This Is One of the Coolest DIY Bed and Storage Lofts We’ve Seen (And Yep, That’s a Plant Chandelier!)
Name: Mandy Palasik, my husband, and our senior rescue dog
Location: Olde Kensington–Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type of home: Loft apartment
Size: 1,000 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years, renting
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Latin America-inspired with Minimalist ambitions
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My husband (a transportation engineer) and I (an architect and writer for Artblog.org), along with our rescue pup, had just returned from a two-year stint in London and were temporarily living back in our hometown of Baltimore while searching for new job opportunities. I was far into the interviewing process with a firm in Philly and naturally became obsessed with apartment searching. I came across an ad on Craigslist for a light-filled loft with 14-foot high ceilings in a former sewing factory and immediately fell in love.
We drove up to Philly that weekend and put a rental application in, without a formal job offer. Luckily, it was a safe bet. The neighborhood, at least three years ago, reminded us a lot of our home in Baltimore. It had a blue-collar grit with relics of a post-industrial past. It didn’t take itself too seriously and felt like home. Fast forward to today and the area has unfortunately fallen victim to cookie-cutter luxury development.
The biggest challenge for us was how to thoughtfully lay out the 1,500-square-foot open space so that there was a logic and order to the space, without looking too cluttered. We downsized quite a bit prior to moving to London (and are still in the process) but were still stuck with a hodgepodge of his and hers stuff from our bachelor days.
The first thing we did was design and build a storage pod to hide our past-life remnants and clothing. For only $300 and a bit of labor, the pod also serves as an elevated bed platform and bookshelf. Since we are renting, we did not want to destroy the historic character of the loft so special care was taken to make the structure freestanding, building within the existing columns.
In addition to our obsession with plants (we currently have 70), much of the decor in our loft is from our travels. Mexico City is one of our favorite places and we tried to bring the color and culture into our home through pottery, textiles (that I made into pillows), and art. Most of the furniture was stuff we picked up at salvage stores, on Craigslist, or built (like the hairpin benches and plant stand). We are very thrifty. One of our favorite features of the apartment are the 10-foot tall original wooden Juliet doors that flood the space with natural light. It reminds me of a place I stayed at in Spain. It was important for us to have a space that inspired creativity and where we can comfortably work. The windows in the apartment face east but we never need to turn on the overhead lights during the day. We have even grown lemons and key limes inside!
What is your favorite room and why? Since our loft is technically one big open room, I’d say our favorite quadrant is what we define as the garden corner–where a majority of our plants reside. During the warmer months, we leave the French doors to our Juliet balcony open to connect with the city. We have decent views of some of the area’s historic architecture as well as the Benjamin Franklin bridge. I love to retreat in my hammock (bought on a study trip in Brazil) with the plants surrounding me. My husband’s spot is in a chartreuse velvet chair that we upcycled from a Habitat Restore in Baltimore for $20. Our dog, Bodie (named after the character in “The Wire”) also loves to watch the dogs in the park below. It’s the corner we gravitate to relax.
Hanging in the space is a 4-foot tall “plantalier” that we have been growing for almost three years. When we first moved to the neighborhood, I found the wire frame of an old chandelier in a vacant lot while walking my dog. My husband looked at me like I was crazy when I brought it home, but we have since appropriated it into a thriving piece of living art.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Fill your home with meaningful things that inspire you. Although I default to the architect Mies van der Rohe’s “less is more” approach, I am a firm believer that one can never have too many plants!
