My Houzz: Wood-and-White Charm and a Dreamy Sewing Nook
A graphic designer’s 550-square-foot Chicago apartment features lots of natural light and gorgeous wood trim
Rachel Loewen
February 17, 2018
Rachel is a Houzz Contributor, lifestyle photographer, and storyteller. She captures interiors, people, travels, food, and stylings. She's the co-creator of #OurChicagoStories, a graphic and floral designer, and recently moved from Chicago to Kansas City, Missouri.
Rachel is a Houzz Contributor, lifestyle photographer, and storyteller. She captures... More
Studio Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here: Eavan Wallner
Location: Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago
Size: 550 square feet (51 square meters)
Eavan Wallner’s studio apartment is filled with original wood trim and plenty of charm. “I love that I have windows on both the east and west sides of my apartment, giving me loads of light virtually all day,” says Wallner, who works as a graphic designer at advertising agency Leo Burnett. “I also love how the space is divided. Even though it’s a studio, it feels spacious.
“My queen bed fits perfectly … and tucks up right next to my windows. It’s the coziest sanctuary,” she says. “And I’ve spent many peaceful mornings reading, drinking coffee and watching the rain or snow fall from my bed.”
Who lives here: Eavan Wallner
Location: Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago
Size: 550 square feet (51 square meters)
Eavan Wallner’s studio apartment is filled with original wood trim and plenty of charm. “I love that I have windows on both the east and west sides of my apartment, giving me loads of light virtually all day,” says Wallner, who works as a graphic designer at advertising agency Leo Burnett. “I also love how the space is divided. Even though it’s a studio, it feels spacious.
“My queen bed fits perfectly … and tucks up right next to my windows. It’s the coziest sanctuary,” she says. “And I’ve spent many peaceful mornings reading, drinking coffee and watching the rain or snow fall from my bed.”
Wallner moved from the Rogers Park area to her current Lakeview neighborhood three years ago. “Moving to Lakeview, I was glad to be closer to my office and my friends! Getting downtown from work was a bit of a trek,” she says.
As a young professional on a budget, Wallner has become quite the thrifty urban dweller. “At this stage in life, it’s most important that the piece fits for what I need and that I can afford it,” she says. “Beautiful design follows in third place.”
As a young professional on a budget, Wallner has become quite the thrifty urban dweller. “At this stage in life, it’s most important that the piece fits for what I need and that I can afford it,” she says. “Beautiful design follows in third place.”
“Chicago feels heavy and old in the best way, like parts of it will never change,” Wallner says. “I think I’ve come to appreciate these qualities and emulate them in my style choices, opting for fewer, higher-quality things when I can and trying to choose classic designs that I truly love, trends aside.”
Wallner set up a sewing and work area in this cozy enclosed space off the main living area. The dress form is from a friend who studied fashion. “She used to live in Chicago but moved to L.A. to pursue acting. Before she moved, she let me adopt the dress form and the rest of her fashion design tools, including her sewing machine,” Wallner says.
Desk: Alex, Ikea
Desk: Alex, Ikea
Wallner looked around for a sofa with the right dimensions to fit in her space and found a faux leather settee on Craigslist. The vintage rug is from a Salvation Army store.
Her heavier, more expensive finds complement the lighter affordable pieces and ground the room. Wallner sewed the gray accent pillow herself.
Coffee table: Lack, Ikea; sheepskin rug: Rens, Ikea; cream pillows: Ikea
Make a Gorgeous (Cheap!) Pillow Using Vintage Clothes
Her heavier, more expensive finds complement the lighter affordable pieces and ground the room. Wallner sewed the gray accent pillow herself.
Coffee table: Lack, Ikea; sheepskin rug: Rens, Ikea; cream pillows: Ikea
Make a Gorgeous (Cheap!) Pillow Using Vintage Clothes
“The Wallner graphics sign belonged to my grandfather, who was also a graphic designer,” Wallner says. “This sign hung outside his office space. It’s such a lovely relic from a time when design was often an analog and tactile process.”
The star above Wallner’s bed is from a secondhand shop called Yesterday’s Treasures in Chesterton, Indiana, where her grandmother lives. “It’s made of wood and was originally white, but I painted it black for the sake of contrast and drama,” she says.
