Monday, November 10, 2014

Warm and welcoming home

My friend Ruby is absolutely delightful and one evening she invited the girls over for a mood board making party. Walking into her apartment I immediately felt like I was home. She was gracious enough to let me photograph her apartment in Lincoln Square here in Chicago. 
Every wall and every corner has a little something to look at. My favorite in the living room is the "You Better Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yourself" poster from Orange Beautiful. Right next to it is a fabulous birdcage that she found at a Michigan antique shop. 
Living Room
Tucked away in the living room window is an angel that her sister gave her. 
The chair she had custom made when she lived in California because she has such long legs and the seat is a little deeper then most chairs.


The cash register was a gift to her when she was a kid from her father which he found at the Rose Bowl Antique Market. 
The star on the wall in her living room was from Hoard antiques that used to be on Damen here in Chicago. Sadly it closed. She said she was drawn to it and just had to have it.
The trunk was a gift from an ex-boyfriends mother who used to be a nun and took the trunk with her when she went to the convent.
Close up of "You Better Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yourself" poster from Orange Beautiful

Hallway
The side table was also a gift and she put paper on the top of it.The fish vase she found at Enjoy on Lincoln.
The sock puppet was a gift but she chose to frame it instead of leaving it as a stuffed animal. She elevated the lowly sock puppet to art.
The chalkboard with such a lovely sentiment is also from Orange Beautiful.
Her mom purchased the Sacred Heart when she was a child from a traveling sales person. It has hung over the door of every home she has lived in.
Hallway view to the Living Room.
Hallway view to the Dining Room. 
Bedroom
The stencil over her bed she found at Target. Her headboard is a Craigslist find and she said that it took her a long time to find one that she liked the shape of.
The nightstand she purchased in Iowa while she was visiting a friend over thanksgiving.
The dresser is another gift from her ex-boyfriend’s mother. It is a lovely piece from the 40’s. On top of it is a tray and glassware that she found at Ikea.
The painting on her other dresser is a picture she took on the Rhine River in Basel, Switzerland. She had it made into a painting. Ruby said the colors were so amazing and the picture captured them perfectly.
The star hanging in her window is from cost plus.
Dining Room
Her dining table was a gift from a stranger she met at a party.The chairs were another Craigslist find which Ruby refinished and reupholstered the seats. We talked about how much fun it is to find these treasures and refinish them and the joy in working with our hands.
In her dining room the mirror on the wall is from the Andersonville Galleria. Ruby took almost all of the photos and framed them and hung them on her wall.
Ruby’s decorating style is not limited to one certain style or period, but is made up of the things that she is really drawn to and she gets really excited about. She buys vintage because she likes the way the items look and their very unique shapes.
What makes her home so uniquely her is that the things she chooses to hang on her wall have either a positive message or capture a favorite memory of a person or places. 



A heartfelt thank you to Ruby for letting me spend some time with her in her lovely home. This is the first home that I have photographed and I recognize that I am missing full room shots. Next time! 

Originally published 12/14/13

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