topic Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT in Home

SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

Oznell — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 01:24:18 GMT

Caroline Winkler has done several makeovers for other people, that I've posted on here; here's a partial tour of her own rental in Washington.

She started out as an actress, who clearly always had a 'curated eye'. Have you ever noticed that if you like the way someone dresses, you often like their house? This is what I mean about having a good eye-- what a cute outfit.

She's quirky, knows what she likes. Describes her style as "cozy", "autumnal" ( those are the colors she likes) and "not fragile" ( things need to be sturdy), since she bumps into things, breaks them, etc.

She fell in love with her small one-bedroom because of the light, and the living room's bay window:

I really like that she chose for curtains, her very favorite color, ochre ( ocher?). They are rich looking. The little wood vases that she constantly fills with fresh flowers were made by her younger brother, as were the hanging bookshelves you can see to the right, above....

She cherishes all the wood items her brother makes, right down to the teeny- tiniest vase...

Love that her chairs are old bentwood. My first apt. chairs were bentwood, and I wish I'd kept them!

The hanging bookshelves her brother made are so organic, and typical of her treasures-- homemade, sentimental, or vintage and thrifted--

This shot below is good, because you can readily see the "autumnal" part of her description in the colors she's chosen. She handcrafts covers for her lampshades, and I love what she did on this fat lamp at the right--

But things get moved around-- here you can see the same corner with same marble table, but different lamp-- and another hand-crafted lampshade:

The handsome antique dresser in the living room is a revolving gallery for her favorites.

A very old dish is right next to a kooky modern vase --

Everything has a story-- part of her family is from Berlin, and this dish, marked Berlin, and dated in the 1870's, was from a great, great, aunt:

She wanted a large, modern piece above the couch, and took her fabric samples, which she collects, and made them into a colorful grid, which she then framed:

The mantel gets changed around, but she likes to have something "layered" on it-- everything on it is vintage or heirloom--

The tiny kitchen had cherry cabinets, which she didn't care for. But she realized that going with cooler colors in the kitchen would temper and complement those cupboards-- thus the "instant" backsplash she installed--

After some hesitation, the landlord let her paint the walls blue ( which she normally doesn't decorate with) , but it does tone down the cabinets, and makes them look pretty.

The paint shade is "Blustery Sky" by Sherwin-Williams. And, in the corner below, she snuck in her favorite color, in the form of the tiny ochre enamel pan.

Some of the small framed prints are simply distinctive postcards that she framed. And she often wallpapers the frames, or covers with fabric--

Here below it's photographing darker than it is, but I just love the "still-life", timeless quality of it, with her little yellow pan and glowing candle...

This same corner gives her more storage and work space courtesy of the handsome antique marble-topped wash stand she found:

The bedroom is tiny and cozy, with her fall colors of greens and browns--

And it has its own fireplace--

I love to see spaces like this, that are so much a personal reflection of the person living there!

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

roeroe1005 — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 01:35:09 GMT

I'm not a backsplash person for the kitchen.

Other than that, very nice.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

bmorechick — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 01:50:42 GMT

@Oznell I just love that apartment. Has everything I would need. But more, I love her outfit and I would definitely wear that look with a pair of black leggings and loafers😉

Thanks for posting - really enjoy what you post!

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

AuntG — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 02:07:54 GMT

That bedroom is small. I'd be bumping into things too.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

kindred cats — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 02:31:28 GMT

I'm a sucker for an antique wash stand. I have my mother's which had been passed down to her.

Nice small apartment.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

Desert Lily — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 04:07:23 GMT

There's no room for people to sit on those chairs at the table. It looks absurd to cram that huge table in that small space.

I like the fireplace, chest, & the wash stand, but are they the focus of her decorating?

The colors of the backsplash & the walls serve to darken & give a feeling of enclosure.

