Name: Emily Baker & Meeko Mendez
Location: North Beach, San Francisco
Size: 850 square feet
Years lived in: almost 1 year
Emily and Meeko, just married last October, moved into their first apartment together in North Beach about a year ago. As exciting as that was, combining lives, stuff and styles into a small apartment proved to be challenging as both were moving from much larger spaces they shared with roommates. Emily and Meeko also both work from home so the space had to not only reflect their combined likes, but also be functional and organized.
Granted, there are no complaints since their North Beach apartment, walking distance from Washington Square, is a real charmer. The bright white walls, period details and abundance of light are the perfect backdrop for Emily's favorite color — yellow. Still, Emily's style tends toward the more feminine vintage-y side while Meeko prefers stark modernism. They've managed to create a space that feels entirely like their home and will continue to evolve with them.
Still, Emily was able to have free reign over her workspace. When she's not working at her day job, she runs Frenchie & Flea, a one-stop resource for creative paper goods, photo styling and special events design, and its companion etsy shop. She desperately needed a work space that was inspiring and organized and she created just that. Her storage area uses white shelving and boxes so that her inspiration board can shine through.
AT Survey:
Inspiration: I read a lot of blogs and constantly find inspiration for our home on them. I have collected inspiring images over the years and love finding creative ways to style our apartment. I have been known to reorganize and re-style wherever I've lived OFTEN...I get antsy and definitely don't think your home should be stagnant. I love to change things around, move pictures from wall to wall, re-organize my book shelves, and...well...I'm obsessed with decorative pillows. I am pretty sure that's the one thing Meeko hates most about my home-style. When I first moved in, there were decorative pillows overflowing the sofas, chairs, and bed. I guess you can say I've learned how to edit and scale back from him.
Favorite Element: I LOVE our kitchen. It's my favorite place to be and we love to cook dinner together in there. My FAVORITE wedding gift was my yellow KitchenAid mixer, and it is a focal point in our space. Yellow, white and grey are my favorite colors, and luckily, our kitchen was an amazing bright white palette to build on. We get a ton of light from the huge windows in our kitchen, and its just the most inviting room in our house (in my opinion).
Biggest Challenge: Nesting as newlyweds can be tough. Downsizing from bigger places with roommates, to a super small space is hard enough, and the fact that we're both bringing different styles, habits, and likes/dislikes to the table makes finding a cohesive "look" a process. I love color and pattern, vintage finds, and am definitely on the more feminine side in terms of design aesthetic, and Meeko is a lover of all things modern, simple, clean and stark. If he had is way, we would live in a glass box with 2 pieces of furniture. It took us an entire year to really define our style as a couple, as well as find functional ways to cohabitate in a tiny apartment with zero storage.
What Friends Say: Our friends seem to love our place. Although its not the best layout for entertaining or hosting dinner parties, we do have a lot of guests come to stay with us. Our location is prime...in the heart of North Beach with a view of Washington Square Park...you can't beat it. We love having a place where people enjoy visiting!
Biggest Embarrassment: Until recently, it was the kitchen nook. That space served as our storage area, junk catchall, recycling and donation collection center, AND my craft area. It was BAD, especially because it was open to the kitchen and everyone could see it. We finally motivated to overhaul the nook and make it a functional and organized work/craft area for me that doubles as the eat in nook it's supposed to be.
Proudest DIY: Probably my craft area overhaul. I needed a workspace for Frenchie & Flea that was functional, inspiring and organized. With small space and no storage, I had to find shelving that doubled as a work table, storage solutions that were pleasing to the eye (since this IS our kitchen, after all), and I wanted everything to reflect my style and brand. All of the storage boxes are from The Container Store and the shelf is from IKEA. The vintage card table and folding chairs (from Alameda Antiques & Collectibles) easily folds up if I need extra work space, but also serves as my sewing table and our dining table. It was all done for under $350.
Biggest Indulgence: We haven't really indulged in anything crazy expensive, but I guess our couch and chair are the biggest purchase we've made. They were from Macy's and we bought them during the semi-annual furniture sale. It was difficult to find a sofa that would fit in such a small living space...but we managed and we love the modern-retro style of the couches. Plus, they have enough space underneath them for extra storage! BONUS!
