Houzz Tour: Pattern-Happy Personality in Los Angeles
Bland design defaults didn't scare this owner; she used color, prints and quirky mixes to turn them on their head
A thousand square feet of blank space might feel intimidating to some, but this apartment's empty walls and cookie-cutter materials turned out to be a dream come true for Ariane Bartosh. The Los Angeles designer and painter used the space as a blank canvas on which to showcase her love of color, pattern and texture. Now hand-drawn patterns and vintage wallpaper adorn the walls and colorful, quirky furniture fills the apartment with unmistakable personality.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ariane Bartosh
Location: Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles
Size: 1,200 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Budget: $35,000, including labor, furniture and materials
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ariane Bartosh
Location: Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles
Size: 1,200 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Budget: $35,000, including labor, furniture and materials
Most of the furniture is a result of Bartosh's passion for vintage. The armchairs are Italian Techno chairs from the 1980s, reupholstered in a plush salmon corduroy. She found the vintage Milo Baughman sofa for a steal ($1,000!) on eBay and upholstered it in orange fabric from Osborne & Little. "I'll find things I like on 1stdibs. And obviously I can't afford it," Bartosh says. "So I'll hunt eBay until I find exactly what I'm looking for."
Like many older apartments, the Victorian-style fourplex had been remodeled with standard materials purchased on the cheap. While most of the apartment was in good shape, it was too plain-Jane for Bartosh.
The kitchen cabinetry was fairly new, but its powder blue color felt washed out.
AFTER: New glossy black cabinetry gives the little kitchen more dimension. Bartosh replaced the floor tiles with a Carrara and Negro Marquina marble pattern. She painted blue, purple and black waves on the wall for splashes of color.
Cabinet paint: Wolf, Pratt & Lambert
Cabinet paint: Wolf, Pratt & Lambert
The white walls in Bartosh's small bath looked dingy in the windowless room.
Blue carpet made the bedroom feel small and outdated.
AFTER: Bartosh ripped out the carpet to reveal a hardwood floor underneath. The midcentury-style furniture and vintage chenille coverlet are all from Bartosh's room at her old apartment. The portrait above the bed is a self portrait. "I feel like everyone should have something luxurious like a giant picture of themselves above their bed," she says.
Love to see very personal, creative decorating? Tour more eclectic homes
Love to see very personal, creative decorating? Tour more eclectic homes
Rug: Flokati.com; wall paint: Petal Bloom, Pratt & Lambert