Name: Genevieve & Maxwell’s Poorgeoisie Bungalow
Location: Silver Lake
Size: 900 sq. feet
Years lived in: Genevieve – 3 years. Maxwell – 1 year
Who else lives here? Lucy, our Pit-Lab mix.
Sometimes you seek out house tours and sometimes house tours come to you. In the case of Maxwell and Genevieve's Silver Lake abode, we discovered it when we showed up to buy some mid century chairs we'd spied on craigslist. Walking into their minimal dining room, seeing their great art, peeking into the kitchen we almost didn't care about the chairs anymore...
Genevieve and Maxwell have an inviting bungalow literally on the side of a hill in Silver Lake. Because they're on a hill a) they have a great view b)they're a bit secluded and the house feels very private and c)the house has settled a bit consequently pulling some walls apart and making it difficult to close drawers in the kitchen. But this only makes their place more charming. As you walk through the house you get stories: stories about the friends that made the art hanging in the office, stories about the furniture that came from grandparents (like the killer George Nelson Wall Unit in the living room) and stories about how the house has become what it is today.
Genevieve and her sister bought the house (it's actually a bit like a modified duplex with a top and bottom unit) and Genevieve started diying her way through it, adding the bonus room that functions as the laundry room and office, painting the bedroom the most perfect color of gray, scavenging for furniture and continuing to collect artwork. When Maxwell moved in a year ago he brought the Nelson wall unit and even more order. As he put it: She is clean and he is organized. This means that even when Maxwell opens the entry way credenza looking for something, the inside is as organized as the rest of the house.
And that is what is most impressive about the bungalow: there is nothing unnecessary in it. Everything Maxwell and Genevieve live with is something that they love and something that they have consciously chosen. Not every wall has artwork on it (though they have plenty they could fill it up with), not every surface has an object on it. Their house is full of treasures, but it's also full of space.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our style: Cozy modernist.
Inspiration: Being on vacation.
Favorite Element: The way that the view becomes part of our living room when the doors are open.
Biggest Challenge: Living on a hillside, the floors and ceilings have a tendency to move.
What Friends Say: “What’s the next project?”
Biggest Embarrassment: The lack of 90 degree angles. Hands down.
Proudest DIY: When Genevieve bought the house she had the roof redone, and then decided to have it extended over the patio off the bedroom. The French windows were already in place, so she dry-walled the ceiling over what was once the exterior of the house, and installed tile flooring. Now it’s a bonus room.
Biggest Indulgence: Everything’s kind of an indulgence, when you’re fixing up a house on a budget. Especially the gigantic framed photograph over our couch.
Best Advice: Get friends excited about it, and get them to help. Pay in pizza and beer. Our house has sort of become everyone who hangs out here’s project.
Dream Source: We like finding things by chance, be it at a flea market or CB2, so the dream kind of is the source. Still, it would be nice to be able to buy whatever we want without thinking about the price.
Resources:
Appliances: Came with house.
Hardware: True Value, Home Depot
Furniture: All over the place. Everything from Grandma’s house to Ikea.
Accessories: CB2, flea market/thrift store finds
Lighting: CB2, DWR
Rugs, Carpets, Flooring: ebay!
Beds Maxwell’s friend is a carpenter. He made our platform bed. Maybe this should go in the indulgences section?
Artwork:
Living Room
Large photo behind couch – Kelly Barrie
Drawing above faux fireplace – Daniel Ingroff
Vintage French Softcore poster
Homemade Op-Art painting – Garage Sale Find
Entryway:
Drawings – Yuval Pudik
Vintage photo
TV Room – Felix Gonzales-Torres poster
Bedroom:
Photos above doorway – Drew Heitzler
Drawing under window – Genevieve
Drawing next to bed – Yuval Pudik
Leaning on dresser (from left to right) – drawing by Genevieve, collage by Genevieve, vintage photograph, test print by Kelly Barrie
“For Like Ever” poster
Bonus Room:
Collage by Deborah Grant
Isabelle Antena Poster
Paint:
Living Room, Kitchen, TV Room
Benjamin Moore – Simply White (trim), Moonlight White (walls)
Bedroom and Bonus Room
Benjamin Moore (lost the paint chip…sorry.)
