Name: Rhiannon Smith & Victor Obeck
Location: Hayes Valley, San Francisco
Size: 501 square feet
Years lived in: Almost 2 years, rented
Rhiannon and Victor's apartment is not what you might expect the home of a couple of college students to look like. But the two of them, who are both transferring into San Francisco State in the fall, decided when they moved into their Hayes Valley Edwardian walk-up that they were going to make it special. The efficiency in LA where they lived together before was apparently so small that they didn't even consider it a "real" apartment. So they've treated this one as their first, furnishing it with style and love, and maintaining it beautifully even while holding down jobs and going to school...
Rhiannon and Victor's place is a perfect example of how with a little imagination, it's possible to triumph over the challenges of being a renter in a small space. Their apartment's got some good "bones"—on the third floor of an Edwardian, its huge windows bring in lovely light—but an eighties-era renovation left them with a lackluster kitchen and drab wall-to-wall carpet. Amazingly, though, one hardly notices these things, because the improvements Rhiannon and Victor have made are so vibrant and well-conceived.
The layout of their main room is such that it feels like a few rooms in one, with charming nooks for reading or kicking back with a guitar. Throughout the apartment, well-curated art conveys a strong sense of the couple's slightly dark, but also whimsical, aesthetic. A stern-faced papier-mache polar bear gazes down from above the door. A collection of artful robots parades down a shelf. A vase in the shape of George Washington's head sprouts wildflowers. It's obvious that this home has been filled with objects of love, including of course the couple's adorable pooch, Mayo, who claims its sunny corners as her own.
AT Survey:
Our style: Boho with a morbid curiosity.
Inspiration: The Haunted Mansion at Disney World is the first place I (Rhiannon) can remember saying, "I want to live here!" Growing up in a rustic farmhouse also shaped my aesthetic early on. Today we're both inspired by San Francisco Victorian architecture, imagination, things of the past and the future.
Favorite Element: Being on the third floor. Having lived on the first floor of an apartment building, I can't stress how important it is to be a few stories up. Even the cutest apartment can be a nightmare if you don't get a lot of light, are scared to leave your windows open and don't have a view.
Biggest Challenge: Having to work around things like carpet, linoleum, and an unattractive kitchen.
What Friends Say: "It's so clean!" "It's so grown up!" "That's cool." Basically our friends are impressed that we put time and effort into our surroundings.
Biggest Embarrassment: The kitchen—since we are renters, there just isn't a whole lot we can do with it.
Proudest DIY: A tie between the papier-mache polar bear bust and hard-wiring our own lights!
Biggest Indulgence: Our art collection.
Best advice: Be patient and hold out for things you really love.
Inspiration: The Ace Hotel and Wes Anderson movie sets.
Resources:
Main Room:
Shelves and baskets - Target
Dressers, milk crate, and stool - Dumpster finds
Cabinet - Urban Ore
Shoe mold, medicine bottles, George Washington, and school chair - Thrifted
Eames chair and pouf - Ebay
Chair with cushions - DWR
Curtains, lights, bamboo, bed and some baskets and boxes - Ikea
Russian nesting dolls, clock, jewelry boxes, rug, some pillows and bedding - Urban Outfitters
Robot collection - Friends
Pegasus art - Skullphone
Turkey claw - Paxton Gate
Ghost antlers - Erich Ginder
Entry:
Polar bear bust - Made by us
Mirror - Bed, Bath and Beyond
San Francisco poster - Ork
Wardrobe and white boxes - Ikea
Wooden crate and seahorse - Thrifted
Art above doorway - Various Etsy artists, us, and the large photo is Victor's great-grandfather in the movie "The Great Train Robbery"
Ice skate - Urban Ore
Kitchen:
Wooden box, globe, Russian nesting dolls, cast-iron piggy bank, Joan of Arc snow globe - All thrifted
Skeleton - Vacation to Tijuana
Skeleton diorama - Wacko/La Luz de Jesus gallery
Woman with blue eyeshadow art - Old Chola
Apron - Urban Outfitters
Trash can, watering can, light, rails and magnetic knife rack - Ikea
Cafe curtains - Bed, Bath and Beyond
Swan planter, fan, and clay owl - Ebay
Charcoal drawing - Us
Dining set - Gift
Office Area:
Shelves, boxes, plant, lamp, file cabinet, and wooden boxes - Ikea
Desk - CB2
Chair - Gift
Headphones - Ebay
Bathroom:
Cabinet - Target
Shower curtains - Bed, Bath and Beyond
Towels - Ikea
Art - Made by us
(Thanks, Rhiannon and Victor!)
Images: Susie Nadler and Victor Obeck
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I like it. You could tell that they had fun decorating. The space has lots of personality and interesting pieces. Ikea is good for certain things, but certainly not good for everything. I think they did a good job of balancing it out. It's shaping up to be a fun space with plenty of character.
Great space! You've made the most of the light and the nice layout of the place. Good call on having a few little sitting areas instead of cluttering a small place with a big couch.
I love when AT has rental apartments creatively decorated by people with more taste than money.
Love the maps on the cabinets--a great quick fix for less than ideal rental kitchens! Any reason you didn't do the same to all of them? Perhaps it would be too busy?
A very cool, fun place overall! I wish I'd lived like that when I was in college...
So many of the little touches remind me of my own taste. Well done with creating a grown-up space that still lets you have some of that childhood freedom. :)
Great job!
Great job, it really looks inviting.
Love the polar bear mask and Mayo. too. the only thing I didnt care for was the over stimulating refrigerator.
Thanks for sharing!
Looks like a nice couple with a nice start.
Nice office space..clean, stylish and functional.
Looks great, and I appreciate that they took the time to list where everything is from.
love it.
favorite parts:
maps on cabinet fronts
polar bear
doggie draped on bed
Love the green paint... can you share what you used?