Swing-arm brass wall sconce: CB2; bed frame: Tarva, Ikea; duvet cover: Ofelia Vass, Ikea
Swing-arm brass wall sconce: CB2; bed frame: Tarva, Ikea; duvet cover: Ofelia Vass, Ikea
Wallner found the vintage side table at Good Deal Garage. The maroon upholstered vintage chair is one of a pair she bought at a thrift store.
One of the main reasons Wallner fell in love with the apartment was its all-white bathroom with classic, Chicago-style penny tiles. “Soon after I signed the lease, I got a call from my landlord to inform me that he was redoing the tile — that day! I snuck out of work to go and see the tiles he’d chosen; they were big, square and brown,” she says.
“I showed him photos online of how nice white bathrooms look and convinced him to lay subway tile in the shower and keep the original tiled floor. I’m forever grateful that he called because I would have been so deflated if I had come home to my new apartment to find a yellow-y brown bathroom.”
“I showed him photos online of how nice white bathrooms look and convinced him to lay subway tile in the shower and keep the original tiled floor. I’m forever grateful that he called because I would have been so deflated if I had come home to my new apartment to find a yellow-y brown bathroom.”
The small closet is a carefully curated space. Wallner uses the windowsill to display jewelry and art, including a finger painting with glitter made by her 5-year-old cousin during her housewarming party.
Her favorite aesthetic involves texture and character: “Interiors that feel as if they’ve been around for a long time, collecting and evolving, with a mix of masculine and feminine details. I tend to lean more traditional than modern. And my apartment is about 30 percent of the way to my dream aesthetic.”
Her favorite aesthetic involves texture and character: “Interiors that feel as if they’ve been around for a long time, collecting and evolving, with a mix of masculine and feminine details. I tend to lean more traditional than modern. And my apartment is about 30 percent of the way to my dream aesthetic.”
“I’ve also come to appreciate the extreme seasons we get in Chicago,” Wallner says. “I try to celebrate each of them by changing up my space and habits.”
Wallner’s shoes are thoughtfully displayed on open shelves in the closet.
Wallner found the white kitchen table in her building’s laundry room and asked her landlord if she could use it. The white metal chairs are a Craigslist find.
The kitchen features beautiful wood built-ins. Wallner uses the top shelves to display collected bowls, glassware and books. She groups these items to create vignettes for the eye to wander over.
Sediment tableware in pink designed by OS & OOS: Umbra Shift
Sediment tableware in pink designed by OS & OOS: Umbra Shift
The view from the kitchen nook is into the main living area.
A mother-in-law’s tongue adds a touch of green to this kitchen corner. The framed art is of a botanical print Wallner found in a paper-sourcing publication. “Decorating is literally creating art and design that you get to live inside,” Wallner says. “How fun is that?”
See more of this studio
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
See more of this studio
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Related Stories
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Boston Pied-à-Terre Designed for Evenings
By Becky Harris
A designer found on Houzz infuses a condo with a sultry vibe inspired by supper clubs and luxe boutique hotels
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Once-Bland Rental Now a Welcoming Home
By Kate Burt
A designer found on Houzz transforms a plain city apartment using color, texture and space planning
Full Story
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Museum-Inspired Moments in a Beachfront High-Rise
By Becky Harris
A couple’s love of art guides these designers toward a warm neutral color palette and rich textures
Full Story
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Two Small New York Apartments Become One
By Becky Harris
An architect combines a one-bedroom and an adjacent studio apartment to create a colorful and functional home
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Family Says No to Relocating in Favor of Remodeling
An architect helps a family in Rome bring light, color and natural materials into their apartment
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Spanish Penthouse Opens Up to City Views
By Isabel Núñez
A renovation brings in light and connects an apartment to its expansive balcony and sweeping views of Barcelona
Full Story
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Family Friendliness for a Manhattan Apartment
By Becky Harris
A designer creates multifunctional, bright and playful spaces for a couple and their two toddlers
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Neutral Decor Lets Period Features Shine
The simple, contemporary decor of this Spanish apartment complements its gorgeous stained glass and cement tile
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Colorful Spanish Apartment for Tapas and Relaxing
An architect found on Houzz uses bold color and small-space solutions to create a joyful pied-à-terre for a retiree
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Subtle Elegance Meets Period Features
By Elen Pouhaer
A designer found on Houzz pairs contemporary furniture with stunning traditional design in Paris
Full Story
The place is so relaxed and heartwarming. I'm sure it will spark your imagination and creativity.