Best advice: Living in a small space requires a lot of organization. It took me a really long time to realize that the time and effort I put into keeping our home organized would help to create an environment that was efficient, highly functional and relaxing. You have to get creative with your furniture and storage solutions, and also buy pieces that are proportional in scale to the size of your home. Our living room would look stuffed and crowded if we had an over-sized sofa and a giant coffee table, and our bathroom, well its miniature, so organizing all of my products and tools was essential in that space as well. On another note, merging styles and tastes as newlyweds can be a struggle but it can also be really fun. We had 2 huge yard sales and donated a ton of stuff when we moved in together to create new space to fill as a couple. Furniture we both didn't love, we sold on Craigslist and saved the money to put towards a new piece of furniture we would pick out together. It's all about compromise...I know Meeko hates florals, so I used a shower curtain that was more graphic than girly, and replaced my Anthropologie bedding with more neutral and modern prints and colors from West Elm. It's been a work in progress, but we're finally at a point where our apartment reflects both of us and is a place we love to spend time in.
Dream source: West Elm, Anthropologie and flea markets are my favorite sources for furniture and decor. I also love buying art and prints on Etsy. Supporting emerging or undiscovered artists is important to me, as a designer, and it's generally affordable. Someday I hope we can purchase some fantastic original artwork, but until then, I love all of our art prints we've collected from places like Renegade Craft Fair and Etsy!
Resources:
Bedroom: Bedding - West Elm; Painting - my sister, Annie Baker; Pillow - Anthropologie; Mirror - Vintage; Jewelry Stand - Urban Outfitters; Trays - Thrift Store; Wooden Boxes - Vintage French Bread Boxes; Door Knob Hanger - from the actual Hotel Baker in St. Charles, Illinois.
Hallway: Photography - Ellie Grover & Cameron Ingalls; "I Have Always Known it Was You" Print - Seattle Show Posters; Calavera Gocco Prints - Mis Nopales Art; Hand Painted Mirror - Repurposed Thrift Store made by a friend.
Bathroom: Shower Curtain - Dwell Studio for Target; Metal "M" - Anthropologie.
Living Room: Chair - Flea Market; Floral Pillow - Anthropologie; Suitcase - Thrift Store; Couches - Macy's; San Francisco Love Gocco Print - Art Shark Design; Vintage Post Cards & Reproduction Greeting Cards; Vintage Medicine Bottles - Flea Markets.
Kitchen: Spice Jars - Anthropologie; "Drink Wine" Print - Nicodemus Green; Cardboard Taxidermy - Cardboard Safari; Scenic Route 49 Print - Green Nest; Vintage Card Table from London - Flea Market; Candlesticks - Repurposed Thrift Store made by a friend; Apology Cards - Paper Source.
(Thanks, Emily and Meeko!)
Images: Jessica Watson
where can I buy those Apology cards?
view Scoot's profile
This home is beautiful and inspiring.
view lindseyroberts's profile
Too cute...looks like it was very lovingly put togeter. Love the pops of yellow and that apology on the bulletin board was priceless.
view KatSD's profile
I really like the airy feel of your home, color palette, and the well-edited furnishings. I am wondering if you rent or own. I have not encountered any rentals with such beautiful kitchen cabinetry, counters, and back splash. What is used below the chair rail in the hallway that looks like pressed tin? Well done small space!
view jacasi's profile
everything blends so well together, even the yellow, which I usually find difficult to work with! great job :)
view chia's profile
Love the apology cards, too. Are they on your Etsy site?
view Doobie's profile
This is such a cute place and very young home. Yes nice use of yellow and very personalized. Looks like a graphic artist home from all the prints, letters and fabric prints.
view b77's profile
Wonderful bright, cheery space. Is that a wicker trunk serving as a coffee table in the living room?
view RichardRothstein's profile
where do we get the apology cards??
view adamwa's profile
The apology cards are from Paper Source. I've updated the resources to reflect that.
Thanks for all of the comments!
view Jess Watson's profile
Thanks for the plan. Nice place. Would appreciate more pictures of workspaces and fewer vignettes.
view ladymantle's profile
LOL! From the very first picture I could tell it was a North Beach apartment (the hood where I was born and raised). You've really done an amazing job by making such a fresh and modern look look so complementary in an older flat. I love it!
view ChloeSF's profile
Hey, I have that shower curtain, and the Diesel perfume. You have good tastes ;) We also had one of the cardboard deer heads, but the poor antlers got bent in a little accident.
view cassielynn's profile
Oh, we got the matching trash can, too! I love your place :)
view cassielynn's profile
PS jacasa that is called anaglypta and you can actually buy it in rolls like wall paper from a lot of home improvement stores. We recently restored our bathrooms with it, and the before/afters are amazing :-) (a previous tenant had stripped the original in the 70s, boo).
