These Renters Went with a Black Corduroy Couch in Their Bright 1950s-Era Apartment
These Renters Went with a Black Corduroy Couch in Their Bright 1950s-Era Apartment
Professional skateboarder Nicole Hause and Buffy Milner had lived in a smaller apartment in this building for two years before moving into this larger bottom corner unit two years ago. “The first thing we noticed when we walked by it after the previous tenants had moved out was how much natural light it had. We snuck in while they were painting and gave ourselves the grand tour. Immediately after, we messaged our landlords and asked if we could move to this unit,” Nicole begins. “Previously, we were sharing a 425-square-foot apartment, so this was a major upgrade! The bay window is so nice and really opens up the space. We love all the trees around us; it feels like a tree fort vibe.
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Nicole says that the building was built in the 1950s and so has a retro vibe, like checkered floors in the kitchen. But the unit was a bit dated and needed refreshing. “When we moved in, it was empty and had a couple of gross ceiling fans that we changed out for different light fixtures, making the space feel more classy,” Nicole explains.
The couple worked with designers Juliana Costa and Brandon Koen, of Costa Koen, to help them design the space. And it all started with one specific piece of furniture. “Our couch is what we got first, and then we built everything around that, with the help of Costa Koen, of course. We fell in love with this custom black corduroy coach from The Hunt vintage store in Echo Park. The space was so bright already, so having this darker piece and other features like the glass table and the light wood credenza was nice to balance that out,” Nicole writes.
When it came to budget, Nicole and Buffy were hoping to keep “everything under the $1,000-2,000 per piece. Finding affordable home items was quite challenging as everything seems to be so expensive these days. Working with Costa Koen was great as they helped us find more budget-friendly pieces without compromising the style we wanted. The hardest part was getting items that looked nice without it breaking the bank. In the end, we spent just under $10,000 for our bedroom and living room. Which may seem like a lot, but I guess it really isn’t when you start looking at the prices of really nicely designed spaces.”
Thanks Nicole, Buffy, and the Costa Koen team!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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