Name: Merisa Libbey + her pup Zoe
Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, CA
Size: 600 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years — rent
Merisa Libbey's cozy Silver Lake apartment is the epitome of DIY charm. Newly bitten by the design bug, she has enrolled at UCLA in the Interior Design and Architecture program, quite a change from her (soon to be former) career as a dental hygienist. Her home displays her talent and promise as a budding designer. Working with a budget and plenty of elbow grease, Merisa gave this beloved apartment the care it needed. Layered textures, huge splashes of color and mismatching accessories are just three of the strong elements that pull her home together.
Merisa firmly believes that you should feel great coming home to a place you love — that you should be proud of your space and that it should represent who you truly are. Taking a few design tips from her interior designer friend Gidget Grimaldo, she was able to create a great layout that makes wise use of her space. One of the challenges was the small bedroom and bathroom, where Merisa used painting tricks and made furniture choices that really show off the tiny but wonderful rooms.
Merisa explained that her yorkie Zoe, along with a collection of personal photographs, are the most valuable things in her apartment. Each room is gathered with great care and shows her DIY skills; she painted the walls, patio, and bathroom, reupholstered a chair in fabric from Dwell Studio, and configured lighting and wiring to suit her needs. I found it was a great example of her talent and promise as future designer. Plus, when you are able to find a cool apartment like this in LA, you really should embrace it for all it's worth. "I love Los Angeles! I moved here from Orange County six years ago and I am constantly evolving and learning new things. I feel that living on the east side of Los Angeles has let me embrace, explore and pursue my creativity and passion for design. "
Many thanks to
Leslie Landis for introducing us! Also thank you to Gidget Grimaldo for lending an extra hand in organizing the space for the house tour shoot.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Playful mid-century/modern prep.
Inspiration: I wanted to create a happy and stimulating atmosphere for socializing with my friends that was also functional for my everyday needs. I really like the idea of mixing patterns and using bold colors and graphics.
Favorite Element: My apartment is small but has space in all the right places. The living room, kitchen, and patio are larger for entertaining and lounging. On the other hand, the bedroom is literally just that, a room with a bed in it!
Biggest Challenge: The apartment is unique and has some challenging dimensions to work with. The bedroom is a narrow rectangle with the closet and door in weird places. I had to do a lot of experimenting with the bed placement before I got it just right.
What Friends Say: "This place looks great!"
Biggest Embarrassment: When I moved in, the floor tile grout was black! After bleaching it to a dingy yellow I discovered a product called "grout paint", which I use to keep the grout looking fresh. Unfortunately, it has to be touched up every 3 to 4 months.
Proudest DIY: I am proud of everything! This whole apartment was one big DIY project.
Biggest Indulgence: My sofa was the best investment ever! The quality is amazing and it's super comfy!
Best Advice: Take your time decorating and look for special pieces. If you like something, but it's already been deemed "trendy", who cares, get it anyways! Don't be afraid to be bold and use color. Most importantly, have fun!
Dream Sources: Jonathan Adler, Modernica, Dwell Studio, Living Room, Room and Board
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
• Behr: Granite Boulder
• True Value: Gold Fringe
LIVING ROOM
• Sofa: Living Room
• Desk: Vintage
• Arm chair: Vintage (reupholstered in Dwell Studio fabric)
• Eames chair: Craigslist
• Coffee table: CB2
• Side table: DIY project
• Dresser/tv stand: Vintage
• Record stand: Vintage
• Pillows: Thomas Paul, Orla Kiley for Bed Bath and Beyond
• Rug: West Elm • Abacus: CB2
• Paintings: Kristi Mundell Gavagan (kristigav@comcast.net)
• Poster: Ebay
KITCHEN
• Art : Etsy
• Table: West Elm
• Eames wire chairs: Craigslist
• Curtains: Etsy
BEDROOM
• Duvet and shams: Dwell Studio for Target
• Headboard: Target online
• Rug: West Elm
• Mirror: Ikea
BATHROOM
• Shower curtain: Anthropologie
• Posters: Ebay and Etsy
Thanks, Merisa!
(Images: Bethany Nauert)
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So cute- and a little teepee for Zoe, adorable! Where did you get the "Apartment sweet apartment" sign that is in your bathroom?