Thanks Genevieve and Maxwell!
Images: Laure Joliet
So many great things - the vintage pole system, the living room rug, the cork kitchen floors...
view bepsf's profile
I love the bed...and that spot near the windows with the chair...so pretty. Thanks for the tour!
view jamiealyse's profile
Not cluttered and yet actually cozy! Great great great post, definitely one of my favorites here!!! >.
view dunklekatze's profile
The shelving system is great, wish I kept mine.
Really nice job yes cozy but not cluttered. Love your apartment.
Bummer no pictures of Lucy.
view LoriSF's profile
very cute and nat place .. love the living room
view hima_vasu's profile
This space has great energy!
view kellylc's profile
Very simple. Serene. Thanks for sharing. One question though...towels on the bathroom floor?
view Design Me's profile
I like what you've done there. One thing concerns me, the expidet w/ the vinyl, I'd be leary of it being near too much sun/heat for it's not friendly to the vinyl itself and can fade the spines as well.
Other than that, a lovely space and I love the Nelson wall unit, wish I had something similar. Perhaps some day.
This is proof that modernism CAN be cozy and warm if you just pair it right and use warmer colors.
view ciddyguy's profile
Can I move in with you? Seriously.
view JeffC's profile
This place is fantastic. Mind if I ask a few questions?
I'm contemplating building a faux-fireplace/mantle to disguise a rather huge, hideous wall heater. Is it a relatively straightforward operation, assuming I find someone who knows their way around woodworking? Any tips?
Could you share your paint colors? The white in the main room is especially lovely -- bright and clean but also kinda creamy and warm.
What's the story on that amazing picture over the couch? Is it mirrored, or am I just seeing reflections off the glass?
Where, oh where, is Lucy the Wonderdog?
view rosenatti's profile
Couch?? Where is it from?
view MaryB81's profile
A beautiful and comfortable looking home. The cozy modernist thing is spot on.
view alphabetsoup's profile
Per-fect. I'm coming over next Fourth of July for the fireworks show at Dodger Stadium.
view spinsLPs's profile
First off, thank you to everyone who has said such nice things about our home, and to ATLA for taking such beautiful photos.
Regarding the questions, we agree about the towels. They are now off the floor. The records are safe, because the sunlight never creeps further into the room than is shown in the photos. The paint colors should be listed in the survey. The artwork above the couch is a Kelly Barrie photograph. The mirror-effect it gives is irritating, but the anti-glare plexi costs a bundle. As for the faux fireplace, it was here when we moved in, and we'd actually just like to get rid of it and the heater altogether.
I should've let Lucy in for some photos, but was worried she'd get too excited and not let the photographer do her job. A photo of her can be found here:
http://lightninghistory.blogspot.com/2009/08/lucy.html
Thanks again!
view mharwitt's profile
Forgot to mention, we're unsure about the Couch manufacturer, but Genevieve bought it with her mother at a sample sale at LA Mart, Downtown.
-Genevieve and Maxwell
view mharwitt's profile
Beautiful home! I especially love that credenza in the entryway. The colors all go together so well. Cute office. And you've got a great view.
view nick0326's profile
i think this a great example of mid-century because its not the typical dwr catalogue but some actual vintage peices that are put together well
view zachary's profile
I love this home. I might have a crazy question, but how did you hang two pendants from one light fixture such as in the kitchen and office? Thanks!
view Victoria in DC 's profile
the for like ever...:-( i wannit!!
view mjr's profile
LOVE IT, i'm drooling...
view carrefour_ny's profile
Looks good! I love the amount of light in the place.
But I also think... It's a little too overly mid-century?
