This Small Chicago Apartment Sports Distinct Vibes for Sleeping, Relaxing, and Working
Name: Lexy Weixel
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 750 square feet
Years lived in: Under 1 year, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: So, I actually submitted my old place over a year ago, and I thought it might be fun to see how style evolves, even in just a year and a half! I run a furniture selling business, and got super into ’80s Art Deco. However, the more I sold, my style changed. And I came to really fall in love with Space Age pieces and MCM, with some Art Deco still mixed in. I also got a corporate work-from-home job, which allowed me to move into my own space. I knew I wanted three very distinct vibes for sleeping, relaxing, and working.
All of the rooms of my apartment are closed off from each other. So for the living room I focused on a natural vibe with warm tones, using the couch and rug as my inspiration. In my office I knew I wanted a bright Space Age vibe to bring me some energy on long days. I also wanted to include a lil dining nook since; this is technically my “dining room” as well. Once again used the rug in here for inspo, but also the vintage yellow plastic storage drawers and the art I hung above it. I’m actually in the process of creating a full floor-to-ceiling gallery wall in there as well. And the bedroom was based around the turmeric bedding and rug, and everything fell into place around it. Everything is thrifted, and my biggest splurge was my vintage $500 crushed velvet couch. Otherwise everything was less than $100 or even free. I love a good deal.
I identify as queer and as a theater artist. My queerness definitely plays into my style. I think discovering I was queer took a lot of getting to know myself, and in doing so I found a very distinct style as well.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Eclectic, curated, thrifted, space age, MCM
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is my living room. It has all my favorite pieces in it. The green waterfall ottoman, the arch lamp, the crushed velvet couch, the huge piece of art above my sitting chair. The sun streams in at the perfect angle for me to get some rays while watching TV. I feel relaxed and at ease being surrounded by things I love.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Got a cute lil thrifted pottery dish for my keys. I love finding handmade pottery for like $2 at thrift stores. The weirder it is the more I need it
Any advice for creating a home you love? Get to know yourself, and you’ll get to know your style. And change doesn’t have to happen overnight. Slowly curate items you love, and soon enough you’ll see a style accumulating. Also, never feel like you need to spend four figures, or even three figures on a really solid unique piece of furniture. And sometimes it might take weeks or months, but I promise you can find the EXACT item you want thrifted.
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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