The cord to your desk lamp is tied; where do you plug it?
Forest wall paper and glass doors to your bedroom are dreamy.
Was the cabinet under the bathroom sink a do it yourself project? I don't think I've ever seen one like it before. It's a very ingenious use of that space. Also admire how well you worked with long narrow bowling alley spaces of the bedroom and kitchen. You have a nice eye for fun vintage pieces, too. A fun tour. Thanks.
the one house tour where I wish there were more photos of the owner
Hey, I just noticed that your yellow patio table is a duplicate of two that I recently found. Makes me feel sophisticated! And reminds me that I forgot to include my compliments on your outdoor space in the earlier post. I like that space a lot , especially the floor.
Beautiful stylish girl in a beautiful stylish home! I have so say my favorite part of this tour though is that killer maxi dress...
Just fantastic!
If you have a small bathroom, you might as well make it funky, I love the frilly shower curtain and the enormous sink in a tiny vanity, somehow it works, Bravo...
decogirlmontreal.com
like the living room wall color.. obviously she likes color.. big amounts of color specially in bathroom. maybe too much.. but why is her bedroom so drab?
Boy I tell you...if it were not for my punk'n head baby (yorkie) looking up at me begging me for a treat...I would swear she stole my dog!...
Cute home!
how cute is this pad and the owner! i also am smitten with the dog and stunning photos.
Thanks everyone for all the nice comments!
ROXY72 - I got the print from an etsy store.... http://www.etsy.com/people/ThePrintMakers
LYONSTILL- There is a socket on the side wall where I can plug in the lamp.
RESIDENTGEEK- Yes, I do like color and it may not be for everyone but, I think it's fun. I kept the bedroom less stimulating so it would act as a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere.
Great space! Where did the patio set come from?
smart and delicous design. <3 every pic of the tour!!
Perfect just perfect, every inch!
NORTHERNKATE- I'm glad you like it! The patio set is vintage. I go it on craigslist by searching "mid-century patio furniture" and spray painted it in marigold.
Also, everyone, please check out my friend and mentor, interior designer Gidget Grimaldo 's Pasadena company lemmonhill.com. You can also contact her at mariag@lemmonhill.com . She helped style the apartment for the shoot.
looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove this space. I'm also a big fan of color so this is right up my alley.
Great place! Love how the living and kitchen contrast! You've inspired me to look for grout paint : )
agreed, that is a nice sofa. is that mohair?
the screen-like thing in the living room, does that cover an air conditioner?
Great use of space and I really like the bedroom. One thing I will suggest - never use gloss or semi-gloss paint, especially dark brown, on walls that aren't perfectly smooth. Use flat on textured walls
Love the bathroom!!
how cow i love this so much. definitely my favorite ever... everything pleases me! right down to the mark ryden book on the bedside table. love love love.
yeah that was 'holy cow' ... but still. HOW COW!
I live in silver lake as well...very cute! Can I ask where you purchased the large glass bulbs in the sconce? I love it!
Beautiful lady! Cute dog! Great pad! Fantastic photography!
Cool paul
RSR, Ikea sells a similar low bathroom vanity.
Jen,thanks for the tip!
Is it me, or is the gray tree wallpaper in AT homes more often than the Keep Calm poster? I'm still not used to this many people putting up wallpaper, let alone so many using the same one.
I think I'd enjoy it more after the stylist left. Just not lived in enough for my taste.
I have two of those patio tables from the '90s & was thinking about doing one in a yellow. Thx for showing the result; looks good. Interesting how an owner would allow that much of a transformation. The bathroom is the only " yikes, no thanks!".
I think this place is fantastic,even the patio with the pop of yellow furniture. It's a rental and yet you went all out and hung up cool are on the wall and didn't seem to hold back.
The bedroom is actually one of my favorites. Awesome pillows!
Only thing I am not loving is the living room, brown wall color.
What a gorgeous living space.. but I'm LOVING that maxi dress as well! Even though it's not quite an apartment detail, care to share where you got it? :)
@Jukesgrrl - It's not you; it really is everywhere. But, I admit that given the opportunity (meaning $$), I'd do the same thing. I love that wallpaper and would gladly put it up anywhere if someone just put a roll on my front step.