But the individual pieces are amazing. I love that couch.
view Sunnydark's profile
Love the colors. I'm totally jealous of your shelving unit!
view suzy8track's profile
I love that is minimamistic but with a balcony and wonderful view.
I love that it is very clean and spare, but with beautiful colors.
Great job!
BM
view StrangerFiction's profile
Great home! Where are your pillows from (on the couch)?
view J.L's profile
What did you use for the kitchen floor? Is it cork or linoleum?
view sarahlr's profile
Love it! most of the pieces are pieces that I have wanted at some time or another. I love the picture anove the couch that looks like sparks.
view jessroo's profile
i LOVE this house. it is my favorite on AT so far. great creativity!
view valbythebay's profile
gorgeous space, would you mind sharing your "nightstand solution"? I'm looking for something compact and wallmounted for the sides of our bed and this looks like just the right solution.
Thanks for sharing!
view kelleygreeny's profile
Really awesome. Where is the shelving from?
view dport67's profile
I love it... I think my favorite part is how they used the fireplace as a headboard... Genius!
view Tobyacts's profile
@Sunnydark: Yeah, we know the place is a little groovy, but we've been pulling it back, I swear.
@sarahlr: kitchen floor is linoleum
@dport67: My grandparents had an interior decorator help them in the early 60s. It's a George Nelson CSS and it was in my grandfather's study for 50 years.
@Tobyacts: There used to be thin columns keeping us from pushing the bed back all the way. When we decided to get rid of them I went off to get tools. When I came back, Genevieve had just kicked them out.
view mharwitt's profile
"For Like Ever" is the new "Keep Calm and Carry On".
I coveted it for a bit, but I am So Like Over It.
view kushkush's profile
oh whoops, sorry. Kitchen floor is CORK, not linoleum. Still early...
view mharwitt's profile
And your gigantic photo over the sofa was a great choice. Makes the place IMHO.
view kushkush's profile
Love your place. The view is amazing~
view gabriella's profile
Where is that wall hanging (FOR LIKE EVER) in the bedroom from? I adore it, and the bedroom is such a perfect place for it!
Kelly
http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com
view k51279's profile
Kelly, the For Like Ever was a limited edition and it's not available anymore, hence my earlier :-(
view mjr's profile
For Like Ever print is still available here: http://www.vllg.com/products/Village/Villageposter_limited/
view peppercook's profile
@peppercook,
Thanks for the link. I had tried to purchase from that exact site before, and I could swear that it was unavailable. Anyway, thanks again.
view mjr's profile
Where are the shelves in the bedroom from? And where did you find the over-the-door double hooks that are in the bathroom?
Love them both! The house is gorgeous.
view thatmeggirl's profile
thank you! i think both of those came from the moca store at some point, although there are plenty of places where they are available. if i can find the link i'll let you know.
view mharwitt's profile
Fantastic i just adore this home. Lovely sense of style. Very original. Lucky you!
view milly6's profile
I love the clean lines of your place. Quite elegant.
But WHERE do you put all your stuff -- clothes, other books, ephemera?!
view bexdc's profile
Beautiful home. I love the clean open feeling and all the light. Also "vacation" is the best inspiration I've seen :-)
Thanks for sharing!
view Nancy_Claire's profile
Not sure if anyone is still checking the comments, but anyone know where the chrome-ish light fixtures in the office space are from? They're exactly what I've been looking for!
view Sarah in Nola's profile
Sarah,
We got the light fixtures in the office at CB2, but it was a couple of years ago, so I'm not sure if they still carry them.
Bexdc - We do have a closet and a dresser in the bedroom for clothes. And the rest of our books are inside the Nelson unit (behind the sliding doors) and stacked under our desk in the office. (you can see them in the photo. We are still trying to come up w/a better way to store them.) As for ephemera we don't bring things into the house we don't need or love. That way everything has a place and there is no miscellaneous clutter.
Thanks all for your great comments!
view Genevieve0000's profile