A Small L.A. Apartment Makes Maximalism Relaxing Thanks to a Neutral, Natural Palette

Name: Lowe Saddler and my many statues
Location: KTown — Los Angeles, California
Type of home: Apartment
Size: A little less than 900 square feet
Years lived in: 6 months, renting

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’ve only lived here six months, but already I think my space feels like me. I initially wanted everything to be all white, super minimal, and mature. But absolutely none of those things actually described me. I love stuff. I’m a semi-maximalist, a person of color, and soo far from reaching peak adulting. Consequently, my little apartment has color, so many interesting things I collected (or stole) from my nomadic mom and sarcastic dad.

There’s good energy here—it feels warm (and not just because I don’t have A/C). When my friends come over they’re not afraid to spill things or have fun. It can get messy occasionally, but this is a gathering spot for me, the people who love me (ha), and the crap I love to collect.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Equal parts fresh and eclectic.

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is definitely the living room. I spend the most time in this space, and almost an entire wall is just a huge window. So the light is amazing, and I can watch my neighbors and the people on the street (but not in a creepy way).

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I just bought a huge drop cloth and re-upped my paint supply. I’m going to use them to attempt a DIY canvas painting for the wall behind my couch. No clue how it will turn out but if it’s bad I figure I can just flip the fabric over and try again.

Any advice for creating a home you love? I’d just recommend finding things that inspire you. I think my family inspires me even though they live over 2,000 miles away in Washington, D.C. They’re the smartest, funniest, most interesting people, and their respective homes are like treasure troves. They’ve collected so many things that represent Black culture, higher education, and just vibrancy all around. And even though they hoard things more than I do (which is saying something), they’ve got such great style. They inspire me for sure, but so do old granny homes, Parisian apartments, and French country houses. I don’t know how those things work together, but here we are.

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.