Name: Kelly and Michael
Location: Hyde Park, Chicago, IL
Size: 1,480 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years; rented
The last word that one probably wants to use in reference to one's home is "clinical," but according to Kelly, that's what the space felt like when she and her husband Michael moved into their university-provided housing three years ago. Anyone else may have felt daunted by the linoleum flooring and austere white walls, but in the face of these challenges, Kelly and Michael have managed to create a serene and stylish home brimming with personality.
Instead of focusing on the potential drawbacks of the apartment, Kelly and Michael saw all the possibilities offered by its ample space, large windows, and the relatively open flow between rooms. They've made the most of the abundant sunlight (and the stunning views of downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan), keeping the rooms light and airy.
Above all, their home is an exercise in balance. In the bedroom, Kelly and Michael have kept the furnishings limited, but what's there is cozy, chic, and inviting. Mid-century style runs throughout the space, but these vintage aspects are tempered by the addition of more contemporary furnishings. And Kelly's ability to tastefully parcel out color means that the apartment maintains a nice visual balance between neutral and invigorating. To my mind, the office offers the clearest example of their combinatory prowess. A red-orange rug offers a shot of vibrant color and lush texture while the clean lines of the furniture keep the space feeling orderly, making for the perfect blend of comfort and efficiency.
Such a careful distribution of elements makes the apartment feel sophisticated and simple, while still being full of character. With some coffee, conversation, and Red House Painters on the stereo, I felt thoroughly comfortable in Kelly and Michael's home, and I can attest that no trace of that clinical feeling remains. By embracing its best features, Kelly and Michael have created an inviting home that strikes a remarkable balance between interest and ease.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style/ Inspiration: (Kelly) The ranch house I grew up in in northern Indiana. My late mother was self-taught in mid-century modern design; my favorite pieces in our home were once hers. I've tried to imitate what I loved about our old house: the natural light, a big library, plants, and a good stereo.
Favorite Element: All the windows, crown moulding (though it has been painted over many, many times), built-in bookshelves, and large rooms.
Biggest Challenge: The cruddy-looking tile flooring; but because we've been able to mask it (or distract from it), most friends don't even notice it right away.
What Friends Say: "Great view," and "Is this really university housing?"
Biggest Embarrassment: Our building is old, so the problems are pretty standard — the walls crack and paint chips off the moulding on a regular basis, but it's not that bad, so we don't complain!
Proudest DIY: The dresser in the bedroom — wanting a White Attic-like dresser, we bought this off Craiglist for a steal, and then sanded it, painted the top and sides and stained the front of the drawers. For any real DIY-er, this is less impressive, but painting several rooms and hanging IKEA shelving in the kitchen made us feel pretty proud of ourselves, too.
Biggest Indulgence: Rugs and reupholstering several items, both of which we did over a period of years because of the cost. However, we highly recommend the people who did the reupholstering: Slipcover Plus, a family-run business in Oak Park. They are reasonably priced, will pick up and return your piece of furniture for a flat fee, and can make custom slip covers or completely reupholster just about anything.
Best Advice: Don't push all your furniture up against the walls; repeat "themes" throughout rooms so there's some uniformity but each space still has its own look and feel; and always hang art a little higher than you think you should. All good advice from my dear friend Bethany Adams!
Dream Sources: Blu Dot, Scout Chicago, Unison Home, NYC Craigslist.
Resources of Note:
LIVING ROOM
- • Sofa: Macy's
• Coffee table: Craigslist
• Throw blanket: Missoni for Target
• Pillows (on couch and armchairs): custom covers sewn by our dry cleaner using IKEA and gifted fabric
• Tall white floor lamp: IKEA, rewired when it broke with a new shade from A Lamp and Fixture Chicago
• Draperies: West Elm
• Small wool rug: Crate & Barrel, via Craigslist
• Large sisal rug: Crate & Barrel
• Pair of armchairs: family hand-me-down, reupholstered with fabric from Fishman's
• Side table: Knoll knockoff, via Craigslist
• Arc lamp: CB2
• White cube table: Crate & Barrel
• TV cabinet: CB2, via Craigslist
• Yellow lamp: thrift store
• Rocker: Eames re-issue, via Craigslist, with IKEA sheepskin
• Cocktail table between the bookshelves: family hand-me-down
• Bookshelf/console behind couch: Craigslist (then sanded and stained)
DINING ROOM
- • Dining table and chairs: IKEA
• Rug: Overstock
• Pendant lamp: CB2
• China hutch/cabinet: family hand-me-down
• China: Russel Wright "American Modern," inherited
KITCHEN
- • White open shelving: IKEA
BEDROOM
- • Bed: IKEA
• Bed linens: West Elm and Crate & Barrel
• Bedside tables: Lane, via Craigslist
• Grey lamps: IKEA
• Draperies: IKEA
• Green jute rug: Crate & Barrel outlet
• Side chair: Randolph Street Market, reupholstered with leather from Fishman's
• Dresser: Craigslist, then painted and stained
• Round mirror: IKEA
• Small wood-base lamp: thrift store, rewired by A Lamp and Fixture
• Striped runner: Crate & Barrel
OFFICE
- • Daybed: Craigslist, slipcovered with fabric from Fishman's Chicago; with IKEA pillows
• Footstool: thrift store, with new legs from Ace Hardware online
• Wall sconce: George Nelson bubble lamp, via YLighting
• Mark Rothko lithograph: MoMA Design Store
• Bookshelves: IKEA
• Desk: West Elm, with CB2 lamp
• Desk chair: Randolph Street Market, reupholstered with leather from Fishman's
• Orange rug: Crate & Barrel
• Black and white rug: bought from a friend
Thanks, Kelly and Michael!
