framed photography. Having worked with many auction houses, this space feels set up for bidding...
It's really a shame as they have a collection of really interesting pieces and the light and layout of the living space seems wonderful.
Are the bookshelves from Ikea? :) Love them!
Being from St. Louis myself, I'm wondering where exactly this apartment is in the city. We do have a lot of big spaces here compared to other towns.
The aesthetic seems a little bare for my personal taste, but it does seem like they have a lot of room to grow still. And that's always a good thing for an art collector.
twnt1andcounting: I think you misread. The "cramped" and "modest income" comments were not about the couple whose apartment is featured here, but the Vogels!
I think it's a really lovely space and the art they have is quite beautiful.
They have a great space, and their art collect is enviable, yet it doesn't quite over come the reliance on office furniture to feel homey. Modern minimalist doesn't have to feel as steril as their living room does, but hey, that's just my take...
Well... it is a very nice space, regardless.
I don't understand the furniture placement - but it would take only 5 minutes to re-arrange.
One thing I never understand about some of these homes is the random furniture placement. The white side table in photo No. 9 just floats there. It's not next to a chair or a bench, it's not any logical place anyone would place a glass, it's not used for any kind of plant or vase...it's just THERE.
I don't get it. At all.The furniture look like it came from my skeevy bachelor uncle's basement apartment. And a dj stand? Try hard much? Cool garage, though.
Another plus: the very cool desk with the laptop- very nice. Every thing else can go. Sorry.
These spaces please my eye. Plain, using mostly repurposed materials. Subtle & deceptively simple. All that art floating in a humbly furnished environment. A vacation for my mind. (I have to draw the line at the plastic crate/glass coffeetables though....Ouch! They are the furniture version of a film noir heroine--beautiful but deadly!)
It's a good start toward an art collection.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spins_lps/4728725229/
Maybe I'm missing the point, but this looks like my off-campus college apartment, decorated with works by art-school friends. It's cute, but I think the Vogel comparison is a stretch.
I feel like the garage has more personality than the apartment. I love that they invest in art. The wood floors and the space is lovely. To me, the lack of textiles and some of the furniture choices/placement make it look like they just moved in and haven't quite finished decorating.
stylistic speaking i like it.. its a great use of space in a creative way.. love the coffee tables.. the one thing i'd say is i lacks colour.. it would accent the great art collection you have a little more.. but other than that i love the space!!
I appreciate many of a the objects and art In the space. I may not choose to decorate my pad exactly like they did, but that is what I think makes it special...a collection of pieces that inspired them as opposed to a catalogue perfect collection from a home decorating store. Lovely because it is personal.
This is a very near miss for me --- it needs justs a touch of textile somewhere to soften things --- a rug, a wall hanging, or maybe a fabric screen divider.
I really like the painted/sculptured man by the turntables a lot.
And would love to spend a Saturday afternoon in that garage.
and I want to note that this is a great wheelchair accessible apartment
I love it. The neutral pallette and interesting art collection offers a lot of flexibility within the space...Seems to me it's a dynamic home and that they probably move stuff around a lot.
Please buy a rug.
I like it a lot! Interesting, so interesting!
It looks like someone bumped that couch out of position. I'm not really into feng shui, but looking at that just bothers my eyes.
Except for the garage its pretty much an example of bland-o-rama.
I love it! I think it is really well edited. My only complaint is that there weren't links to all the artists' websites! Great stuff.
The first picture shown here with the couch is just screaming for a rug of some type! I like the green couch, the orange light fixture, and some of the other pieces.
This goes way back to the first comment (twnt1andcounting), but although their income isn't modest compared to, say, mine, their cost of living is quite cheap. Snowflake/Citystock is in one of the worst neighborhoods in South St. Louis, which is saying a lot. I'm a South City native and would NEVER consider living there.
Cozy but conducive to contemplating. Beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing! Love the artwork.
agreed: ME WANT TEXTILE!
Please don't buy a rug.
I'll never understand the practice of covering beautifully polished wood that was designed to be walked upon with fabric designed to cause sneezes.
no, no, no and no.