I agree the owner and dog are very cute, but the apartment didn't give me the buzz of excitement that looking at a great space gives me.
There was a lack of visual flow. I get a sense that the owner is good at identifying and adopting current design trends, but I did not get a sense of personal style. It seemed like a product placement layout rather than what I come to Apartment Therapy for.... which is to see the inside the homes of quirky and interesting people.
BELLABEEBOO- I got the light bulbs from a store in Santa Monica.
JUKESGRRL- like i said in the interview...if something is "trendy" and you like it, who cares, get it anyway.
LAUREN C.- Thanks! The maxi dress is vintage. It's from my friends store
www.oct18th.com.
NONIE- The deer head is ceramic not cardboard. "The whole in the wall with the curtains" is a closet. It had no doors. The apartment is a rental, so not ideal. I had to work with a very, very small space and create a functional bedroom. The cabinet is a ad on for storage being that the apartment has little and being that I could not replace the whole sink for one with a vanity for storage.
Merisa, what is the gray in your bedroom? Your place is awesome, love it!
I actually don't see this apartment as being super colorful. At least to me, it seems like a home full of neutrals. I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all - it's actually nice to see a neutral home that doesn't have white walls.
Though, of course, that bathroom is definitely colorful! And love the shower curtain - I have it myself!
It looks a little like an anthropologist set to me.
It might be the lighting, but the brown looks too milk choclaty for me and I find it depressing in such vast amounts.
I agree with the wallpaper comments.. It has become the Brad Pitt of wallpapers!
It's all over the place including Europe. I used to live it, now sadly it makes me cringe.
But it definitely has something nice going on:)
Merisa I love it. I' d be proud to have you design for me, unique and creative. I disagree with many of the posters on the chocolate wall color. It's great and the imperfections are a style of wall plastering that I actually like. Nothing too perfect to make things seem stuffy. Love everything. My only concern... the way I sleep I can picture my foot through a window with the bed so close, lol! Oh and do you move the side table to get to your closet? Good luck on your new career!
KATHRYN1029- Thanks! It's called Granite Boulder by Behr. It's very calming.
PIDGIE- Thanks! I like the texture too! It's a very old building. I believe it was built in 1918! I do move the side table. It's on wheels! It can go behind the bed. That is the place where I can store things and keep my dirty laundry ; )
Cute place!
Off topic, holy crap I read comments on AT in a while - what is UP with the negativity? If it's not your thing, move on! Don't be mean!
*haven't read comments...
Where's the teepee from? Soo cute! I loved this tour. Lots of great details and I'm sure it will continue to evolve over time! :)
Favorite parts of this tour: 1. Pup 2. Kitchen (love everything about it) 3. Porch, love the painted floor and how cozy and welcoming it looks.
Least favorite, while I do like the brown wall, all of the furniture and accessories in the room are in the brown family, it seems to be missing a hint of color, but that's just my personal style.
Love your dress!
Furniture placement and flow are everything to me, and are the biggest problems I see in small spaces. This gal has that nailed. None of the furnishings are my style, but everything is so friendly with everything else, it has a very comfortable aura. Good job. I would have Merisa as a decorator anytime.
Thanks, too, for the good photography. It was nice to see the room proportions and flow.
Fabulous home. Bravo, girl.
Really love it!!! Great job and use of space.. Adorable dog. The only thing I don't love is the vanity... While I can really understand the reason for placing it, I think the bathroom would look much better without it. Otherwise, fabulous.
Where is the poster with the Morrissey quote from? LOVE.
I have been mulling over what to do with my micro-mini bathroom/dressing room for months..I was thinking about wallpaper but since it's a rental I decided against it and have been considering wide stripes. I wasn't sure how it would look, though..so I was very happy to see them in action here..I'm ecstatic! They look just perfect and now I can enter into my project without a second thought.
MOSESKNOWS- Wow! I'm surprised you noticed that was a Morrissey quote! I'm obsessed with him and The Smiths. It is a page from a book of The Smiths photography I have.
