Name: Tara of
Tara's Tiny San Francisco Hodge Podge
Location: San Francisco
Back in early 2008, we published a tour of Tara's sweet small space (with a bedroom in the walk in closet!). She has since moved to a new home and sent us some photos of the work-in-progress bigger space as an update. She writes: My earlier studio was featured on AT ("Tara's Tiny Hodge-Podge"), but I wanted to let you know that I've moved (in with boyfriend, larger space). We've been doing our own version of The Cure...
...and have found it really helpful, especially when trying to combine two apartment into one (lots of stuff - whoa boy!) and to combine the male/female aesthetic into one, unifying space that we both enjoy. As always, a work in progress. You're site has really inspired me - ever since I first found it in 2006.
Thanks Tara!
We've had amazing response to our Apartment Therapy House Tour Submission Form that we launched last month. While we will work with homeowners of our favorite homes to feature full tours, we will also share the best as House Calls — short, quick tours of readers' homes. Submit your home here.
Beautiful! Can I please have more pictures?
view bromelia's profile
lovely rug in the living room and i like the quirky dog photo above the bed.
view creative*type's profile
Hee hee, love the Daniel Bergren prints above your bed- so bizarre!
You've got a great start here- I can't wait to see it when it's "filled out." And you've obviously got a great space to work with, looks like a cool neighborhood. I'm a Seattle gal, and we just don't have those kind of apartments over here!
http://shockthebourgeois.blogspot.com
view shockthebourgeois's profile
NO WAY!!!! I have the exact same Michael Sowa prints above my bed. Hate you!
view mangabanga's profile
Love it-- very Amelicious, especially the prints above the bed!
view PhillyLass's profile
I love it :)
view Bee09's profile
The framed map in the hallway is really cool. It's a nice pop of color and I like how it draws your eye forward towards the rug. Did you frame it yourself?
view Sassyladie's profile
What a gorgeous home! Love the Michael Sowa prints! I'm incredibly jealous of your high ceilings and huge windows!
view suzy8track's profile
Where are the curtains in your bedroom from?
view cc35's profile
Bedroom curtains = IKEA
view KateMick's profile
At first I thought "Oh--those frames above the bed are not the same size" (not that I'm OCD or anything--it's just that it's not a look you typically see!)--but then I focused on the art itself and I forgot all about the frames! They are awesome pieces of art. I will have to check out the artist.
But I'd like more info on the lamps near the headboard? Are they clipped on the upholstered headboard? Or goosenecked over? I'd love to know the technicals of that; I'm not seeing any distracting wiring or cords, which is nice.
view pammyfay's profile
Ooh, edit: Michael Sowa! I KNEW I had something wrong there. Never trust a name that comes off the top of your head. Argh.
view shockthebourgeois's profile
creative*type, that's the Collete rug from Pottery Barn. I ordered it several days ago and it's great to see how GOOD it looks in a real home, while I'm waiting for it to arrive! I'm excited!
view ChloeSF's profile
those prints are in Amelie...my favorite movie ever. I always wondered where I could find them.
view aafilipp's profile
oh my gosh. i have those michael sowa prints, too. framed them in some cool thrift store frames, after i saw amelie. that movie is beautiful! the living room looks pretty comfy.
view treelovr's profile
It's looking great, Tara!
I found the Sowa prints at AllPosters. If you like the two shown here, you might also like one he has of a pig doing a graceful dive into a lake. It's gorgeous!
view Mavesse's profile
I loved your other space. It was so well-edited, it looked far roomier than 400 sq. ft. I also love this new space and I hope to see more pics as it evolves.
view KWorld's profile
Wow. I love everything about this apartment. I am really coveting the sofa.
view Midwestdiva's profile
Good job tara looks nice
view absOsteele's profile
great looking bedroom, and I have that exact same bullfighting poster that's in your dining room (though haven't decided where to put it yet...)!
view lovelyrita's profile
I have yards and yards of that same Ikea print in just red and white... I don't quite know what to do with it yet (we want all white shades, so no curtains) but I love it! Your curtains look lovely and super soothing in your bedroom.
view marie516's profile
I have those ikea curtains in my bedroom too. They're so soothing.
view lipstickonyourteeth's profile
Thanks for the lovely comments. Made my day. The prints are, indeed, Michael Sowa. I really like them - they always make me smile. As to questions... the headboard I made myself (linen, plywood, batting) and the lamps are from Ikea. (The basisk lamp clamped on top, screw in the back.)
The map in the hallway (at left) was painted by my boyfriend on a salvaged window frame. Most of the cool artwork that we have is from his apartment. Right now we are searching for something to put above the leather sofa. Would love ideas... got any? --Tara :)
view tara1979's profile
lllove the amelie prints...the use of the small space...the old window frame...almost all!
view dicemassi's profile
I like it too--but I think the LR seems a little stark. Maybe another color for the pillows--besides brown? Maybe something rich and textural?
view jennywren03's profile
Really like the bedroom setup! I've always liked those curtains, and they work so well here. Can't wait to see how this looks when it's finished.
Side note to shockthebourgeois--we certainly DO have apartments like this in Seattle. They're all over Lower QA and Capitol Hill. I live in one! It's not nearly this large (sniff) but same era, same "old world charm".
view CassieB's profile
AT, please do a House Tour with Tara!! It would be so great to see her new place in more detail. It looks amazing.
view mllemiki's profile
love the hallway art, esp that framed map. not, so much the bullfighting one, but that's just me...
nice place!
view dabble's profile
Maybe if I hadn't known you and boyfriend we're attempting to blend male/female styles (and maybe because I, too, am struggling right now with the same situation) I might not have picked up on this, but I feel that except for the bedroom (and those lovely curtains), everything seems a little too much like agreed on by committee.
view Mon Truc en Plumes's profile
Yep, it is definitely "agreed on by committee" aka compromise. But, we both like it and are happy to call it home, which I suppose is the probably the first rule of living/decorating. Don't get me wrong...I'd love to COMPLETELY re-do some things. We're working on it. --Tara :)
view tara1979's profile