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Name: Abby
Location: Los Angeles
Size: around 900 square feet, 1 bedroom
Years Lived in: 10+years, rent

My home has always been a lab for experimenting with ideas, sometimes successful, sometimes not so much. I'm all about change but one thing that always stays constant with me is cozy and welcoming. I love having people over. I remember someone saying once that "if you haven't spilled anything, you're not having enough fun." When people come over for brunch and stay for dinner, I know that my apartment's working...

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AT Survey:

My style: boho regency

Inspiration: travels esp. to France and Morocco, AT, other people's homes, magazines, clothing, my parent's apartment in New York.

Favorite room: the living room, when it's filled with people, which is why I redid it.

Most talked about element: the chandelier in the dining area

Most Embarrassing Element: that now, since it's almost finished, i want to start over again and redo it, super 70s, minimalist, white walls, white couches, like Derek Sanders apartment or Alison Sarofim's house. What can I say? I like drama and I'm crazy for change.

Element that makes your knees weak: The architectural elements and the crazy tile in the bathroom.

Proudest DIY: That i actually picked paint colors that worked!

Dream source or item: a French winemaker's table that tilts, an egg chair in white leather, a Victorian faux Bamboo chest of drawers from my parent's apartment; Chinese screens from my great-aunt's apartment in Paris, a new coffee table from Allie Waldman...Need I go on?

Reality source: Craig's List, Ikea, Crate and Barrel, the streets of Los Angeles (yup, I'm a junker), friends, the Rosebowl. And a great posse -- upholster, framer, handyman.

Best advice: Take the AT quiz to orient you in the right direction. From my dad: Mix prints, colors, and eras. Go crazy but before you do, have a plan. Trust the process. Go with your gut.

Had forever: The Thonet chairs are from my Uncle's studio in NY. They were also in my first apartment (miss you!) on Union Square; the base of the table in the front was in my room as a kid. I'll probably change out the top again soon.

Just got: The silver Chinese stool from West Elm. I found a white one, at Wisteria, which I'm considering for the living room.

Any additional plans: Next up, the closets. And the hallway, I still haven't finished the hallway. I can't decide whether to paint it teal or paint it white and go for those Blik decals of flying seagulls. I'm tipping towards the later though I'm always open for inspiration.

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RESOURCES:

Appliances: The refrigerator, a Fridgidaire, came from a friend who was moving. The stove, an old O'Keefe and Merritt, was bought for a $1 off the previous tenant (who knew apartments in LA don't come with refrigerators and stoves?)

Hardware: Kitchen pulls from Koontz; bedroom dresser from Top Drawer

Furniture: Crate and Barrel (bed and sofas), the Rosebowl Fleamarket, The Longbeach Fleamarket, Craig's List, Hand Me Downs from my family

Accessories: Collected over the years from sources as varied as flea markets, friends, Ross, etc. I don't discriminate. High or low, all are welcome.

Lighting: Blueprint, Home Expo, Alex on Craig's List

Rugs and Carpet: The living room rug's from Overstock; The zebra rug in the bedroom's off Craig's List.

Window Treatments: Ceasar, my upholsterer; sheers from Country Curtains

Artwork: friends, family and magazine tear sheets

Paint: Traditional Yellow in the living room. Silver Half Dollar in the bedroom; both Ecospec paints by Benjamin Moore

Flooring: my former neighbor, Dave, refinished my floors in dark walnut.

(Thanks!)

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