It's the apartment owner here. Thanks for the feedback everyone! I also welcome suggestions too. The paint in the hallway is Behr's lemon pepper interior paint.
Where'd you get the graphic above the headboard? I photographed one I found in Soho near my office 3 years ago and have been trying to located the artist...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitabayashi/210511990/
Any info would help!
The poster above the bed is made by skullphone http://www.skullphone.com/
I was just thinking back to my university apts recently. I shared each of them (there were two) with my now husband, and we had a lot of fun decorating them. And I kind of miss the youthful spirit of them (haha. that makes me sound older than I am!!). Like it seems this couple has done, we used a lot of Ikea, hand-me-downs, and vintage/secondhand finds. We were both art students so we made a lot of stuff that we hung and we had original artwork from friends to hang as well. We're just both the types that care a lot about our space and about design in general, so the usual futon and sheets for curtains thing wasn't our speed. BUT, we didn't have money. We just did our best with paint and artwork.
I could be wrong, but this place didn't make me immediately think of trust funds. I just think this shows how creativity, resourcefulness, and a passion/interest in art and design can really transform a place from basic to fun and vibrant. And how original artwork can make all the difference in injecting life into a space. If this space had a collection of store bought art or french cafe posters or something it wouldn't be anywhere near as interesting as it is now.
@teacupcake -
As the introduction states, both Rhiannon and Victor work as well as go to school. But thanks for your contribution.
- Susie
such a adorable couple !!!!cute couple with a cute house and a cute dog !!
I just met these guys on a trip to San Fran. We have a mutual friend and went out to dinner with them. Totally cool people and their place looks great! Keep up the creativity guys!
i absolutely love the (dare i hope) iphone? probably ipod charger/speaker in picture 12. what is it? thx!
I think it's a great space. I also love the green and the area you've set up by that nice big window.
You know that website, "Stuff White People Like"? This could be it's next entry. Not necessarily a bad thing.
I think its really cute and creative and filled with love....and it didnt seem like it cost an arm and a leg to put together (rare for AT)
It's a cool space, and I love that the dog is all over it!
How did you hang the pegasus print? Did you use binder clips and push pins? I really like it and would love to use it for my own!
I'm in love with the little robot collection. Where on earth would I find these? Any ideas?
Thanks again everyone!
To answer a few more questions: The ipod charger is from Vers http://www.versaudio.com/ and it fits and charges an iphone if you don't use any of the attachments!
Yep- I hang a lot stuff with binder clips and push pins- cheap and it works like a charm!
My robot collection really took off from friends, but I know this place has some cool ones, http://soapplant.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SP&Category_Code=RBT .
I love what they have done with this space- the creativity and wit they have with their surroundings... I'd love to see how this place will evolve over time.
So many questions:
Do you mind if I copy your polar bear?
Where are the funny animal bed pillows come from?
And why oh why don't find awesome dressers in my area dumpsters..er, sidewalks?
Great post! and congrats for being on AT!
Really nice place - I especially like the little dining area.
Very nice space
very organized.. love the art..
and oh...
.... super cute dog...! ;)
Edgy but pretty -- Two of my favorite things.
Cutest couple ever!
Where did you find the mirror in your hallway? I've been trying to find something similar. Thanks, and thanks for sharing your fun space!
very playful and creative space with lots of thought put into it. Thanks for sharing!
Love it - reminds me of my old SF apartment. I didn't see resources listed for your bedroom - where are your nighstands/drawers from?
Thanks again! Here are more answers:
Saya- Of course you can make your own polar bear and I got the pillows from Urban Outfitters.
Josh- The mirror is from Bed, Bath and Beyond- it was pretty inexpensive too!
Hydeparkmum- I actually found the dressers in the trash, believe it or not!
I still can't open any pictures on house tours! Is anyone else having problems?
I love this space. It just feels so...right. And they did it in a way that makes it seem like it just happened...which of course it didn't or it wouldn't feel so right.
I love their design sensibility. Fresh, contemporary, without being cliche. I'd move in tomorrow. Precluding that, I'm predicting big things for these two.
Why are people so crazy about this place?
It's a half-way house --- 1/2 between cheapo student digs and struggling 20 somethings.
They did a good job with the arrangement of the graphics above the door leading from the entrace hall to the main room.
No place I lived in during college looked as good as this place. These people are consummate editors. I do think there is a little over-emphasis on "things white people like" -- like remnants of the deer and/or antler motifs (when will that trend die, and why is it so appealing?). I don't find anything about this place "morbid." "Mordant" is the more applicable word. A certain biting wit.
Guys, I have a similar problem kitchen. Thanks for the lesson on coping. I have my own ideas, but you, unlike myself, have moved forward!
These people aren't professional designers. They're working students -- and to be congratulated for finding a way to pull together a charming place on little funds and probably less time. Most people their age live among piled up clothes and a mish-mash of furniture and posters. Good job, guys. You've obviously got it together.
Love the art piece on the wall in the bedroom, the bed frame decoration and especially the dog ! :)
Love the robot toys in front of those books
Favorite: evidence of previous existence of winged horse. Bet they made it... I think I recognize a well-known "frozen canter" Eohippus.
simple, serene and creative! there's no place like home - it is such a very lovely home.
Love it! If you don't mind my asking, where did you get the black and white rug in the bedroom?
Thanks! The rug was around $20 and from Urban Outfitters.
Wow. I sure didn't live like that in college. Gorgeous.
Wow. I can't afford DWR now, 10 years out of college. Impressive.
Where is the rug in the bedroom from??
Thank you for sharing the bathroom and kitchen. I personally think the kitchen is great and they should not be ashamed of it. Good use of small spaces.
WHERE did you get the winged horse image in the bedroom? I love it!