Houzz Tour: Comfortably Creative in Boston
Clever thrifting, collecting and experimenting makes this apartment shine
Pairing her love for thrifting and a soft spot for all things creative, the writer of the blog Red Jet Whistle has turned her 850-square-foot apartment into a clean and comfortable abode by slowly collecting pieces that she loves over time. As a manager for an architectural firm in Boston, Massachusetts, Amanda (who chooses to use her first name only) is no stranger to creative design. Let's take a look at what she's done with her house:
After discovering FLOR tiles a number of years ago, Amanda found that she was drawn to their versatility but interested in more patterns. With the help of a utility knife and a few colored tiles, she came up with her own clever geometric pattern and assembled the rug in her living room. See the before and after on Amanda's blog, Red Jet Whistle.
"Coming from art school and having a lot of artist friends has always helped to fill my collection, but I also love buying prints from artists through sites like Etsy and Big Cartel," she says. "I like to pick up odd pieces of 'art' when I’m out thrifting. None of it has been very expensive, which makes it easy to change often. I always make sure to pick up some spare frames at thrift stores; a quick coat of paint and you’ve saved tons of money on framing." The arrows you see here and elsewhere in the apartment are Amanda's own creations.
When I first looked at the apartment, I noticed how calm the bathroom felt and asked if she had chosen the color. "When I moved in, the bathroom was painted dark red below the chair rail and bright yellow above, which I really hated, so I went in the opposite direction," she says. "I’ve always felt that bathrooms should be clean and cool." Good move, Amanda. I can't imagine living with a red and yellow bathroom!
The paint color is “Quill” by Olympic.
The paint color is “Quill” by Olympic.
Nearly all of her furniture was thrifted, salvaged, found on Craigslist, or handed down, with some IKEA pieces here and there. "There’s so much great stuff with history, quality and fabulous design — no one should ever buy disposable furniture," she says. "Admittedly, buying used takes time and patience, and sometimes you have to wait for the right piece to come along, but I think that homes that evolve slowly have more character and less compromise." I couldn't agree more.
When I saw Amanda's studio, I didn't want to look at my own ever again! Hers is so organized and clean that I had to ask if it always looks this good.
"My work areas always used to be volcanoes of supplies, junk and half-finished projects, but in the last few years I’ve completely changed my habits. I had to re-train myself to put everything back in its place. There’s usually an ongoing project on the desk, but otherwise it’s nearly always this neat."
She also mentioned that it's actually the dining room, which shares an open wall with the living room, meaning that it's always on display. Drawers and cabinets help hide any visual clutter.
"My work areas always used to be volcanoes of supplies, junk and half-finished projects, but in the last few years I’ve completely changed my habits. I had to re-train myself to put everything back in its place. There’s usually an ongoing project on the desk, but otherwise it’s nearly always this neat."
She also mentioned that it's actually the dining room, which shares an open wall with the living room, meaning that it's always on display. Drawers and cabinets help hide any visual clutter.
This is where Amanda sews and does other projects. She recently opened a shop on Big Cartel called Quivver, where she sells her handmade decorative oak and leather arrows.
When she's not sewing, creating or thrifting, she enjoys reading design blogs and magazines, and also getting together with her foodie friends.
More:
Visit a Restored Eichler on the San Francisco Bay
See Inside an Historic Home in Austin
A Joyous Home in Norway
When she's not sewing, creating or thrifting, she enjoys reading design blogs and magazines, and also getting together with her foodie friends.
More:
Visit a Restored Eichler on the San Francisco Bay
See Inside an Historic Home in Austin
A Joyous Home in Norway