A Temporary Rental Designed on a Dime

Name: Phoebe, Brent, son Otis, and fur baby Rango
Location: MoRa District — Charlotte, North Carolina
Size: 700 square feet
Rent or Own: Renting

You might say Phoebe and Brent are in a bit of a home holding pattern with their current rental. It started two years ago when the couple purchased a home to fix up and flip. “We ended up living in it for two years and went to sell because we found this awesome 1800s house we fell in love with.” They did such a great job of fixing up their fixer upper, in fact, there was a bidding war! But after picking a buyer, the couple struck out when it came to trying to purchase the 1800s house. Rather than staying in the fixer upper, they decided: “Hey let’s still sell our home, make a profit, and rent until we find the house of our dreams.”

So that’s just what Phoebe, Brent, baby Otis and pup Rango are doing in this two-bedroom rental in the MoRA district. “It’s a little tight at times being that I stay home with our son and run my small baby goods business out of our home and constantly have my macrame all over, but it works for us and we love it so much.”

What is your favorite room and why? Our main living space is by far my favorite “room.” That counts right? Because it is one “big” room. It is filled with so many treasured pieces like our vintage mid-century stereo that we bought from this adorable older couple on Craigslist. It also is the home to my favorite chair, EVER. I went to Habitat for Humanity looking for a black leather chair and had every intention of buying one, but on the way to the register I saw this green corduroy chair with the sexiest mid-century legs I have ever seen and just the coolest detailing in the fabric. I will NEVER get rid of this chair.

The living room also has my pride and joy, our $125 couch. I have always loved and wanted the Hamilton sofa by West Elm, but I am so cheap and hate spending money so I just couldn’t spend almost $3,000 on a couch (I wish). So I found this couch on OfferUp, got in an argument with the owner because she was rude (but I had to have the couch so I put up with her), and then switched out the legs with some IKEA ones to give it a more “modernish” feel.

The space is not perfect, and during the day it is covered in our son’s toys, but I just love this area so much because whether I am in the kitchen cooking, in the dining room working on my baby products for my business, or in the living room we are all together without “being together.”

Any advice for creating a home you love? Being that we have rented, flipped, designed, owned, AND are renting again, I feel I have some knowledge when it comes to this topic, or at least I like to think that I do. TAKE YOUR TIME!!! When we first bought our house two years ago I rushed to fill it up and because I rushed I settled on pieces that I didn’t love and ended up changing out constantly. WAIT, until you either save up for something you’ve been wanting forever, or WAIT until you find that which you have been dreaming of. DO NOT settle just to fill a space. You want to be proud of the work and patience it took to make your house/apartment a home.

Thanks, Phoebe and Brent!

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