Her outfit isn't great either IMO.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

Nonametoday — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 05:30:24 GMT

I like the little dish marked "Berlin." I do like bentwood and have a beautiful hand-made bentwood rocking chair in storage, not a mass-produced one. I love it but my house won't hold anything else. If I put everything I own in this house, it would look like those hoarders on TV. Other than those two items, just nothing that I care for. Perhaps if I saw it in person, I might like it.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

We rescue cats — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:24 GMT

I love her cozy outfit, the buttoned cardigan is my taste, form and color both! And I love the tiny apartment. The piecs on the tables and mantles are grouped so well, I'm sure that when she changes things around the entire feeling changes. DC anc NYC must be the tiny abode capitols of the country.

The design and colors of the throw are relfective of the large piece artwork, something I know I would never have considered, but sets a tone for my eye. I love it, I love DC, wonder where she is, the transomed windows are lovely.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

DREAMON — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:29:55 GMT

This space is not appealing to me. The Dining Table and Chairs looks uncomfortable with no room to move .

The Living Room is just OK.

This one is just not for me.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

CarolinaGirl88 — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:18 GMT

I like a lot of this; I think the colors are pretty. The apartment looks homey and cozy. I do agree with those that have commented about the dining area looking crowded, but I love the plants, the curtains, and the little wooden vases. As some others have said, I also love her outfit; very cute!

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

shoptilyadropagain — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:04:19 GMT

I love those shelves that her brother made but other than that there's not much here for me. A lot of it is just an eclectic hot mess. I think it's silly to cram that dining room table into the bay window area.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

Oznell — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 21:08:24 GMT

Re the table thing: In the video ( which is full of charm and so watchable.), Caroline took a humorous attitude toward the ill-fitting table in the bay, of which she is fully cognizant.

But she says, she's long had that lovely table, adores it, and decided to make it work for her. She states that a round or smaller table would be ideal, for that space. But, since this is a rental, and probably not her permanent abode, I think this comes under the category of "realistic accomodation", ha.

@We rescue cats , your analysis is spot-on. Enjoying your very individual responses to different houses and the way they are lived in.

I'm also curious about where exactly that apt. is in D.C., but she didn't say, or, if she did, I missed it....

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

spiderw — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 22:39:38 GMT

While I prefer much more space, I do like this apartment. I like all the decor, retro, antique and the artwork is just lovely. I also have framed post cards many times and displayed them so I do like that addition. I of course find the curtains appealing as I am a curtain/drape person, it adds warmth to the room. All in all very nice!!!!

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

GingerHead — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 21:51:23 GMT

@Oznell

Her outfit is adorable and does look a lot like her home, which is homey and cozy as another poster stated....spot on.

Autumn is my favorite season and I'm really fond of her colors and I especially love the ochr (?sp, I don't know either!) floor to ceiling drapes and velvet pillow.

I like her use of fabric samples into an art piece....I need to do something like that with my hundreds of paint sample cards!haha

Thanks for the lovely!

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

CANDLEQUEEN — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:48:13 GMT

I think it is super cute, however the Dining Room with the chairs looks way too cramped. Maybe a smaller table??? It is only 600 sq feet so it is small, but for one person-she is really making it work!

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

birdQ13 — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:55:54 GMT

I like that SHE likes her apt. and has placed personal, special-to-her items around her, including using her favorite colors. I am not that creative yet...it inspired me to rethink some of my furnishings to add more joy, i've got certain special and quirky items boxed up- maybe I can put more "out". Thanks for sharing.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

Oznell — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:31:06 GMT

I love that-- that's the spirit, @birdQ13 ! She inspired me similarly. It's fun to "curate" the things you already have but may have forgotten about, perhaps see them with new eyes, and have them bring renewed pleasure...

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

laluzdelmundo — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 20:53:03 GMT

@Oznell Wow, I was so pleased to see you feature Caroline as one of your Home forum topics today. She's been a YouTube fave of mine for years. I remember her vid of checking out different apartments before settling on this one.

I'm fairly open to how people arrange their space as I'm not the one living in it. She has made several changes in her apt. over the years and they've all been interesting. Caroline is someone who, in my family anyhow, would be considered "artsy."

Thanks again for introducing her to the Forum.

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

Oznell — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 22:00:42 GMT

Oh, good, @laluzdelmundo , it's my pleasure. She's a fun one to follow, isn't she, because of her wit and resourcefulness. Definitely not cookie-cutter!