After a Fire, This Couple Had to Decorate From Scratch
Name: Nicole Whitney and fiancé (Josh), and two cats (Harper and Jonah)
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 960 square feet
Years lived in: 4 months, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Well, the most interesting thing about this home is how we ended up here in the first place. In December of 2019, just a few days before Christmas, our previous apartment building went up in flames. The tenant above us left a stove on, starting a fire that would ultimately destroy nearly everything we owned. We (Josh and Nikki) were the only tenants to notice the smell, and quickly acted to call the fire department, gather what we could, and alert the other tenants to get them (and our cats) out of the building safely. While we were grateful to make it out alive, we left behind all of our furniture, clothing, electronics, and sentimental items. Our world was flipped upside down, and we were tested with one of the most challenging and unfortunate circumstances of our lives.
After living out of a hotel for two weeks, Nikki’s sister Madeline, a real estate agent in Philadelphia, found a potential new apartment just two blocks away that would end up becoming our new home. The historic Victorian home featured original hardwood floors, tall ceilings, 10” crown moldings, and a beautiful cherry blossom tree right out front. Needless to say, we were immediately smitten. Despite the mounting stress, the financial struggle, and the discouraging reality of having to downsize, Nikki—an interior designer—decided to see the situation as an opportunity to rebuild, get creative, and rewrite the story from a tragedy into a tale of triumph.
The new space contains remnants of the old apartment, with Nikki’s signature blue motif from room to room. We also included the occasional earthy accent found in the plants, dressers, flowers, and floorboards throughout the space, striking a calming, comfortable balance of elegance and hygge. We also made a point to tastefully juxtapose abstract art and modern furniture with the apartment’s existing Victorian architecture.
Our sweet cats, Harper and Jonah, have settled in to their new home as well, and seem to enjoy the high ceilings, second-floor windows that overlook the city, and the king size bed just as much as we do. Ultimately, despite how scared and upset we were at the time of the fire, we always knew we would land on our feet. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate that in this time of quarantine and social distancing, we have this home—and each other—to help us yet again weather the storm.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Casual, laid-back luxury and cozy elegance.
What is your favorite room and why? The bedroom—without question. The combination of the tall windows, high ceilings, and our new, king-sized bed has resulted in the best sleep either of us have had in our lives. In the morning, the enormous windows fill the room with natural light, helping us wake up feeling energized. In our old apartment, our bedroom was in the basement, which never received any sunlight. The first time we were woken up by the sun in our new bedroom, we knew how much we were missing hitting the snooze button in the dark.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The finishing touches to make our apartment feel like home were the framed photos from our recent engagement photo shoot. The memories from this day were particularly special, because while we were originally supposed to have Nikki’s sister photograph the engagement shoot to save money, Josh ended up surprising Nikki with a professional photographer—from the same company they hired to shoot their wedding in 2021. Not only that, but at the end of the photo shoot, we walked to Morgan’s Pier for the final photos where all of Nikki’s friends were waiting to surprise her and kick off her 30th birthday weekend!
Any advice for creating a home you love? After figuring out how you want your home to feel, function, and what style you are drawn to… edit, edit, edit! After moving from a larger apartment to one about half the size, we realized how much happier and lighter we feel with less “stuff.” We decided to keep the few sentimental things we still had and love the most, and got rid of anything that no longer “brought us joy.” Having our favorite photos and tchotchkes from our adventures sprinkled throughout the house gives us daily reminders that we have so many memories and people to be grateful for. Incorporating what’s important to you and what what makes you happy, within your aesthetic, is the best way to create a home you love.
This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.