India & Joe’s Apartment of Thrifted & Gifted Treasures

published Dec 16, 2015

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About this tour

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Home Type

Apartment

Location

Oakland, California

Style

Bohemian

Bedrooms

Square feet

730

Sq ft

730

Name: India Mafi, Joe Gray and their dog, Scout
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 730 square feet
Years lived in: 5 months; Rented

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When I asked India to tell me about some of her favorite thrift stores, she jokingly refused to tell me some of her best-kept secrets. She didn’t want someone else to beat her to the many treasures she may find digging through vintage items at thrift stores throughout the Bay Area—many of which have ended up in the couple’s small Oakland apartment. Since living in Oakland doesn’t come with a cheap price tag, the couple pride themselves on their home decor items that are secondhand, DIY, or gifts.

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez)

Most of the items and furniture in their 730 square foot apartment have a regional or family tie: the landscape paintings on the walls are reminders of Joe’s hometown in Louisiana, the coffee table was a DIY by India’s brother, and a painting by Joe’s grandfather overlooks the living room.

Though there are several things they would change about their apartment—the kitchen drawers and the odd steps leading up to the bathroom, for example—the positive traits of their space outweigh the negatives. They love the crown molding and the abundance of light that enters the apartment on sunny days, and most of all, they are proud of creating a space full of meaningful treasures.

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: We would say the style of our home is eclectic. We love to mix traditional vintage with modern. We feel that a home is supposed to represent who you are, so we buy pieces that mean something to us. A lot of our design has regional family ties.

Inspiration: India: I get a lot of my inspiration from my parents’ house. Growing up, I admired my mom’s style and her ability to thrift something and make it beautiful again. She has a really good eye when it comes to putting all the pieces together.

Favorite Element:
India: The original fixtures and molding to the place. Also all the natural light that comes through.
Joe: The built-in bookshelf and original paintings by my father and grandfather.

Biggest Challenge:
India: Our building is from the 1920s and the walls are mostly drywall. Hanging shelves, artwork, or anything with a good amount of weight is scary because there is a chance of it falling. Also, having such small square footage means limited space to decorate, so I had to make sure I was not over-decorating.
Joe: We live on the fourth floor and there is no elevator, so any time we have a heavy grocery load or a new piece of furniture, it’s a struggle! The kitchen is pretty small, too, so cooking big meals can be a tough.

What Friends Say: Friends say they love how we have been able to take a small place and make it feel so homey, and that the place has a good balance and represents both of us.

Biggest Embarrassment: We wouldn’t say it is a big embarrassment, but it’s a little odd having three little steps take you to the throne in the bathroom (as we say in our home). It’s even more embarrassing when you fall coming down them. Also, the drawers in the kitchen are old, but being replaced soon.

Proudest DIY: Both tables in our living room are made by India’s family. She made the TV stand with her dad, and her brother Roman made the coffee table on his own.

Biggest Indulgence: Rent. Most of our stuff is thrifted.

Best Advice: When decorating your home, don’t be in a hurry. Don’t buy things just to buy things. Make sure they have a purpose and a special meaning to you and your home.

Dream Sources: I [India] love to look at Apartment Therapy, IKEA, CB2, and Rejuvenation. Also, I love to find people on Instagram with similar taste and see how they put their home together.

Resources

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez)

PAINT & COLORS

Walls: landlord’s choice

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez)

ENTRY

Letters: antique printing press
Shoe stretchers: thrifted
Gold rabbit: swap meet
Floral print: Crimson Horticultural Rarities
Abstract painting: painted by Joe’s dad

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez)

LIVING ROOM

Couch: IKEA
Pillows: Marshalls
Blanket: childhood blanket
Coffee table: DIY by Roman Mafi, India’s brother
TV table: DIY by India and her father
Orange chair: Urban Ore
White chair: a gift
Rug: World Market
White lamp: Rejuvenation
Wooden box: Rejuvenation
Wooden floor lamp: thrifted
Three-shelf stand: thrifted
Table clock: Marshalls
Globe: thrifted
Antique golden mirror: antique shop
Gold vase: thrift store
Camera: Instax Mini 90
Antique cameras: gifts from grandma
Blanket basket: Marshalls
Wooden box under TV: Ross
Curtains and curtain rods: IKEA
Air plants: Oakland Supply Co.
Plants: Home Depot
Stacked wooden boxes: gifts
Ceramic woman: thrift store
Graffiti art: thrift store
Barbie print: ad from the late ’70s in Interview for the Limelight Disco in NYC
Yellow frame art: thrift store
Oakland Ships On Rocks print: thrift store
Wood art with metal: DIY by Roman Mafi, India’s brother
Picasso print: thrift store
Beach painting: thrift store
Desert painting: Ruby Rose
Woman painting: thrift store
Orange Landscape painting: thrift store
Man painting: painted by Joe’s grandfather
Swamp painting: thrift store