Julie’s Northwoods-Meets-Art Deco Apartment in Minneapolis

updated Feb 20, 2019

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About this tour

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Home Type

Apartment

Location

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Style

Art Deco

Bedrooms

Square feet

700

Sq ft

700

Name: Julie Carroll and Frances, the cat
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Size: approximately 700 square feet
Years lived in: 9 months

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While visiting my sister in Minneapolis, I recalled a certain House Call that begged for a follow-up. After making arrangements with Julie, I was thrilled to see inside a preserved Art Deco-era building. Minneapolis is rich in its beautifully maintained and functioning historical architecture, and Julie’s place is no exception!

Julie’s gorgeous apartment building from the Art Deco era (Image credit: Selena Kirchhoff)

(Image credit: Selena Kirchhoff)

I had never been to Minneapolis before, and I was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming amount of opulent historical buildings and houses. Julie’s family is actually from Minnesota, so much of her design inspiration comes from her Scandinavian roots and elements of the Northwoods. Although the apartment is a bit on the smaller side, the space is rich in charm. With every turn, you’ll notice original brass fixtures, crystal door knobs, and even a porcelain farm sink – one of Julie’s favorite features. In a world where buildings tend to come and go, it was nice to see a building from the 1930s translated into a beautiful modern apartment. Julie’s incorporation of Mid-century modern furniture, earthy textures, and a minimalist approach truly let the charm of this apartment shine.

(Image credit: Julie Carroll)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Eclectic Minimalism

Inspiration: My Scandinavian heritage mixed with the rustic beauty of the Northwoods

Favorite Element: The clean lines of my Scandinavian, Mid-century modern furniture

Biggest Challenge: The freakishly tiny kitchen!

What Friends Say: They love the playful nature of the space and ample booze selections. 😉

Biggest Embarrassment: It’s impossible to cook using my gas stove without continually butt-bumping the stovetop pots— I’ve spilled boiling hot food off of the stove several times due to navigation issues in such a cramped space. My kitchen is essentially the size of a shoebox and my hips don’t lie!

Proudest DIY: More of a commission: My 6-year-old niece created a very demanding lemonade stand sign that read “Ten Bucks for the Drink.” I thought this was hilarious, so I commissioned Seattle pop artist Derek Erdman to make a painted version of the sign that I proudly hung over my farm sink. It’s one of my favorite corners of my home and makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Biggest Indulgence: My buttery caramel leather, Mid-century modern, tufted sofa. It has the clean lines I love, but unlike a lot of traditional mid-century sofas, it is super cushy and cozy. Worth every cent!

Best Advice: To maintain a calm space with minimal clutter, editing is key. Every time I purchase a new item, I donate or sell an old one.

Resources

(Image credit: Selena Kirchhoff)

PAINT & COLORS

N/A: the space came pre-painted in white

(Image credit: Selena Kirchhoff)

ENTRY

Benches: Target
Botanical wall hangings: Burke Decor
Bentwood side table: West Elm
Antlers: vintage

(Image credit: Selena Kirchhoff)

LIVING ROOM

Shag rug: Rugsusa.com
Coffee table: vintage
Sofa: JCP Darrin Leather Sofa
Shag pillow: Amazon
Rattan chairs: Serena and Lily
Vintage Kilim pillows: Ebay
Antlers: vintage
Paintings: Kai Samuels Davis (Etsy), Ashley Goldberg (Etsy), Minted for West Elm, & Art.com
Brass spider lamp: vintage
Scandinavian entertainment center: vintage
Bar cart: Target
Gold side table: Target
Sheepskins: Ikea
Desk: vintage
Desktop lamp: West Elm
Tulip chair: vintage