@ lilybeans- that's how I feel, too. The apartment seemed too "staged" for my taste. Some interesting elements, but it didn't flow for me. The desk & chair are cute, but too childish looking for practical use. The bathroom vanity with the pedestal sink poking out is too freaky. But I agree with another poster who said if you have a small bathroom may as well make it funky. Overall this is a place that shows the owner's eclectic taste, surrounding herself with things that she loves. THAT is really the most important thing. Unfortunately, it appears the decor pieces are things that were gathered for the purpose of the appearance rather than actual cherished possessions.Would I want to live there? No. I like my homes to look & feel more "lived in". However, I've seen other tours that featured homes that were a bit staged and I felt more inspired than this one did for me.
Wow, I LOVE this space. It's one of the first Apartment Therapy tours that I really connected with. Feels very personal, fun and eclectic without being overly showy or unattainable. Every single room has something that made me think "this is exactly my taste." Great job.
Love the shower curtain, windows in the bedroom, imperfect walls with that great chocolate brown, and the outdoor space. Seems like a fun place to hang out.
ECUADORIANA1- believe it or not I really do use the desk and am writing this message from it right now : ) I guess I live more edited and tidy then most people? This is just how I like things. The only thing that was "staged" in my apartment was the cheese and crackers which I had made for the photographer as a snack... which we ended up using in the shots. If I really wanted to stage things I would have taken away my vanity but I NEED it to store all my bathroom goodies. That, or a ton of money to give the landlord to remodel the bathroom! Any donators out there??? : )
KATHIEC- Use a level, lots of painter's tape and tons of patience! Good luck! It's very rewarding when it is finished.
You tell 'em, Merisa! Glad to see you and some other recently featured home owners stand up to some of these snotty commenters who just HAVE to let the world know their every preference or dislike or choice they woud make for OTHER PEOPLE'S HOMES.
@ rsr, my comments were not "snotty". I actually did like some elements to the place & said so. I also appreciate how people make work what they can. I just didn't feel inspired. I was all over in love with this place: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/craigs-tiki-hut-house-tour-173727 because it felt more lived in & welcoming- to me. We can't always love & gush all over everything! This is why we all don't live in identical houses with identical furnishings eating the same foods as everyone else & wearing matching outfits. We all have our own preferences & tastes. There are some people who love a style like Merisa's. Some who didn't even know they'd love it until they saw it. Now they're glancing a critical eye over their own homes & thinking "Yeah, I need to change this up a bit. I liked those______ I saw on ______'s post. I should try something like that!" If we all gush & oooh & aaah over everything then we'd be lying. I wasn't intending to come off snotty. I was stating my opinion & the reasoning behind it. (Not just "I don't like it. Goodbye.") My home would be considered disheveled to most people- collections of antique medicine bottles, collection of Mariachi sombreros hanging on the wall, Navajo & Hopi rugs, matchbook collection from the 50s, medical journals from the 1800s, ceramic pigs, art supplies from my many ongoing projects... my husband collects glass marbles (to each his own! LOL!)... I occasionally invite friends & neighbors over & ask them to be "brutally frank", because after living in something so long we need a fresh pair of eyes to see it. I've taken many an opinion into consideration & redecorated or rearranged accordingly- with very pleasant & happy results! Just needed an outside opinion. If people post their homes here on AT & ONLY want to hear oooohs & aaaahs then they aren't helping anyone.
Merisa,
I think you did a very good job with the space you have. I think your use of the space in the bedroom is very well done. I personally would have chosen a matt finish on the paint in the living area but your space looks welcoming and fun. I love love love the abacus on the wall in the living room!!
love your space:) I have to know...where is that tree wallpaper from...I need to buy it for a bathroom...:) Thank you!
BURKE32- The wallpaper is called "woods wallpaper" and is from Cole &Son
I love the headboard and the colors in the bedroom.
I LOVE the shower curtain!
I love the freshness of your apartment, plus the bold color. And please believe me, this is not a negative comment, I designed and made the dress I wore to my high school graduation party in 1970. Except for a little difference in the print itself, your dress is the same dress I wore! Believe me I had lots of comments then too!
Loved all the touches of yellow and that cute dog is a winner.