A Simple Apartment’s Kitchen Was Improved Thanks to White Paint and an IKEA Cart
Name: Macey Phillips
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 864 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I live in a spacious and delightfully old two-bedroom apartment. It has wonderful hardwood floors and the most beautiful crown molding I have ever seen in a rental! It’s what sold me on the apartment in the first place.
When I was looking, I had not anticipated needing a two bedroom. However, it was all that was available at the time. And I really loved it! I transformed the second bedroom into an office, and love being in there in the morning to get my creative thoughts flowing. I also love saying I have an office; it really makes my day.
I painted my bedroom and living room walls white. I wanted it to feel really spacious and clean. Also, my boyfriend painted my kitchen cabinets white and it made all the difference in the world. I enjoy traveling and photography, so having a place to display pictures and mementos from trips over the years is really gratifying for me. Overall, I just wanted my apartment to feel relaxed, light, and inviting. And also something out of a Nancy Meyers film. Gotta have goals.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Simple, white, clean, and cozy.
What is your favorite room and why? This changes frequently; I really love my apartment equally. However, currently it is my living room. Because the springtime brings such incredible weather, I can leave my windows up and let the cool breeze blow through. The sun also sets on my living room side, so my favorite activity during this season is to sit on my couch, with music playing, a candle, the windows up, and watching the sun’s soft rays pour into the room. Oh, and with a glass of wine of course.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The latest addition to my home was actually a gift, but it is one of my favorite pieces so it is worth noting. It is the fireplace mantel in the living room. My grandmother found it at an annual “mile long yard sale” outside of Nashville. I ended up painting it white, because everything I have seems to be white. I had a rare moment where I contemplated painting it black, but I ended up choosing white because I wanted the detailing to really show.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Go with what you like and what feels right. Trendy or not, if you like it then you’ll make it work. I’m a sucker for anything white—I just make sure it’s washable before buying.
This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.