My apartment is my all time favorite place and ya girl needed some updated pictures, so I took at stab at some self-portraits in my home. Similarly to my photography style, my apartment is full of color and texture, and sentimental treasures. Since being in this space (3.5 years already say whaaa?!!!) I’ve submitted my apartment to Apartment Therapy’s Small Cool Contest and sadly have never made it to the voting rounds; I saved some of their submission prompts and think my answers give a good insight into the space. I know in my heart that I truly have the coolest small space ;)

Describe your space in a few sentences. How did it come together? What’s the vision for it? Why is it the smallest, coolest space? What do you love about it, and what makes it special and/or unique?
As much as I’d like to brag about having an ultimate vision, the space really came together in little pieces. Mostly everything has been bought secondhand or is a hand-me-down, so the vision of creating a "midcentury witch" aesthetic (as my friend would call it) only came to life after seeing how those treasures fit into the space. I love color, I love texture, I love old stuff, I love weird stuff. But most of all, I love sentimental stuff, and that’s what makes my apartment so special.

Did you DIY anything in your space and, if so, what’s your favorite DIY?
There are a handful of things that are DIY-ed (the couch cushion, the hanging shelves, the boar’s head light, the removable wallpaper…), but my favorite do-it-yourself is the hanging light above my desk. The lampshade belonged to my great great aunt, and found itself in my hands after she passed. The fabric was long gone, so I removed it and was left with the lampshade skeleton. Added a funky bulb and some hardware, and voilà! The perfect mood lighting!

Do you have any genius storage solutions or elements? Have you bought any products that maximize your home’s potential? Tell us how you make your small space work for you and feel bigger than it really is.
My secret, which is in fact not a secret at all, is to buy furniture that physically fits the space well. I would LOVE to have an overstuffed couch in my living area, but it’d overflow into my working area, and we all know what that’d do to productivity (in addition to overwhelming my apartment). My second not-so-secret is to put my things away. Having furniture with storage is a big plus, but even when that’s not enough, stylish stacking containers (like lidded baskets) are my favorite to use to hide things away. Doing this also gives you a good perspective on what belongings you have. I’ve found that my apartment looks bigger and feels better if everything has a home.

How does your home reflect you? Do you have any items or art that reflect your heritage, family, or identity? Your past experiences or memories?
My place is filled to the brim with things I’ve dubbed as ‘keepsakes’ - whether that be a piece of furniture that’s been passed on to me, or a feather I picked up when I was going through a tough time. I can be real mushy-gushy when it comes to anything remotely sentimental, so when I moved here, I was ‘forced’ to learn how to curate my special things rather than let them collect. The shelves above my couch do a great job at displaying these things. Though, what’s even more special is that the shelves belonged to my Grandpap and are where he kept his model trains.

As I said, the majority of my schtuff is secondhand, but here is a list of known sources and some fav shops:

MCM Green Man Painting: Mon Modern
Couch/Futon: Route 30 Retro
Chartreuse + Dark Green Velvet Chairs: URBN Final Cut
Polkadot Removable Wallpaper: Target
Giant Lightbulb and Wiring for Lampshade Light: Von Walter + Funk
Record Player Console Repairs: Galaxie Electronics
Bone Hanging Planter: Mountain Scavenger
Miscellaneous Decor: Pack Vintage
Other Misc. Decor: Zicknack’s

Mid century modern futon couch decorated with green pillows on top of cow skin rug by hanging shelves with lots of knickknacks

an eclectic desk study area is illuminated by window light and is decorated with bright accessories

Taxidermy boar's head light hangs in eclectic pittsburgh apartment against polkadot wallpaper and vintage decor — Is there anything more kitsch than a taxidermied boar's head light? This one-of-a-kind masterpiece might be my favorite belonging. It's extra special because the taxidermied boar belonged to my uncle, and my dad helped me turn it into a light fixture.

an oversized dark velvet green chair in an apartment surrounded by colorful vintage decor — Shoes are Converse’s Run Star Motion Platforms :)

a mid century buffet displays green houseplants and vintage decor

a vintage rattan shelf displays vintage glassware and animal collectables — Peep the pic of me (wearing a feather mustache) and my sister Rychele playing dress-up.

an at home portrait of woman wearing a geometric turtleneck sweater and bright red glasses

Apartment-Sweet-Apartment