view ChloeSF's profile
Love that deer head - where is it from? Very cute place!
view LouisaZea's profile
Umm just mone more comment and I'll stop stalking this house tour ;-) That print of the couple under red umbrellas looking at the Golden Gate Bridge is by my friend Megan!! It's so crazy to see them all over the place now, but awesome :-)
view ChloeSF's profile
I love the shot with the mugs. I bought us his and hers "C" mugs from Anthro and I smile every time I open the cabinet and see them hanging there!
view spicklebee's profile
I also have the same shower curtain (and went with gray towels too)! Apparently it's popular. I want that matching green trashcan though, it would be perfect. Does Target still sell it?
view roxy72's profile
I love the pops of color :) Sweet place.
view Courtachino's profile
This is a great apartment. It's nice to see the "typical" SF apartment made fresh and modern - but not too much - and it has a lot of personality. I only wish my apt. could be so clean and uncluttered. Although... we didn't see your office. :)
view tara1979's profile
It looks very homely. I love your use of lime green in the bathroom and the picture above your bed. Does your sister sell her work?
view AngelaDee76's profile
I always wonder how people avoid alarm clocks on side tables? Where are you hiding them! =)
view arcaydia's profile
I love this home!
-Maureen
view maurgor's profile
this home is insanely adorable!!! i love the area they live in...we just moved to austin from san francisco and OH WOW, we would've loved to have purchased something in that city...oh well, we'll just have to go back and visit!
all the touches of yellow and all adorable things that strengthen a marriage...VERY nice to see, indeed! i'm SO loving the the framed verse by the bed....SO TRUE! :)
http://www.casacullen.com
view CasaCullen's profile
I love this place. What a great home!
view carrieberry's profile
I am head over heads for the measuring spoons on the fridge; where can I find them?
Lovely home all-around! :)
view dovescircledthesky's profile
Really cute space! I love the bedroom especially. I really like how you've mixed clean-lined, modern furniture with more decorative touches. It really softens up the stark modern pieces and makes this a space that looks really livable as well as stylish. I also like how comfortable and casual everything seems. I am a fan of the use of white paint, and it helps that the apartment itself has such great bones. Beautiful job!
view livc's profile
@dovescircledthesky, they're from anthropologie. i love them , too!
view travelingrory's profile
Lovely home, thanks for sharing.
Also thanks for the floor plan and labeling the pics, thats so helpful.
view sassydo's profile
Your home is beautiful! Is that the Corona couch? I'm thinking of it for my home and would love to know any feedback you have regarding it.
view moraija's profile
Where did you find the print "I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN IT WAS YOU."
I love it!!!
view marymode's profile
ewwww. all that dead cardboard on the wall kind of creeps me out.
view SwedishChef's profile
Love your place, I know you said you bought the couches at macys but can you share the collection name :-) thanks!!!
view brenda_679's profile
such a happy place... I specially love the touch of yellow color in every room.
view New York Muhtari's profile
I really like your cheerful home. Thanks for sharing.
view aaakid's profile
Like it too - so many pix! You have great style for sure. Are all the M's for Meeko?
view jettsam's profile
Fresh, bright and cheerful! Love it! I don't live very far from the Baker Hotel, and love the door knob hanger! *:O)
view mollymcg's profile
I love your sister's painting. Is there a web site?
view djt54's profile
Lovely!
view cchristina's profile
I am in LOVE with this!
it's simple, and has a not-so-obvious elegance yet it's unique.
view Marta L.'s profile
Absolutely beautiful. Great eye for color and detail.
view contralto's profile
This is so, so, so good. I am inspired!
view ifmyheartwasahouse's profile
I LOVE this apartment! You have done such a fantastic job with the space! Your use of punch colors on a white background has really helped the original unique qualities of the apartment stand out. I must say my favorite thing about your apartment is the use of the gold colors with the white in the bedroom. I have white bedroom furniture and have been searchign for the right color scheme. This really made the space feel light and clean. I may have to steal that. And I was so excited when I saw that you use the wicker chest as your coffee table too! I keep all of my Elle Decors inside mine! ;-)
view girlsguitar's profile
Really sweet! Love the hanging light fixtures in the bedroom and hallway. Also, that built in corner cabinet in the living room is great!!
view Emilyt's profile
LOVE this! probably one of my favorite tours -- it's beautiful and well thought out, but simultaneously practical and lived-in. the pops of yellow are great, as well as the attention to detail.
