apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm in love with these spaces and would live there in a heartbeat...
...the furniture not so much.

I lived in a historic building in New England that manufactured shawls for Union Soldiers during the Civil War. I absolutely loved living there for the exposed wood beams, 12ft. tall ceilings and 8 ft. tall windows.

The only cautions I would have for people deciding whether to inhabit an old mill or factory building are mold and fire hazards associated with old buildings like that. Those exposed beams and joists absorbed oils from the factory machinery like sponges and would burn quickly in a fire. Make sure the property is up to code (not something one would really scrutinize when renting), and while this sounds funny, find out how far away your local fire station is. Our was across the street!

This is very nice space. Not crazy about the furniture, but mine would look good in there!

Those are nice spaces, but I'd be worried about the original walls retaining the smell of tobacco. Strong odors like that can hang around for decades.

Whoa. Just when we'd agreed that Southern style was Victorian frou-frou and ceiling-fan verandas...

"The only cautions I would have for people deciding whether to inhabit an old mill or factory building are mold and fire hazards associated with old buildings like that. Those exposed beams and joists absorbed oils from the factory machinery like sponges and would burn quickly in a fire. Make sure the property is up to code..."

Old houses and apartment buildings are just as liable to have flammability and mold issues due to the sheer age of their structures and potential for system failure. When any property is converted to residential use or undergoes renovation, inspections are required by municipalities while under construction to ensure that local building codes are being followed...

North Carolina is very different from the rest of the South.

Nice Modern Log Cabin! Can totally dig this style! Nice bright reds, too!

Thanks for letting me Post a Comment!
Melissa Yourfurniturelink and Mortise & Tenon LA

This looks like the same people who re-did our tobacco leaf loft in Winston-Salem in the RJ Reynolds complex of buildings (http://www.rehabbuilders.com/cmt/47.html) They do a great job maintaining the historic feeling (our original 1900-ish beat up wood floors are gorgeous and great for having a big dog) and the large windows are wonderful. We have southern exposure and haven't used our heater yet this winter.

It is interesting to live here because the buildings down the street all have huge paintings on them with smoking propaganda, saying: "PRIDE IN TOBACCO." RJR also had great health benefits for their employees, incidentally. (:

yay! north carolina! it's a pretty awesome state.

Most of North Carolina's actually a lot like the rest of the South. But parts are old industrial cities with old industrial spaces. There's been a huge amount of activity lately to rehabilitate the old tobacco warehouses in Durham and put them to all sorts of uses. They're gorgeous spaces, but they tend to be expensive by Durham standards.

Hey everyone. Just a quick correction to the original story: "Durham, North Carolina is home to many old tobacco warehouses no longer in use."

Actually, there are about 30 tobacco warehouses in downtown Durham and all except for 2 (Liberty-currently has storage space and art spaces and the large Liggett building-under construction by the end of the year) have been converted into offices, restaurants and residential units. And trust me, they don't smell like tobacco :)

http://www.americantobaccocampus.com/about-us.html

http://www.westvillagedurham.com

http://www.trinityloftsdurhamnc.com/Home_Page.php (this is where the above apartment is from)

My wife and I just finished converting an old law office into a condo in downtown Durham that we would love to share on Apartment Therapy!

Hi all. Actually, the story states that Durham is "home to a number of tobacco warehouses no longer in use" which is actually incorrect. There are about 30 old tobacco warehouses in downtown Durham of which 28 have been converted into offices, shopping restaurants & residential spaces. They are quite cool. Google American Tobacco Campus, West Village and Brightleaf Square in Durham and check them out.

My wife and I just finished a loft conversion in downtown Durham and would love to be featured on Apartment Therapy!

The space is amazing, but you are in desperate need of a decorator.

I love wood and historic and all that but there is somethng unsettling about this one, that first pic freaks me out with the large V beam. it looks as if it is infront of the door/window? and the purpose?
glad people are happy in them , tho.

