Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Child-Friendly Two-Bedroom in Chicago
Throwing babyproofing to the wind, a couple let good taste and common sense be their guide
Blogger and stay-at-home mom Jiye Lee once read an article about how the French don't babyproof their homes; they just use common sense. This simple wisdom rang true for Lee and her husband, and stayed with them as they redesigned their home.
"I forget the exact source, but the gist of the piece was that French children learn to live with all the fragile pieces and delicate furniture," Lee says. "In the same way, we chose not to turn our home into a giant, padded, gated-off playroom like so many parents have done." Although the couple moved potentially hazardous items higher up and relocated their coffee table when their first daughter (they have two, ages 3 and 10 weeks) was learning to crawl, for the most part they've maintained their contemporary sense of style. Here's a peek into their Bucktown apartment, which is within walking distance of hip Damen Avenue.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their 2 children
Where: Bucktown/Wicker Park, Chicago
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths
"I forget the exact source, but the gist of the piece was that French children learn to live with all the fragile pieces and delicate furniture," Lee says. "In the same way, we chose not to turn our home into a giant, padded, gated-off playroom like so many parents have done." Although the couple moved potentially hazardous items higher up and relocated their coffee table when their first daughter (they have two, ages 3 and 10 weeks) was learning to crawl, for the most part they've maintained their contemporary sense of style. Here's a peek into their Bucktown apartment, which is within walking distance of hip Damen Avenue.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their 2 children
Where: Bucktown/Wicker Park, Chicago
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths
Lee spends the little free time she has online working on her fashion blog. In between diaper changes and mom’s wine nights, and during naptimes, she can be found on the dining table evangelizing readers on the latest Lara Miller collection or curating the best editorials on leopard denim.
Fun fact about the suspension light: It’s the same one used in the movie The Breakup, starring Jennifer Aniston. “We were watching the movie and got excited when we spotted our light in the middle of it,” says Lee.
Dining table, chairs and mirror: Room & Board; suspension light: Clavius, from Lightology; baby seat: Boon Pedestal Highchair
Fun fact about the suspension light: It’s the same one used in the movie The Breakup, starring Jennifer Aniston. “We were watching the movie and got excited when we spotted our light in the middle of it,” says Lee.
Dining table, chairs and mirror: Room & Board; suspension light: Clavius, from Lightology; baby seat: Boon Pedestal Highchair
Lee's favorite time of day: whenever she can carve out enough time to enjoy the Eames lounge chair and ottoman. "It's the most comfortable place to sit with my Kindle and a cup of tea," she says. "It's definitely my most beloved space in the home. My husband agrees that it is well worth the investment."
Lounge chair: Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair
Lounge chair: Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair
Framed wallpaper graces the space above the fireplace. "I love the combination of methods: screen-printing and painting," Lee says. "The colors are hand-painted, so each sheet is unique," says Lee.
Art: Nama Rococo
Art: Nama Rococo
Prints appropriate for a child's room line the main hallway. "We love how the illustrations feature children but are done with sophisticated color schemes like grays, blacks and taupes with splashes of color to make them friendly to adults as well" Lee says.
She credits the staff at one of her favorite furniture stores with giving her the exact swatches to paint colors that she liked in their mock-up rooms. "Just ask if you like a specific detail at a retail store, and if they have the information, they'll probably give it to you," she says.
Prints: Ashley G; wall paint: Iron Mountain, Benjamin Moore
She credits the staff at one of her favorite furniture stores with giving her the exact swatches to paint colors that she liked in their mock-up rooms. "Just ask if you like a specific detail at a retail store, and if they have the information, they'll probably give it to you," she says.
Prints: Ashley G; wall paint: Iron Mountain, Benjamin Moore
The traditional black-and-white silhouette print is tweaked in pink in Lee's eldest daughter's room. She explains, "We're in a transition period right now and in the middle of moving from a baby's space to a big girl's room. I'm looking for design inspiration."
Chandelier: Urban Outfitters; crib: Walmart; pillow and blanket: Etsy; print: Ashley G; wall paint: Pismo Dunes, Benjamin Moore
Chandelier: Urban Outfitters; crib: Walmart; pillow and blanket: Etsy; print: Ashley G; wall paint: Pismo Dunes, Benjamin Moore
Toy organization and storage are musts in any home that doesn't want to be completely overrun by toys, books and random little parts on the floor. Lee uses several baskets for storing odds and ends, children's books and art supplies.
Baskets: Land of Nod; bookshelves: IKEA
Baskets: Land of Nod; bookshelves: IKEA
Although Lee mostly uses online sources for inspiration, tried-and-tested print materials occupy the top shelf of her bookcase. Neutral-spined style and design books find a home next to a Thomas O'Brien clock and a framed print in bright yellow.
Clock: Target
Clock: Target
Lee and her husband love the fact that there are three windows behind their bed, providing much-needed sunlight, especially during long and cold Midwest winters. She plans to replace their bedside tables, which she says are too low for the bed.
"The littlest one still sleeps in a bassinet next to the bed," Lee says, adding that she nurses by simply propping herself and the baby) against the headboard, which eliminates the need for a glider and ottoman.
More:
Modern Bucktown Beauty
Modern Icons: Eames Molded Plywood Chairs
Modern Loft Living in Chicago
"The littlest one still sleeps in a bassinet next to the bed," Lee says, adding that she nurses by simply propping herself and the baby) against the headboard, which eliminates the need for a glider and ottoman.
More:
Modern Bucktown Beauty
Modern Icons: Eames Molded Plywood Chairs
Modern Loft Living in Chicago
Lee excitedly shares how the Eames molded plywood chair made its way into their home. "I was 39 weeks pregnant with our first daughter. My husband knew how much I had been admiring the chair, a functional sculpture on its own. One day I walked out into the living room after a shower and there it was!"
An Eames chair for a push present? "I'll take it over jewelry any day," Lee says.
Area rug: nu-Loom Moroccan trellis; chair: Eames Molded Plywood Armchair in Ash; living room paint: Willow Creek, Benjamin Moore