fiance and i have been living together almost a year now, and our house is nowhere near that complete! :)
view apf's profile
love love love this home tour!! what an inspirational use of color! Thanks for sharing!! Wanted to know if you can tell me where you picked up those yellow coffee mugs and especially the mug holder!! Looks like Anthro - but I don't remember seeing it there.... did the mugs come with the holder?? I have that Krups machine (love it! but it takes up quite a bit of counterspace), and I've been looking for a way to properly display some mug options there... thanks!!
beautiful home!
view PucciLevy's profile
One of my favorite tours. Really great use of color and some smart design here. If I lived on the west coast, I'd probably do something kind of like this.
view queenbee1230's profile
totally love this house. not overdone. just perfect. love the colors.
view mlehairis's profile
Generally I don't like a lot of white. But this home is just beautiful. The color really stands out...I LOVE the pops of warm golden yellow. Beautiful through and through.
view if1hadwords's profile
Cute place. #26 and #31 appear to be the same photo?
I like your style, but I second the request for "more house, less vignettes"
view aurelais's profile
Could you tell me where you got the stacking coffee mugs? They are great space savers!
view kmip's profile
Oooh! Very nice! I, too, would like to know where those stacking cups came from:-)
view mjr's profile
You can find the apology cards at Modcloth.com
view thebean's profile
Love love love this apartment! I keep looking at the photos! My favorite color is yellow too and it's so nice to see different ways to use it in your home!
Can you tell us where the dishtowels and various trays are all from??
view Noogs's profile
beautiful home. Great job even on those oddly shaped rooms.
view Muesli's profile
So nice!! I three would like to know where the stacking mugs came from, as well as the dressers/nightstand in the bedroom please!!!
view AnnieJM's profile
Perfect home! Beautiful. Why must Meeko remain androgynous here? I wouldn't mention it at all, but the issue of Meeko's preference for stark modernity over girlish decor was discussed, and this drew more attention to the gender of Emily's mystery spouse. If Meeko's gender was meant to remain a secret here, maybe the taste differences shouldn't have been emphasized in the text. A reader shouldn't feel tacky for wondering; Apartment Therapy brought it up.
view coarsetalk's profile
Lovely, cheerful place! I really like the wallpaper in the hallway and the gorgeous built-in cupboard in the living room.
view junklover's profile
Emily and I lived together in college :) She decorated like this even when she was a broke college student!
@coursetalk - Meeko is Emily's husband
view Megan Rose's profile
Here are Emily's comments back:
Hi and thank you all so much for the fabulous comments! Here are some details as per your questions above...
@moraija - yes, they are the Corona couches from Macys, and for the size and price we love them!
@noogs - the kitchen dish towels are from Anthropologie and William Sonoma
@richardrothstein.com - the trunk we use as a coffee table is from Target
@puccilevy - the mug holder is awesome! It's from Cost Plus World Market and they have it in different colors and even sizes!
@anniejm - our dresser and nightstand are from the Hemnes collection at IKEA and the smaller nightstand is from Cost Plus.
@djt54 - my sister is just graduating college and working on her portfolio site, but if you are interested in commissioning her, or seeing more photos of her work (she is amazing!) her email is anniebake8@gmail.com
thank you again for all the wonderful comments! I am so excited to share our newlywed nest with all of you!
Emily
view Jess Watson's profile
Such a sweet and lovingly put together young newlywed's apartment. Somehow I feel as though i know you both, just a little. Hoping your lives together are always fresh and sunfilled.
view jeanneadele's profile
love it!
view snowpea37's profile
wonderful.
...and thank you for posting the layout...it helps a lot going through :)
view amidalailama's profile
Love your serene space. Would you mind sharing the name of the paint color throughout? Any complaints about it? I love it!
view rejoyce's profile
What a sweet first apartment! It looks as though the space has really good bones. I adore the kitchen. Thank you for sharing!
view a.shaw's profile
Very cute apartment, thanks for sharing. One question: do you have any source info on the corner style sink in the bathroom. We also have a small bathroom and this looks perfect!
view SAzcuy's profile
So cute! Thanks for posting!
view staceymcconn's profile
Super cute! I love yellow. Where did you find that trashcan? The kitchen one?
view jess pith's profile
Love it....where did the wicker coffee table/trunk in the living room come from?
view DecorJunkie's profile
I believe Emily said that the coffee table/trunk in the living room was from Target. I have a similar one (also from Target) - made from banana leaf. It is not as strong as a regular coffee table (my Shih Tzus think it's a great place to hang out!) and if you spill anything, it goes through to whatever you've stored inside -- so you might want to place a tray on top.
