The first time I was in Sarah's home it was to photograph it for an Apartment Therapy house tour. At that time she was inhabiting the top two floors of the tall frame house and renting out the first floor and garden units as apartments. A few months later, Sarah emailed me to say that she had taken over the garden unit, decorated it with secondhand finds and was now renting it out as an AirBNB. As a fan of her decorating style, I had to see this!
Sarah not only possesses a wonderful eye for vintage finds, she also has a knack for mixing colors and patterns. The living room, with the big blue "ting" hanging over the sofa, hosts a wonderful collection of textures and patterns. "Hands down, the vintage metal "ting" letters are just killer!" Sarah says. "They established the colors and overall cheery vibe, plus perfectly capture my vintage modern style."
Sarah has lived in this three-unit building for nine years but has never lived in this unit herself. Previously rented out as an apartment, Sarah decided to use only secondhand and vintage furniture to outfit it as an AirBNB rental. "I challenged myself to find EVERYTHING second-hand: either thrifted, found, borrowed, bartered, craigslisted or handmade. But that doesn't mean there can't be high-end items and great design! The hunt takes more time than going to a local big-box store, but I am always rewarded by finding items that are better made, better priced and unique."
One of my absolute favorite features in the apartment, other than that fabulous "ting" sign, is the coffee table in the living room. That it was created using a plant stand is a testament to Sarah's creativity. It's also a reminder to think outside the box when decorating. Sometimes all it takes is flipping something on its side and adding a glass top to make it work in your home.
Other than the "ting" and the coffee table, Sarah's favorite DIY in the apartment is the little blue desk in the living room. It was a free find on Craigslist that she painted robin's egg blue, a perfect complement to the brown sofa and a close match for the "ting" sign.
I'm no stranger to garden apartments, which is what we call ground level homes in Chicago. These apartments usually feel dark and damp, a product of their underground status. Sarah's apartment, however, feels so light and airy that it's easy to forget it's a garden apartment. The living room, with its big windows and cheery decor, is as bright as if it were on the top floor.
Check out more of Sarah's apartment in the flickr slideshow:
And if you're interested in renting the apartment the next time you're in Chicago, check out Sarah's listing on AirBNB.
Images: Jason Loper
Wow! What a great apartment! I love the mixture of textures, colors and patterns.
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