Apartment 1 Reveal

I’m so excited to finally share the completed before & after of a space I have called Apartment 1. Here’s a little backstory for those who don’t know: This summer, my great friend, Lizzy, and I were hired by her dad to decorate his Airbnb properties. Over the course of the summer, one of his properties (a 6-unit apartment building on the city’s Old Northside) became our project for renovation. This apartment has been really special because we have been able to pick out everything. From the lighting to the paint color to the countertops to the furniture, you name it, we chose it.

Our inspiration for this space was a sort of Parisian-inspired apartment. The space had a lot of great architectural charm that we wanted to keep, so creating the decor around that felt only appropriate. We wanted a mix of new and old with a sort of Anthropologie feel to it. Here are some “before” pictures of the space.

The space had great bones, but definitely needed a little update.The living room area really didn’t need any major changes. We mainly wanted to give it a fresh coat of paint, some new window treatments, and create some overhead lighting.

We got rid of the outdated granite on the fireplace, but kept the black and cream granite along the hearth and on the mantel. We found brick on the fireplace, so we painted it a matte black. I’m honestly so in love with how it turned out.

Another favorite piece of mine in the living room is the artwork from above the fireplace. We used a local artist (& art school friend), Rio Santos, to create this work for us. It was based off of a previous work of hers, we just made some small tweaks to better fit the space. We wanted something contemporary and fun for over the fireplace and I can’t imagine a better option! A lot of the accessories in the apartment were thrifted, and the books on the mantel are no exception (Finding books at Goodwill is one of my favorite things).

We wanted to preserve the fireplace but make it clear to renters/guests that the fireplace wasn’t to be used for… well fires. So we decided to use that space as a blanket storage spot (the basket and blanket we got from Target!)

For the bedroom area (the apartment is a studio) we wanted it to feel really comfy and fun. The bedding is from Target and we got the headboard from Urban Outfitters The side table was thrifted from Facebook Marketplace and is one of my favorite pieces. The art above the bed is from Ikea. The black & white piece is actually a piece of their fabric I framed (I saw that hack in the showroom and loved it!)

This space provided some unique challenges, beginning with the window treatments. The space is on the ground floor so window treatments for privacy were a must. However, the windows were so large that blinds were not an option. Instead, we opted for black-out curtains. We chose these curtains from Target, and I think they are just enough pattern.

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We felt like a statement chandelier was really necessary to tie this space together. Initially, we wanted to get an antique, crystal chandelier. We were so excited to pay homage to the historical nature of the home. However, we realized that for the size we needed in the space, we didn’t have that kind of budget for a light fixture. We decided to go a different direction and went with a modern fixture from Lowe’s instead. Honestly, I couldn’t love it anymore if I tried. I think it perfectly completes the space.

This dresser is another favorite piece of mine. It honestly wasn’t love at first sight. Lizzy and I found it at a local thrift store and while I liked the height, I wasn’t sure if it would look too dated.. We decided to paint it and I think it feels so modern!

The bathroom was definitely our gutsiest decision. We initially went with a lighter color. However, it just didn’t feel like it fit with the vibe of the rest of the place. We decided to go bold and do a bright turquoise. I’m so glad we did! I think it compliments the rest of the apartment well.

The kitchen was a challenge because of how small it was. However, I’m so excited with how it turned out! We scored and found the most fun dishes at Anthropologie (sale on sale!). Because of the lower ceilings, we decided to go with open shelving. We also decided we needed a little bar top for eating, considering the apartment doesn’t have enough space for it. I love how it turned out!

This project was for sure a labor of love. However, I’m so happy with how it turned out! It makes me want to buy my own fixer upper….