Images: Carolyn Purnell
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Looks great!
There are snipets of things I like: The colorful dishes and clear chairs in the dining room, the bird print and that cool @$$ toaster in the kitchen.
But I feel no warmth in this house tour and I really wanted to like it. The renters seem to be minimalist; just not my style.
I LOVE THIS. Also, "university housing"...does that mean one of them is a hall director? My partner is a hall director at another Chicago University and our housing arrangement, while perfectly adequate and free, is NOTHING like this! Stunning work, friends!
Why hang art higher? I was told I hung mine too high and it should be eye level.
I like each piece of art and furnishings but it lacks something. Maybe a few live plants and/or flowers would bring it all together. I would also add more fabrics. However, it is great for Univ. housing.
What's the paint color in the dining room? I really like it and it seems like the perfect gray with a touch of blue I've been looking for!
I second the love of the dining room paint color! Please tell!
This place is just my style. I think I'd give my first borne for the Russel Wright china. Thanks for sharing.
first BORN... woops
I love the dining room color and that china cabinet with the beautiful pieces in it - but it bothers me that it has been pushed in the corner like that. Shouldn't it be centered on the wall?
Love it!...great furniture choices and pops of color. Simple, clean yet warm.
Kel, Michael, congratulations! Home sweet...cool...home! Keep up the great additions, it even looks easily kid-proofed. ;-]
Daddeo
Thank you for your kind comments, everyone! The paint color in the dining room was something we got custom-mixed (i.e., matched to a color book sample) at Ace Hardware. We were actually looking for something more gray but it turned out light blue. I wish I could be more helpful!
HHRI, I agree that the cabinet does look weird pushed into the corner; we were kind of in a bind because when you enter the dining room, there isn't much space between the table and chairs and the cabinet, so we forfeited the better design decision here and pushed it into the corner to make more of a walk-space.
I love so many elements in this place! It looks awesome! I totally covet those radiator covers and lots of the furniture. I'm just confused over the little grey rug in the living room, it feels out of place to me...
UChicago undergrad here. Nice job warming up the space! I really like your living room couch with the Missoni for Target throw.
I'm headed to grad school on the East Coast this fall myself, and this gives me hope that I'll be able to create a nice living space despite a somewhat limited budget!
I agree it lacks something. There are some nice pieces but it just does not look homey.
I beg to disagree with "always hang art a little higher than you think you should". Sorry it is one of my pet peeves... However there are a lot of things I like in this space :-)
Great job! You gave considerable thought to elements such as the rugs - not only the color but the design and texture. And it all adds up to a wonderful, delightful and serene home!
lovelovelovelovelove!
Lovely space, not overly stuffed with stuff.
Light, clean, furniture well placed.
Your floors dont look to bad in the photos and you have done a great job with rug placement.
I think it looks great! Yes, it's missing something ... piles of books and papers scattered over every surface :)
I can't do the large-scale rug on my own cheap linoleum floors since it'd be a bear to clean in my small space, underneath furniture. Love the dr table/chairs.
You've made my day! That's a beautiful home! But "hang art a little higher than you think you should"??... well, I don't know! According to the wonderful site www.rdeco.gr (sorry, it's in greek!!) the centre of the art should be at a height of 1.5-1.6 m (that's about 4.9 - 5.2 feet).
Isn't there a fan in the kitchen?
KELLY! How great to see your pad here! I was looking up some furniture dim's - we are signing a lease today and wanted to see how we could arrange the furniture - and came across this article. Your place looks wonderful and the pictures are great in lending a hint of the calmness and lightheartedness that I felt when there. What a nice surprise! Congrats and XO!
I like the large sisal rug. Is it scratchy, though? We had one that was rough and not nice to stand on with bare feet.
Very nice.
Lovely...the main room is awesome w/ the right punches of color. :)
at LEAST put some coffee table books out... some signs of life. Otherwise, good job.
Very lovely home, I understand that it does look a little sparse but I have absolutely no problem with that, I find it hard not to accumulate "stuff" and envy people who can edit themselves. But I don't think that means your home lacks personality, I think you use your furnishings as focal points and let the room's bones speak too. Your finds are amazing, I love the color palette, I adore your furnishings, I really like the varied textures and would kill for a place like that. Plus, a person who has only 2 posters of my 2 very favorite bands (Neko Case and Arcade Fire) are cool people in my book :)
Less is more. I like it.
Okay, you know the bedroom .... you gotta' do somethin' there. If you do, it's top notch.
Love the clean feeling..like a breathe of fresh air.
It looks great! I don't think it's missing a thing.
I really like it and think it's very nice, just the way it is. I especially love the touches of green in the kitchen. It's very cozy and looks like a happy place to cook.
Well done! We're also in UofC housing (Chicago Arms building- moving out in a month though (:); I recognize the floor, kitchen...oh, what a challenge to make it work, but you did it!
How did they let you paint the walls? I did paint our UofC grad housing kitchen, but the walls... would have loved to do that!
I absolutely love the living room! :)
The charcoal couch, the coffee table, the arm chairs, the Eames chair...lovelovelove
Great work! Yay for Ikea & Craigslist!
Does anyone know who the bird print is by? It's beautiful!
I like what you guys did with the place, considering it is university housing. I'd like to see some bigger and bolder art on the wall with the TV in the living room...it might take the eye away from a big black rectangle.
So tasteful and comfortable; I'd love to spend an afternoon there. And I'd take linoleum over old carpet any day!
what a coincidence, i have the same little footstool that you have in your office! I got it from craigslist. Unfortunately the top is cracking a bit.
Love the Russell Wright collection!