Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Vintage Treasure Trove in Chicago
Almost every piece in this eclectic two-bedroom came with a story. Even the ones the owner made herself
A self-proclaimed thrifting addict, Dean Fisher picked up 90% of the pieces in her home from thrift stores or antique shops, or found or inherited them. "I love owning items with a history," Fisher says, "and will often linger when I pick something up from Craigslist, pressing the seller for any backstory they can give me." Fisher, who chronicles her apartment decorating adventures on her blog, My Little Apartment, has a flair for an eclectic mix of 1970s and mid-century modern style.
Houzz at a Glance:
Who lives here: Dean Fisher and her corgi-beagle mix, Bunny
Location: Logan Square, Chicago
Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
That's interesting: The mirror in the living room is built in and was original to the apartment — it's what ended up completely selling Fisher on the space.
Houzz at a Glance:
Who lives here: Dean Fisher and her corgi-beagle mix, Bunny
Location: Logan Square, Chicago
Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
That's interesting: The mirror in the living room is built in and was original to the apartment — it's what ended up completely selling Fisher on the space.
Like any homeowner, Fisher would love to have high-end fabrics and expensive accessories, but it's just not always in her budget. "I have a really hard time paying a lot for something I know I could find at a thrift store," she says. Fisher's mother found these funky green chain-link lamps at a flea market in Kentucky — in fact, Fisher's mother has become one of her favorite thrifting resources.
Built-ins underneath a hall cabinet are filled to the brim with collected architectural magazines — most of which Fisher got for free on Craigslist or from design firms.
A fully outfitted vintage bar in the dining room also serves as a place to store some extra National Geographic copies. Naturally, there's a story behind these magazines too. "I picked up all the National Geographics from a guy out in the suburbs whose father collected them," she says.
Fisher made the gold fringe garland in her entryway for a Cinco de Mayo–themed frock swap, and loved it so much she decided to keep it there. The bentwood chairs were a steal at $10. "I'm a bit of a chair-oholic," she says. "I can't wait to give these a facelift and re-cover the homemade seats in a rad South American weave!"
Leopard-covered chairs: vintage; rug: vintage, found in the Southwest
Leopard-covered chairs: vintage; rug: vintage, found in the Southwest
Although Fisher has redone several of the pieces in her home, almost all of them were done out of pure necessity. The dining table is made out of a hollow core door and two sawhorses from the Home Depot — a configuration she came up with the night before a party, after realizing there was no place to serve the food.
The console just behind the table is an old radiator cover that she found at a flea market in Kentucky. "I've been lugging it around with me for almost 10 years. I'm hoping to have it refinished and powder coated someday," she says.
Chairs: vintage Cesca knockoffs; cowhide: vintage; shell lamps: eBay
The console just behind the table is an old radiator cover that she found at a flea market in Kentucky. "I've been lugging it around with me for almost 10 years. I'm hoping to have it refinished and powder coated someday," she says.
Chairs: vintage Cesca knockoffs; cowhide: vintage; shell lamps: eBay
Here, Fisher's corgi-beagle, Bunny, gets comfy on a vintage rug. "I love that the apartment feels like me," she says. "It's put together but laid back and ready to party. It's important that I can have friends, kids and dogs over and not really worry about my stuff."
The well-worn farm table in the kitchen has been in her family for a long time. The beautiful antique piece works well with the apartment's original (and charming) black-and-white checked floors. Wall shelves from IKEA add extra storage in her small kitchen.
A mini butcher block island gives Fisher some extra workspace, since she was lacking in counters. Rows of photo-booth shots line her fridge for a little kitchen flair.
"My approach to laying out a room is to just go for it," she says." You can think about it, draw it, CAD it, but nothing works as well as you, some muscle and a room full of furniture."
"My approach to laying out a room is to just go for it," she says." You can think about it, draw it, CAD it, but nothing works as well as you, some muscle and a room full of furniture."
Painting the bedroom black might not be the first thing that occurs to renters with small spaces, but it's made Fisher's bedroom feel more cozy and natural. "I wish I'd done it a year and a half ago," she says. "I still can't tell if the room looks smaller, but it feels amazingly cozy and like a perfect little cave. I love it. Don't be afraid to paint small rooms dark colors!"
The side tables were another Craigslist find. The seller told Fisher that his father had made them when he was stationed in Italy during WWII, and the marble tops have his signature on the bottom.
Bedframe: Ikea Redalen; paper pendant: Craigslist; suzani fabric: vintage; wall paint: Benjamin Moore; side tables: vintage
The side tables were another Craigslist find. The seller told Fisher that his father had made them when he was stationed in Italy during WWII, and the marble tops have his signature on the bottom.
Bedframe: Ikea Redalen; paper pendant: Craigslist; suzani fabric: vintage; wall paint: Benjamin Moore; side tables: vintage
Vintage treasures and jewelry litter her bedroom dresser in a elegantly styled vignette.The bedrooms have been really hard to design and lay out, as they're both small and the master has an odd shape. Neither gets good natural light, which has been hard to work with too. Lack of direct sunlight is the one thing Fisher wishes she could change about her apartment. "It's almost impossible to keep plants alive," she says.
Using a trick she learned from a roommate's mom, Fisher curtained two walls in the guest bedroom to soften the space and make it feel bigger. Vintage fabric and a pair of antique Chinese hats add texture and style to the simple and relaxing room.
Bed frame: Ikea; fabric: vintage wool weaving; side table: IKEA; floor lamp: vintage; blanket: Ikea
More Houzz Tours:
Life in the Vintage Renewal Loft
Vintage Style with a Fresh Twist
Artistic and Peaceful in Ann Arbor
Bed frame: Ikea; fabric: vintage wool weaving; side table: IKEA; floor lamp: vintage; blanket: Ikea
More Houzz Tours:
Life in the Vintage Renewal Loft
Vintage Style with a Fresh Twist
Artistic and Peaceful in Ann Arbor
The coffee table is actually two separate parts — Fisher found the base at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena first, and then found the glass top on Craigslist.
Yellow chairs: vintage; lamp: Arco floor lamp; rug: Tangiers Rug, Pottery Barn; side table: IKEA; coffee table, couch, and green lamp: vintage