Today’s high-rise apartment project in Chicago proves that you don’t have to settle for blah just because you rent rather than own your home. And since apartment living can sometimes feel “temporary”, we wanted to make sure that the views inside this 29th floor, Lakeshore apartment were as amazing as those of the city and Lake Michigan outside.

After meeting with our client and discussing the project, we began by having the entire apartment painted, replacing cold, industrial, light gray with warmer taupe greens (Sherwin Williams “Rice Grain, Ramie & Favorite Tan”), (TIP: By using several values from the same color strip, we were able to differentiate adjoining spaces without making them feel small or choppy.)

Living Room Before Living Room After

After painting, we started our redesign by angling the furniture in the living area taking advantage of the under-used space in the window niche. Simply rearranging the sofa and chairs helped open up the entire space making it feel less choppy and more conversational. And rather than hiding the beauty of the antique, drop-leaf dining table to save space, we opened it up creating room for the two extra chairs, freeing space by the sideboard. (TIP: Small items in small spaces only make those spaces feel smaller!) Replacing the dark gray draperies with new cream panels allowed the window coverings to blend into the newly painted walls giving the illusion of more space. Reusing lamps, plants and other items and adding a new lamp, artwork and accessories put the final touches on the space.

Dining Room Before Dining Room After

With the living space feeling refreshed, larger and more inviting, we moved our attention the bedroom. Sometimes all a room need is a few more layers. In this case, we added new, matching mercury glass lamps, repositioned the nightstands, added artwork and new drapery panels, along with new accent pillows and a throw. The completed look now flows nicely pulling accent colors from the adjoining bathroom. (TIP: Matching lamps and carefully placed artwork help frame the bed creating a better focal point in a Master Bedroom…. even when the nightstands and other furnishings may not be matchy-matchy.)

Bedroom Before Bedroom After

Just a few hours after we finished, I received an email with these kind words from the happy homeowner: “Thank you so much! My place is beautiful and I don’t ever want to leave it. I’m so comfortable and it finally feels like home. I don’t know how to thank you!”
Whether you own your home or rent, don’t settle for half done! Repurpose, reuse and rejuvenate your way to a space you’ll “never want to leave”! Happy Decorating!