Julie’s Jubilant Loft
Name: Julie Simonson & Wilbur (6-month-old chocolate cockapoo puppy)
Location: Old City — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Size: 1,223 square feet
Years lived in: 2½
Julie is a Philadelphia Native. She moved to Los Angeles for several years and has vacationed in Vermont for much of her life. She eventually returned back to the city of brotherly love, bringing with her treasures from around the country that help make this loft Julie’s Jubilant Loft.
Julie is a writer and editor turned Temple Student, studying to earn her Masters in Social Work in hopes of becoming a Psychiatric Social Worker. She lived in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles for ten years where she developed much of the style she has today. She’s traveled across the United States collecting many of her treasures from flea markets, summer tag sales in Vermont and her Great-Aunt Marion.
Her home is modern and eclectic. Julie spends most of her time in her amazing home office and sometimes wonders why she even has a living room! The home office is vibrant, vivacious and full of inspiration. She can sit at her beautiful desk and gaze out the window while taking a break to get her thoughts straight before going back to vigorously typing away.
Julie’s family has always told her that if you invest in good furniture once, there will be no need to buy again (unless of course your taste changes!) Julie has inherited much of her furniture and purchased the rest to last for decades. Her home is styled in an off-beat way and that’s what makes it stand out. She mixes old with new, modern with kitsch and somehow it works well together. Her home is one that you hope she has a sidewalk sale one day and you’re lucky enough to know about it!
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My/Our style: Eclectic and warm; some mid-century modern, some Hollywood Regency, a little Parisian flea market-y, a little country.
Inspiration: My grandmother, Eleanor — she had the most marvelous sense of style and I often strive to emulate the homes she had created. Also, my mother, Lainey — she instilled in me the importance of taking care of my home. And my dear friend Sue in Vermont who taught me how much fun it is to go junking and to collect things.
Favorite Element: I live in an old warehouse building and have 14-foot ceilings and 8 x 20 foot windows. It’s what made me fall in love with the place.
Biggest Challenge: Those high ceilings and windows are both a blessing AND a curse — it’s very expensive to heat and cool my apartment.
What Friends Say: From my friend Deirdre, another Apartment Therapy reader: “It hangs out at the intersection where sophistication and funkiness collide.”
Biggest Embarrassment: I have too much stuff. I am trying to edit and pare down.
Biggest Indulgence: Biting the bullet and purchasing some coveted pieces from DWR & Hive Modern.
Best advice: My grandmother taught me to buy good furniture and you’ll have it forever.
Dream source: Design Within Reach, Hive Modern…my dream home would be a little cottage with a screened in porch by a lake surrounded by pine trees.
Other Inspiration: Apartment Therapy, Design*Sponge, Los Angeles, the color turquoise and any shade of blue, Parisian flea markets, boutique hotels, House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Palm Springs, Palm Beach, Maine
Resources of Note:
Furniture: Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Design Within Reach, Hive Modern, flea markets
Appliances: Whirlpool Gold
Accessories: Flea market finds from living in Los Angeles for 10 years, tag sale finds from summers in Vermont, many treasures from my great-aunt Marion.
Lighting: Rittenhouse Electric, garage sales, Crate & Barrel.
Rugs and Carpets: e-Bay, Crate & Barrel, Target, Pottery Barn, Claire Murray.
Bed: Crate & Barrel.
Artwork: From various travels, garage sales, auctions and pieces from my grandmother
Thanks, Julie!
Images: Kristen Lubbe
• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE Check out past house tours here
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.