Name: Jose Gonzalez-Maciel & Ben McKelfresh
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Size: 1,000 square feet
Years lived in: 8 months — rented
Ben and I have been friends and coworkers for the last three years, working together at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. Since we've known each other for a few years, moving in as roommates was a relatively easy choice-- both of our leases were about to end, we wanted to live close to work, and since we travel quite a bit for work, we didn't mind having a roommate. We also knew (and liked) each other's style — both of us have a love for all things Danish, and we both like to keep a mostly spotless home.
Finding an apartment that we both liked ended up being easy as well. The apartment we currently live in was the third (and last) apartment we saw — I loved the all-white bathroom, 50s turquoise kitchen, and hardwood floors, Ben only cared about having the larger of the two bedrooms. The apartment's location — 2 miles from work, right next to the Mississippi River, off of major biking/jogging routes — was just icing on the cake. We were able to incorporate each others belongings seemingly — and anything that didn't work was ousted and currently resides in our over-sized basement/laundry room.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Well-edited mid-century modern meets tight budget
Inspiration: We live by WWJD — as in "What Would Jonathan (Adler) Do." We like his aesthetic, tongue-in-cheek humor, and colorful palette.
Favorite Element: Jose: Tie between fifties turquoise kitchen, and the all white bathroom. Ben: The kitchen faucet.
Biggest Challenge: Jose: Fitting an over-sized bed in a small bedroom, and stuffing all of my clothes into a small closet — about half of my clothes currently reside under my bed. Ben: Wall of windows in my bedroom, and lack of counter-space in the kitchen.
What Friends Say: "Your apartment on a messy day is cleaner than ours on a clean day."
Biggest Embarrassment: Probably our semi-unorganized basement (which luckily few get to see), and the outdated exterior of the apartment complex — it has so much potential, but it's just not there yet. Although, it is kind of nice to surprise friends with a cute apartment in a not-so-cute building.
Proudest DIY: Ben: Putting together our IKEA pieces — but for some reason we always end up with a surplus of nuts and bolts. Jose: spray-painting the inexpensive artist mannequin hot pink — it is still one of my favorite (and cheapest) accessories in the apartment.
Biggest Indulgence: Nothing was absurdly expensive — everything was purchased at a reasonable price. If we had to choose, perhaps our large Plasma TV?
Best Advice: Only showcase what you love — and don't love too many things.
Dream Sources: Jonathan Adler's garage sale, or a shopping spree at Illums Bolighus on an unlimited budget.
Resources of Note:
LIVING ROOM
- • Throw pillows from CB2 and Dwell Studio
• Art: IKEA framed "Frank" Print by Chuck Close, and family pictures with frames from Aaron Brothers
• Kosta Boda "Still Life" crystal skull votive
• Curtains: P. Kaufmann "Soho; Robin" fabric
• Jose's grandfather's typewriter
• Super-egg by Piet Hein
• Furniture: Couches from a now closed furniture store, 70s coffee table found on Craigslist, IKEA Basta Burs TV Unit
KITCHEN
- • Frigidaire Appliances
• Cabinets: Youngstown Kitchens by Mullins
• Fruit Loop Bowl by Daniel Black & Richard Blum
DINING ROOM
- • Dining Table by Mariette Himes Gomez for Hickory Chair
• Chairs: Free 60s era office chairs
• Coasters by Jonathan Adler
• Curtains: P. Kaufmann "Soho; Robin" fabric
• Marimekko "Brewers Aarni" Stretched Canvas
BEN'S BEDROOM
- • IKEA Furniture
• Framed Danish art exhibit poster
• CB2 Bedding
JOSE'S BEDROOM
- • Hotel Collection bedding from Macy's, Grey Thomas O'Brien Shams, Dwell Studio Throw Pillows.
• Curtain Fabric: P Kaufmann Hip Floral
• Cart was a curbside find
• Bed was a friend's giveaway
• IKEA lamps
BATHROOM
- • Artichoke candle holder from Anthropologie
• Milk Carton vase from CB2
• Thomas O'Brien mat
DESK
- • IKEA Desk
• Pink "Beastie" by Dennis Pearson
• Iittala votive
• Mexican skull votive from Corazon
• Normann Copenhagen "Light Tower" candle holder
• Wanderlust Journal from Anthropologie
• Framed Danish art gallery poster
Thanks, Jose & Ben!