Mine holds my entire sheet and blanket collection.
view citipearl's profile
You can also find the apology cards at:
http://www.amazon.com/Humorous-Apology-Note-Pad-sheets/dp/B00148017E
view agostopr's profile
Very airy and inviting, but without the art and colorful accessories it would be totally bland. All the furniture looks quite "generic."
view MarshallO's profile
nice job. love all the light.
view Coletta's profile
What a lovely home! I adore all of the yellow and green...two of my favorite colors. So inviting and warm...really pretty & beautiful light! Thank you so much for sharing and I think you have lovely attention to detail and texture!
xo
Melis
view luckylife2009's profile
Congrats on your lovely home. Very nice.
view English Accent's profile
There's practically nothing there, and yet they've managed to make it look cramped.
The only interesting things about the place were there before they moved in. (the light, the walls in entrance hall and living room)
Why did this need 44 pictures? Did the white expedit boxes really warrant that kind of detail?
view kushkush's profile
Whoa, those comments seem overly harsh, not to mention illogical, kushkush. Also, the hallway you admire is E&M's own handiwork.
This is an amazing accomplishment for combining households and living in a place for merely a year. Emily, you've got a great eye and are clearly very talented, as demonstrated by your work area (which is my favorite space out of all the photos). Well done!
view centrd's profile
I love the light fixture in the bedroom. You can get gold painted round bulbs for vintage bare bulb fixtures at rejuvenation.com -- would probably go great with your sunny yellow. They also have old style carbon filament bulbs that look great in vintage fixtures. Make sure you use a low wattage, no more than 40 per bulb, because those fixtures were made before high wattage bulbs came along.
view rayma's profile
I am in love with the shower curtain. I wonder where that is from? It's the perfect combo of happy green, black, and natural tan colors.
view justlikelead's profile
A cup of coffee and a flaky croissant in hand, ... I hope you enjoy! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41873333
view AlexM's profile
I second the request for where you purchased the retro yellow trash can in the kitchen. What a beautiful, well thought out, and inspiring home!
view emilykayeb's profile
Lovely home!
I'm a big fan of yellow white in the kitchen.
Esp. love Emily's sister painting in the bedroom and the diminutive green bathroom.
BM
view StrangerFiction's profile
I used to have the same trash can and I'm pretty sure it's by OXO - although I don't know if they still have that color available.
view Noogs's profile
Beautiful, colorful & airy home!! You can decorate my place anytime!
Just wondering if this is a rental or if you own? It wasn't specified in the description.
Either way it's wonderful!
view SF_Tito's profile
too much posing of cute objects. Otherwise...not bad.
view msjessica's profile
The entire home is full of cute objects...they would be hard to avoid :)
I'm not usually a fan of white-ish walls, but you did a nice job making the space look cozy and lived in. And I love the numbered cactus planters! Where did you find them?
view malizindie's profile
Does anyone know where that white tray that the yellow cups and coffee is on is from? I've been looking for a white tray with handles similar to that...
view SF_Tito's profile
Beautiful home! Where did you get the bedside table?
view emal's profile
Where are those black lanterns on the dresser from?
view SF_Tito's profile
I love the yellow comforter and pillows on your bed...where did you get them?
view kelwinj's profile
i love your humble abode! just curious about the cardboard taxidermy, i looked on the site but didn't see one with the flowers, was that something you added yourself, if so how/what did you do? Thanks in advance :)
view amee's profile
I don't know how I missed this tour in its original post! Thank goodness I saw it this morning, as it is delightful. It is very much a "Home Tour." Thank you for sharing!
view scootergirl's profile
i love your humble abode! just curious about the cardboard taxidermy, i looked on the site but didn't see one with the flowers, was that something you added yourself, if so how/what did you do? Thanks in advance :)
view amee's profile
I love this space.... wonderful... beautiful and haha, quite minimalist... I am gonna send this to my husband and maybe we can also finally come to a compromise... :) btw, where can we get the "marriage" frame/card on your bedroom side table?? I need one!!!! :) FB
view flobeau's profile
Ooooh, this is up there with my favourites - I'm a huge fan of yellow and love the way there are pops of it all the way through the house. Very comfortable yet also energising. Really lovely! Congrats!!
view Vickyb's profile
PS - I've seen that you've been on and answered a couple of questions so... if you read this... where is your beautiful yellow bedspread from? Fun but grown-up. I want one!!
view Vickyb's profile
I really like the shade of white in your living room. Do you mind sharing the color? You have a very lovely home. Thanks for posting.
view mobes's profile