Patricia’s Downsized Digs

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Name: Patricia Caldwell

Location: Los Feliz — Los Angeles, California

Size: 800 square feet

Years lived in: 2 months

The idea of finding a new space, packing my stuff, and making it all fit somewhere else makes my head spin. But Patricia’s one-bedroom hideaway, nestled in the lovely Los Feliz area of Los Angeles makes me think again about the moving process. Three weeks is all it took Patricia to make an empty shell feel like a home.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

A moving process that she amiably refers to as “a game of Tetris,” Patricia recently discovered the difficulties of moving from a large one-bedroom apartment to a new, smaller one-bedroom home. The lack of floor space, storage, and budget posed as a real challenge in creating her ideal abode.

Filled with tons of natural light, when you first walk through the front door you are swept up into the calm nature of this space. My eyes were immediately drawn to the warm, purple couch below a cleverly placed bookshelf, nestled up against the ceiling.

It’s not just the major items that pull you into the comfort of this home, but the special care put into the details. With unique art pieces found in local, LA shops, Patricia has infused her humble 800 square feet with loads of personality. Her space is all about function and imagination: a bright, open kitchen personalized with art, a harmoniously dressed bathroom, and a warm, neutral bedroom with a one-of-a-kind, DIY closet worthy of praise.

Patricia has turned this empty home into her own private sanctuary, filled with style and character, a clear reflection of her strong, artistic point of view.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Cozy creative

Inspiration: My mom always made our house look beautiful growing up, even though we weren’t well off. My father was stationed in the Army throughout Europe, which exposed me to lots of different cultures, styles, textures, and colors. When we returned to the States, so did a fusion of inspirations.

Favorite Element: My couch underneath the only window in the house without bars. When the morning light strikes the deep rich colors of the green bushes that line the windows, it makes me happier than can be.

Biggest Challenge: Space! Space! Space! I had to lose some furniture when I moved in here. I miss my father’s Tiffany style stained glass lamp and all my paintings are in the garage on the walls. It was a purge frenzy but I managed to get majority of my things in the house and am quite happy with the results.

What Friends Say: “Are you an artist?” I wish…

Biggest Embarrassment: That I have a fiberglass bathtub instead of beautiful porcelain and tile. And that one of the cabinet covers in the kitchen is cream, while the others are white. It drives me bananas.

Proudest DIY: The closet in my bedroom. My friend came and installed shelves and a large rod across one entire wall of the bedroom and I think it’s a pretty good solution to a massive storage dilemma.

Biggest Indulgence: Hiring a painter to paint the house as the previous tenant had used very dark colors on the walls, which made the space seem smaller than it truly is.

Best Advice: Start with the pieces that you love and build from there: one or two pieces per room and everything else can grow from that concept.

Dream Sources: Modernica, Dwell, Denmark 50, Lizzie’s Antique Hardware, Walnut Wallpaper

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Resources:

PAINT COLORS

LIVING ROOM

OFFICE NOOK

KITCHEN

BEDROOM

BATHROOM

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Thanks, Patricia!

Images: Asher Hung

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