Chris’ Sunny & Simple Austin Abode

Name: Chris Apollo Lynn
Location: Bouldin Creek; Austin, Texas
Size: 650 square feet
Years lived in: 2.5 years; Rented

Chris Apollo Lynn always smiles when he speaks. A calming personality, he’s equal parts exuberance and enthusiasm, especially about the city of Austin and its community. His small apartment in a tiny converted house in South Austin doesn’t have expensive furniture, big rooms or a private backyard, but Chris doesn’t need those things, instead combining a simple style and a make-the-most-of-what-you’ve-got attitude to create a welcoming home and a thriving urban garden for entertaining his friends.

A popular DJ, champion of local musicians and the writer behind one of Austin’s best local city blogs , Chris frequently hosts fellow musicians for food and fun at his home, with evenings often ending in dance parties. In such a small space, he’s learned to take a minimal approach to furnishings so there’s plenty of room for dance to break out, and furniture is versatile (easily movable or expandable to a larger size) and comfortable.

His space is a mix of vintage finds, great plants, local art and a few IKEA pieces. His living room — and his whole space — focus on textures. The vintage couch sports a faded yellow floral pattern and the deep, green side chair feels like a plush doll. Leather-topped wood stools add another layer. Art is local, colorful and fun.

His bedroom, the smaller of the two rooms, serves a single simple purpose — sleeping — so decoration is kept to a minimum to minimize distraction. His office/yoga studio is deliberately sparse in order to focus on work or working out, and each item was brought in with purpose. Chris also connected a colorful series of illustrations with string to create a more symbolic, larger art piece for a wall.

Around the corner of the small structure that houses his compact home, Chris has carved out an urban garden in a tucked away spot in a shared green area between buildings. You can tell Chris takes a lot of joy tending to plants and harvesting the fruits and veggies he then turns into loving meals for friends.

My Style: Eclectic mid-century bohemian on the street tip.

Inspiration: Light: The space has so much light that it wants to have bright colors and plants everywhere. Street art and music create a constant beat. Austin breathes through every pore of my body. Buddhist pieces remind me to come back to myself. Lots of memorabilia from my travels, childhood, and relatives remind me of my roots. And everything has to be conducive and comfortable for having people over.

Christi Finley taught me that decorating is just a reflection of you — it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Blake Reeves for helping me execute some of my ideas in a way that doesn’t look like a college dorm room.

Favorite Element: I love my dining room table and chairs. The table folds up to an end table or expands to a 6-top. The chairs also fold up, so I hide them in a closet around the corner. It’s great, because I can use the space for dance parties without sacrificing dinner parties!

Biggest Challenge: The house is tiny, so you have to be smart about storage and functionality.

What Friends Say: When I bought the yellow couch and then the fuzzy green chair, they thought I was crazy. Now that the house is finished, I think they like it!

Biggest Embarrassment: I’m the worst at dishes — and trying to entertain people several times a week without a dishwasher means I have to clean a lot, or leave the dishes in the sink.

Proudest DIY: My square foot gardens.

Biggest Indulgence: Buying good local art.

Best Advice: Create a space that reflects your personality, not what you see in a magazine. Don’t be afraid of color or textures.

• Living Room: Behr Paint “Green Shimmer” 420A-1 (eggshell enamel)
  
• Studio: Behr Paint “Bellflower Blue” M540-1 (eggshell enamel)

• Winona Screen Print by FAILURE
  
• Bunny Paintings by Jeffrey Swanson
  
• Horse Painting by Judy Paul
  
• Graffiti planks by Jason Eatherly
  
• Enjoy Your Journey by Michael McCrary
  
• Xenophobe by Mark McGinnis
  
• Shrink The Humans diorama by Molly Braun
  
• Wooden Vases by Brian David Johnson Craftworks
  
• All of the art in the living room came from artists who currently live or have lived in Austin. A lot of the art in my house was purchased at Austin Art Garage
  
• Planters were made from old things found at Room Service Vintage
  
• Furniture, lamps, and knick-knacks from Hog Wild, Room Service Vintage, or Uncommon Objects
  
• Floor lamp from IKEA
  
• Plants from The Great Outdoors
  
• Records from Breakaway, Waterloo, or End of an Ear
  
• Plastic Sculptures from Kid Robot

• Kitchen Island from IKEA

• Old Map of Texas made by German Settlers from the Texas General Land Office
  
• Subway Map of Austin by Transit Authority Figures
  
• Chillin on the Reg by Michael McCrary
  
• Small photos blocks of Austin by Joel Ganucheau, Jake Bryer, and Judy Paul (all purchased at Austin Art Garage)
  
• Eagle is an old whisky bottle found at my grandparents’ house
  
• Hobo was left by the previous tenants of an apartment I lived in in Cologne
  
• Lamps, chest of drawers, and bedside tables from Hog Wild or Room Service Vintage
  
• Bed from IKEA

• Hindu gods by Sanjay Patel

Thanks, Chris!

(Images: Adrienne Breaux)

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