Julie’s Northwoods-Meets-Art Deco Apartment in Minneapolis
Name: Julie Carroll and Frances, the cat
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Size: approximately 700 square feet
Years lived in: 9 months
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While visiting my sister in Minneapolis, I recalled a certain House Call that begged for a follow-up. After making arrangements with Julie, I was thrilled to see inside a preserved Art Deco-era building. Minneapolis is rich in its beautifully maintained and functioning historical architecture, and Julie’s place is no exception!
I had never been to Minneapolis before, and I was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming amount of opulent historical buildings and houses. Julie’s family is actually from Minnesota, so much of her design inspiration comes from her Scandinavian roots and elements of the Northwoods. Although the apartment is a bit on the smaller side, the space is rich in charm. With every turn, you’ll notice original brass fixtures, crystal door knobs, and even a porcelain farm sink – one of Julie’s favorite features. In a world where buildings tend to come and go, it was nice to see a building from the 1930s translated into a beautiful modern apartment. Julie’s incorporation of Mid-century modern furniture, earthy textures, and a minimalist approach truly let the charm of this apartment shine.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Eclectic Minimalism
Inspiration: My Scandinavian heritage mixed with the rustic beauty of the Northwoods
Favorite Element: The clean lines of my Scandinavian, Mid-century modern furniture
Biggest Challenge: The freakishly tiny kitchen!
What Friends Say: They love the playful nature of the space and ample booze selections. 😉
Biggest Embarrassment: It’s impossible to cook using my gas stove without continually butt-bumping the stovetop pots— I’ve spilled boiling hot food off of the stove several times due to navigation issues in such a cramped space. My kitchen is essentially the size of a shoebox and my hips don’t lie!
Proudest DIY: More of a commission: My 6-year-old niece created a very demanding lemonade stand sign that read “Ten Bucks for the Drink.” I thought this was hilarious, so I commissioned Seattle pop artist Derek Erdman to make a painted version of the sign that I proudly hung over my farm sink. It’s one of my favorite corners of my home and makes me laugh every time I look at it.
Biggest Indulgence: My buttery caramel leather, Mid-century modern, tufted sofa. It has the clean lines I love, but unlike a lot of traditional mid-century sofas, it is super cushy and cozy. Worth every cent!
Best Advice: To maintain a calm space with minimal clutter, editing is key. Every time I purchase a new item, I donate or sell an old one.
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- N/A: the space came pre-painted in white
ENTRY
- Benches: Target
- Botanical wall hangings: Burke Decor
- Bentwood side table: West Elm
- Antlers: vintage
LIVING ROOM
- Shag rug: Rugsusa.com
- Coffee table: vintage
- Sofa: JCP Darrin Leather Sofa
- Shag pillow: Amazon
- Rattan chairs: Serena and Lily
- Vintage Kilim pillows: Ebay
- Antlers: vintage
- Paintings: Kai Samuels Davis (Etsy), Ashley Goldberg (Etsy), Minted for West Elm, & Art.com
- Brass spider lamp: vintage
- Scandinavian entertainment center: vintage
- Bar cart: Target
- Gold side table: Target
- Sheepskins: Ikea
- Desk: vintage
- Desktop lamp: West Elm
- Tulip chair: vintage
DINING ROOM
- Table: World Market
- Over-dyed rug: Wayfair
- Eames-replica chairs: Amazon
- Bull skull: eBay
- Tin sign: vintage
- Faceted mirror: West Elm
- Chrome pet food dishes: CB2
KITCHEN
- Ten Bucks for the Drink painting: Derek Erdman
- Brass planters: thrifted
- Lady painting: Vivienne Strauss (Etsy)
- Glassware: vintage
- Rug: West Elm
BEDROOM
- Bed frame: Magical Thinking for Urban Outfitters
- Vintage linen bedding: Restoration Hardware
- Striped pillow shams: Ralph Lauren
- MCM dresser: vintage
- Armoire: vintage
- Side tables: West Elm
- Stool: Thonet, vintage
- Fiber wall hanging: Nate Berkus
- Sheepskin rug: Ikea
- Oriental runner: vintage
- Hamper: Ikea
- Railroad map: Minted
- Green mirror: vintage
- Patchwork mirror: West Elm
BATHROOM
- Basket: vintage
- Penny jars: Amazon
- Tin canisters: Pier 1
- Shower curtain: Anthropologie
- Woodgrain towels: West Elm
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