Images: Jose Gonzalez-Maciel
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Clean and lovely! Lovely photos, too, but I feel like the amount of them could've been cut in half, as has been the case with a lot of AT house tours lately. I mean I certainly appreciate the variety of angles, but how many shots of the living room and kitchen do we really need?
I totally agree with Sarita. Way too many photos -- 50 altogether. I felt like I couldn't really enjoy or appreciate the home because they were so many little vignettes and close ups to get through. Even a close of a soccer ball -- I abandoned the tour after that.
Love the cart as a nightstand idea.
This is such a breath of fresh air! It's so clean and open and refreshing. I am a fan, and I LOVE that kitchen - what a color!
The only thing I would suggest is a rug for the living room area. The wood floors are beautiful, but that couch arrangement is crying out for the anchor that a rug would provide. And it makes it comfier for visitors - I always seem to end up lounging on the floor at friends' houses.
Those bedrooms are so empty, and I mean that in the best possible way. It looks so soothing.
I agree that there are way too many photos in these AT house tours lately, and way too many closeups of little vignettes that aren't really that interesting. A house tour should leave you longing for more, not less.
Totally agree with ericasullivan about the rug thing. Otherwise, lovely and clean.
I love the woven chair in the first bedroom! I hope I can find something similar here :)
Much love for your turquoise kitchen cabinets! They add a nice splash of color.
Great aqua cabinets!
Kitchen cabinets are phenomenal. That would have sold the apartment for me even if the outside is less than appealing.
The blue cabinets and black floor are wonderful and the three tomatoes? oranges? grab my eye like a perfect sculpture on the counter.
I always look at the thumbnails and then choose which shots I want to view larger. No problem with lots of views.
I'm happy to see that we have AT writers in Mpls.!
A dozen decent photos would have been plenty.
Love that loopy bowl, though.
I agree too many shots of the living room, which I wasn't impressed with. I did love the desk and the beautiful turquoise kitchen cabinets though.
Illums Bolighus is a wonderful store! Why buy any old bottle opener when you can get a work of art from that place? I think the concept would work in the US - esp Minneapolis, maybe in Edina. Perhaps that can be your next adventure.
Like: the turquoise kitchen, the discreetly stylish dining set.
Dislike: the "love" desk (for shame, IKEA!), the ubiquitous Apple products in seemingly every corner.
Wow, I had no idea those apartments have such awesome kitchens! I have driven by them many times. The location can't be beat - right by the river! YAY for MPLS love!
I seriously love the kitchen and bathroom.
I particualarly love the colour of the kitchen guys, a mixture between blue (but better than just blue) and metal colour. I love coffee as well, an under cabinet coffee pot would help the kitchen cosier (and more metal) ^^ Everything is ready for a warm & fuzzy night.
I love the art of the trees in the dining room - reminds me of Lucy McLaughlin - does anyone know who it might be by?
Love the kitchen cabinet color. I guess I ought to since I just painted our kitchen walls almost the exact same shade a month ago. So jealous of the matching appliances though; we haven't corrected that yet in ours.
I think they did a wonderful job! Most apartments occupied by two guys would not be places that you'd want to visit, and this inviting home proves the stereotype wrong.
I agree with other commenters, though, that we find way too many vignettes in AP posts these days. I want to see whole rooms, or whole areas, not a series of photos of two or three objects. Because of this, I, too, spend less time looking at homes on this site than I once did
Lovely!!
Might you know where your tall/small pedestal sink is the bathroom from?
I like all of the photos because sometimes I do want to see something close up. Why do people have to pick things apart so much? This is a real person's home, not a magazine shoot.
Also, how old are these guys? I would guess they were in their 20s. I wouldn't expect all of us to have the same tastes and style as we are all in different places in our lives. The place is very nice exactly as it is!
This home looks really nice, especially the kitchen, bath, and larger bedroom.
you crack me up, jose.
WOW!! Awesome apartment, you guys.
Now, I have to ask... where on earth is this place? I'm from MPLS and have lived in a lot of 1920's 4-plex type apartments. In all my years of renting, I never saw a place this cool.
love the fresh color choices.
also would kill for that typewriter!
The only thing I don't love is the giant bed, but it was cheap as free right?! LOVE the aqua kitchen & white bathroom (TOTALLY doing that when we move). Where are the pastel-ly Oaxaca & Copenhagen postcard-sized prints from? LOVE them!!
@Sarita: Totally agree. It's a nice apartment with some smart design elements, but 40 photos is total overkill. AT needs to bring up the quality of the house tours.