To be fair, each part of the South has its own character if you really look at it, just like anywhere. I think the descriptions of "Victorian frou frou" and verandas are, in some ways, throw backs to another time. There are plenty of industrial building conversions around the Southeast.

www.emblemorstain.blogspot.com

Gorgeous home. Really spectacular. But their taste in furnishings is only so-so. I think they should hit some of those amazing southern thrift stores and score some charming deals ASAP!

downtownnc: just wanted to clarify that I meant "home to a number of tobacco warehouses no longer in use" as tobacco warehouses. thanks for your comments and please send us photos of durham space! (dc (at) apartment therapy (dot) com)

Downtownnc, thanks for posting those links (so I don't have to!). It's really amazing to see what's happening n downtown Durham, isn't it? The new construction (like the new performing arts center) is nice, but I'm extra glad that so many people have stepped up & preserved all of those great old brick buildings.

great space,
horrid furniture.
like wal-mart's version of modern.

What ever happened to AT getting a Southern blogger? Wasn't there some talk of that? After this post and the Scrap Exchange post, I think Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill is looking like a likely home base for that.

I have been a member of this community for a while and it is so frustrating to hear that so many of you think the south is full of "frou frou" and Victorian. The south is a diverse, unique and wonderful place to live. I have lived all over the world including London, New York, and for the last two months, Western Massachusetts. Since living here I have heard things like "don't worry your southern accent isn't that bad" "small towns in the south really scare me" "how did you manage to make it out of the south with such a good education". I understand that many Northeasterners have a hard time getting past images of Terra but truly, things have changed and in many ways the south is more progressive and more accepting than other parts of the country. Just wanted to give you the "heads up" on that because I think this is a great community and wouldn't want you to miss anything. Below I have posted just a couple of the loft spaces available in Louisville, my home town, city of 1 million people....it is a very hip place full of artists, glassblowers, horses, the best bourbon in the country, and some truly amazing living spaces.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/fall-colors-2007-midwest/1-jasons-lofty-view-033079

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/inspiration/art-and-interiors-21c-museum-hotel-057481

http://images.google.com/imgres?

http://www.rentmyhouse4derby.com/rentals/FabulousFirehouse

imgurl=http://louisvilleblows.com/images/Loft5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://louisvilleblows.com/hotel.html&usg=__Ewa5AufjjH_f0HEQlvh7K0h_HYE=&h=250&w=375&sz=29&hl=en&start=21&um=1&tbnid=PtYkexrCffd8mM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dglassworks%2Blofts%2Blouisville%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.heidifore.com/homes_for_sale_louisville_ky_real_estate_images_jpgs/condo_downtown_louisville_Mercantile_loft.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.heidifore.com/louisville_kentucky_new_condos_lofts_downtown_ky.htm&usg=__vHq5sSUdZS0ClNeLSYPngVquliU=&h=640&w=480&sz=156&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=jOsmGlQjVKOrcM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhenry%2Bclay%2Bcondos%2Blouisville%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

This is my first time commenting on an AT post, though I've been a fan for years! I've lived in the south all my life, first in north Florida (VERY different from central and south Florida) then in Atlanta and now in Durham, NC. As others have said, there are tons of tobacco warehouses around and almost all are in use and no, they do not smell of tobacco. I work downtown and the old Ligget & Myers smokestack is one of the many such landmarks.

I agree completely with medusa12120 - since moving to the triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) area almost two years ago, I have been in hog heaven with thrift stores and estate sales. Though NC has lost much of its historically primary industries - tobacco, textiles, and furniture - vestiges of these remain every where. The furnishings are plenty and cheap! I'm not a fan of the furniture in this post either - one can be modern and fresh without resorting to badly made import knock-offs. There's no Ikea in the area (everyone is buzzing because a new Ikea is opening in Charlotte, about 2 hours away), so I think sometimes folks who want that look make do with what they can get...