My Houzz: Color and Pattern Animate a Small Studio
DIY ingenuity and a talent for thrifting help a Texas performer make the most of her modest rental
Artist, freelance writer, photographer, artist, actor, mother, home tour contributor for Houzz and author of the blog La Maison Boheme. Greenman lives in a 1970s Texas ranch house, which she has transformed into a bohemian haven and family home. She loves eclectic, boho style but also has a soft spot for Midcentury modern and Swedish design. Learn more at www.sarahgreenman.com.
Artist, freelance writer, photographer, artist, actor, mother, home tour... More »
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Working with a tight budget, limited space and an anything-goes attitude, Martha Harms decorated her Dallas apartment with an eclectic mix of bold textiles, quirky hand-me-downs and vintage furniture. "I'm incapable of picking a color theme," she says. "I like them all."
Harms, an actor, always shared space with roommates in the past. "This is my first opportunity to live solo and find my personal aesthetic," she says. Her studio is a sweet collection of secondhand treasures, inherited furniture and inexpensive housewares from yard sales, antiques malls and friends.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Martha Harms
Size: 600 square feet
Location: Uptown neighborhood of Dallas
Harms, an actor, always shared space with roommates in the past. "This is my first opportunity to live solo and find my personal aesthetic," she says. Her studio is a sweet collection of secondhand treasures, inherited furniture and inexpensive housewares from yard sales, antiques malls and friends.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Martha Harms
Size: 600 square feet
Location: Uptown neighborhood of Dallas
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by Sarah Greenman
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| Natural light and a neutral wall color provide a great background for a gallery wall of mirrors, children's illustrations, typography and a vintage clock. Corner mirrors make the space feel more expansive and reflect light from the bedside lamp. |
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by Sarah Greenman
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| Harms, always on the hunt for book storage, scored the wood shelving unit from a friend. "I've inherited so many books, some of which I will probably never read, but I can't seem to give them up," she says. The bed is the centerpiece of the studio. "I love my bed, because I can see the entire apartment from there, and the lighting makes it feel even more cozy." White and gray duvet: Ikea |
by Sarah Greenman
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Harms' home is filled with DIY projects. Her bedside table is from Target, but a friend painted it, changed out the hardware and lined the drawer with a wallpaper sample.
Wallpaper: Dovedale, Cole & Son; drawer pull: Anthropologie
Wallpaper: Dovedale, Cole & Son; drawer pull: Anthropologie
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by Sarah Greenman
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| The living room area is an unexpected mix of patterns, styles and art. Harms says, "Once I hung the record albums, paintings and mirrors on my walls, this place felt like a home." The floral chintz sofa was purchased at a church parking lot sale, and the midcentury-style coffee table was procured for $3 at a thrift store. "My style just sort of happened," she says. "I haven't painted or altered the appearance of anything, and yet the colors all cooperate with each other — which is great, because my decorating philosophy is, 'Make it work.'" A friend helped make the throw pillows on the sofa using fabric from Ikea and Amy Butler. |
by Sarah Greenman
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Music and lighting help create an inviting ambience. Harms' favorite thing to do at home is listen to records, and her prize possession is a vintage Magnavox record player.
"I had to get strategic with the light," she says. "I love warm, cozy lighting, but I don't have a lot of shelf space or outlets for lamps." A vintage floor lamp from Lula B's in Dallas helps light this dark corner.
"I had to get strategic with the light," she says. "I love warm, cozy lighting, but I don't have a lot of shelf space or outlets for lamps." A vintage floor lamp from Lula B's in Dallas helps light this dark corner.
by Sarah Greenman
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Vignettes help delineate space and give the illusion that Harms has more room than she actually does. A home office is tucked into the corner; the handmade paper wheels hanging above her desk are decorations from a friend's wedding.
by Sarah Greenman
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The club chair in the main living space is an antique hand-me-down. Older chairs tend to have a smaller footprint and are perfect for small spaces.
by Sarah Greenman
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A wooden sewing box doubles as a small side table and storage for art and wrapping supplies. Harms found it at Lula B's in Dallas, where she shops for most of her home goods.
by Sarah Greenman
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On the bathroom wall, an empty frame serves as a vertical jewelry display. This DIY project was accomplished with a thrifted frame, a white mesh remnant and some packing tape.
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by Sarah Greenman
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| A vintage oven door hangs on the kitchen wall. "I like to hang things on the wall that are not usually considered art," says Harms. The small kitchen overlooks the main living area. |
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by Sarah Greenman
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| Harms doesn't plan to stay in the apartment for long but wants to make it feel as homey as possible. Inspired by a song-lyric DIY project found on the blog A Beautiful Mess, Harms reinvented a pair of canvases from Bed, Bath & Beyond with a lyric from Mumford & Sons. "I just used two packets of letter stickers and a tub of gesso. Now I have to figure out where to hang them." |
by Sarah Greenman
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Harms, shown here, chose her apartment for its location. "I love my neighborhood," she says. "If I walk out my door and head west, I'll hit a vintage clothing shop, several furniture and art consignment stores, fantastic restaurants and a taco joint. If I head east, I'll run into a coffee shop, a clothing store and a really eclectic shop filled with awesome posters and jewelry and books. It's a great way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon."
When not rehearsing for her latest play, Harms can often be found at her desk, scheduling her next audition and looking for more DIY projects online.
See more photos of this home | Share your creative home with us
When not rehearsing for her latest play, Harms can often be found at her desk, scheduling her next audition and looking for more DIY projects online.
See more photos of this home | Share your creative home with us
Ideabook published on Jan. 7, 2013.
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makes me so happy to see something truly from somebody's personal tastes - a lot of professional interior design tends to make everything look the same (I think).
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/query/My-Houzz
Most people copy what they see in magazines and on design sites and the result in boring. Capital B boring. It is really wonderful to see what talent and creativity you have!
Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
Interesting blog, not like the others! This is the kind of information people expect from entire apartment decorating blogs. You can see more ideas of my Vistastores Ideabooks http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/vistastores
Christina Thompson