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Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,495
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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.

 

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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.  

 

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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:

 

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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...

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

 

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

 

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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-- 

 

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

 

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

 

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

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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:

 

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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:

 

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

 

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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-- 

 

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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.

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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--

 

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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... 

 

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

 

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

 

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And it has its own fireplace--

 

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

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,832
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

I'm not a backsplash person for the kitchen. 

 

Other than that, very nice.  

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,040
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

@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!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,628
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,749
Registered: ‎04-04-2020

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

 

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

 

Nice small apartment. Cat Happy

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,294
Registered: ‎06-24-2011

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,432
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,691
Registered: ‎01-25-2023

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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. 

Lynn-Critter Lover!
(especially cats!)
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,824
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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.

Super Contributor
Posts: 459
Registered: ‎07-05-2024

Re: SMALL, PERSONAL D.C. APARTMENT

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!