A Small Knoxville Studio Apartment Is ‘Perfectly Perfect’ for This Retiree
Name: Joan Smith
Location: The Old City Neighborhood — Knoxville, Tennessee
Type of home: Studio apartment in 130-year-old sewing factory
Size: 540 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Where to begin! I started coming to Knoxville in 2009 to visit a friend who had retired to a Knoxville suburb. My dream was always to retire to a small city with a large university nearby. Having the university would allow me to attend sporting events, cultural events, and be surrounded by progressive thinking people. And a good mix of the young and old. My trips down here started to revolve around what things were going on in the city. Pretty quickly downtown felt like home to me. Especially the Old City section. It was funky, young, and all kinds of new and exciting changes were happening here. I was planning to retire in July of 2016, and as luck would have it, this building’s rehab was scheduled to be finished about the same time. My building fit my other dream perfectly; to live in a loft type older building, with an eclectic mix of neighbors, in an interesting neighborhood.
So, in 2016, after having spent nine rather lonely years as a widow, I retired from a job I held for 25 years, sold the large eight-room home I had lived in since the age of 7, packed only what would fit in a studio apartment, said goodbye to my daughter, and two grandchildren, and began a new phase in my life. And I could not be happier. My little “junior shoebox” or JSB (a term my friend dubbed this studio after seeing it for the first time) is perfectly perfect!
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Playful, peaceful, funky, warm, artsy.
What is your favorite room and why? Since it’s a studio, a favorite room isn’t possible, but, if I had to pick a favorite area, I’d have to say my “reading nook.” Which is just a corner with my favorite oversized chair. From this point I can see all of my home. I love seeing the lit “trees” behind my bed. They always make me smile. Seeing my kitchen, and some of my favorite pieces (old metal bread box, painting bought on a trip to Savannah, a tiny snow globe my husband bought me years ago) always gives me warm fuzzies. It’s a wonderful feel good spot.
If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? I went from living on two acres in the country to living in the city, so any kind of outdoor space would be great. My windows are floor-to-ceiling, they let in plenty of light, and afford good views. But if just one opened to even a tiny balcony, I’d be a happy camper.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A ladder shelf from Pottery Barn for my dishes. I bought it to replace a wire shelving unit I used to hold my small appliances; which was a good solution at the time, but started to appear messy after a while. The ladder shelf has only been up about a week, but so far, I’m loving it. Oh, and a somewhat matching mug rack.
Any advice for creating a home you love? My advice would be to do what makes you happy. A home should be inviting, and comfortable for guests, but you’re the one who has to live in it everyday. It should be a place that brings a smile to your face every time you open the door. If bold color makes you happy, go for it. Like eclectic art work? Hang it everywhere. There should be no rules to follow when making a house a home (well, except for hanging pictures too high. That should be rule number one). I found that by doing what makes me feel good when I walk in the door, it has the same effect on my guests.
This submission has been edited for length and clarity.