Reader OMG! – Kristin’s Eclectic City Condo


Reader OMG! is a series showcasing home tours from my favorite people…The DIY Playbook readers! Every month or so, I’ll highlight the home of someone with some serious design style. I’m hopeful that these swoon-worthy spaces will make you say “OMG”…hence the name! It also gives me a chance to feature home styles outside of my own, so you can take away some fresh ideas for your space.Reader OMG blog series

So far we’ve featured two amazing homes in the series…

Kristin’s Eclectic Condo

Kristin's eclectic condo tour
  • Homeowner: Kristin (along with her husband and cute pup, Margot)
  • Location: Chicago, IL – Wicker Park
  • Home Type: Duplex
  • Year Built: 1999
  • Describe your Home Style: Modern with eclectic and global influences
  • Favorite Spot in your House:  This is hard! My favorite space is always the room I’ve worked on most recently.  Today, it’s my recently renovated bathroom. The wallpaper is gorgeous and really makes my small bathroom feel special.

Today’s home tour is chock full of inspiration. Kristin is a blog reader, turned friend. We actually met last year when she reached out to me after I posted about feeling a tad lonely working from home by myself. She also lives in my neighborhood and works from home and we decided to meet up for coffee. We instantly bonded and started working together in local coffee shops one day a week. I visited her home early on in our friendship and was impressed by her condo. She has put so much heart and soul into this once builder-basic home and it shows. It’s funny because you walk around Kristin’s home and every time you inquire about a piece she tells you…

margot on the bed

a. She DIY’ed it.
b. She found it at an estate sale/flea market/thrift store.
c. It was a family heirloom.
d. She picked it up on one of her global travels.

Her home is anything but cookie-cutter and I absolutely love that! Every piece tells a story and those are my favorite kinds of spaces. Every time I leave her home I feel inspired to do a bit more thrifting and take on more DIY projects! Let’s take a look at her gorgeous home…

Master Bedroom

Eclectic Chicago condo
Black walls in a master bedroom
Basket light fixture
Patterned pillows on a bed
Black paint on the walls

Paint Color:  Sherwin Williams “Carbonized”  Closet Wallpaper: Brewster “Wall Vision Non-Woven Damask (Grey)”

Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a gorgeous black bedroom. Who knew black walls could look so chic? But it really allows the other elements in the room to stand out like her DIY curtains, her patterned pillows (that she made!), and all of the art on her walls. I’m also obsessed with the wallpapered closet. It makes the walk-in closet feel extra luxurious (along with the cute footstool).

Hallway

Organized hallway
Artwork in the hallway

Paint Color: Walls, Sherwin Williams “White Dove” | Trim, Sherwin Williams “Mandi White” | Doors, Sherwin Williams “Greenblack”

When you live in a condo in the city, you’ve gotta get creative with storage and Kristin did just that in her hallway. She added a piece from Ikea for shoe storage, along with hooks and a shelf for coats. One of the gold plates is a family heirloom from Ethiopia while the others were amazing finds at local estate sales. The unique artwork, like this portrait from Prague, makes this hallway anything but cookie-cutter. Oh, and the rug! It looks like it was an antique find, but it’s from this online rug store.

Powder Room

Powder room with wallpaper
Shelf over the toilet in the bathroom
Lowe's bathroom light
Cute sink in powder room

Paint Color:  Benjamin Moore “Cracked Pepper” Wallpaper: Hygge and West “Mermaids (Gold)”

This powder room is Kristin’s most recent DIY project and she should be damn proud of this space. After wallpapering her closet, she felt prepared to take on the bathroom space and she did a phenomenal job. The mermaid wallpaper is so incredibly gorgeous, these photos won’t ever do it justice. She then added the millwork to the bottom and painted it black. This really allows the wallpaper to pop. I even admire how she swapped out the toilet seat for a black one for a high contrast look. A simple swap that takes things to the next level. And, can you believe that all of the fixtures are from Lowe’s?

Guest Bedroom

Guest bedroom with accent wall
Gallery wall in a guest room
I like big butts and I cannot lie
Circle accent wall behind a bed

Paint Color:  Behr “Nano White”  Circle Paint Color: Sherwin Williams “Ripe Olive”

I’ve never seen a  large circle painted on a bedroom wall, but this is seriously the coolest! And why not get a little crazy in a guest room? Kristin painted this circle and part of the shelf to create a statement wall right when you walk in the room. On the opposite side, you’ll find a gallery wall full of unique art (including the hilarious needlework she created herself. I told you, there is nothing this woman can’t DIY!).

Living Room

2 floor living room
Couch and living room
Candlesticks and wood vase
Picture ledge with frames
Eames chair
Entertainment center and television

Paint Color: Sherwin Williams “White Dove”

The living room is on the lower level with amazing windows and natural light streaming in. Kristin made the wall tapestry herself to take up a large chunk of the wall without breaking the bank. The huge rug was a steal from a local rug shop and it adds so much color and personality to this space. The media console is another cool piece…so sleek and modern. Oh, and that Eames chair is another awesome find along with the brass candlesticks (these ones are similar).

Bathroom

Bathroom with black hexagon flooring

Black hexagon flooring
White subway tile

Paint Color: Sherwin Williams “Alabaster”

Here’s the guest bathroom on the lower level. It’s classic, yet still a tad funky. The black hexagon with the white subway tile looks fantastic in this light-filled room. The vintage bath rug (found on Etsy!) adds some color and that cool vibe that you’ll find all over the rest of the house. Most of the fixtures and finishes are from Lowe’s in this bathroom as well (except for the vanity light).

Outdoor Rooftop

Outdoor rooftop in Chicago
Outdoor patio set

Finally, the rooftop! I hadn’t ever seen this space before and was blown away when Kristin brought me up there. She added turf to a part of it and has patio furniture on the rest. She has big plans to continue to improve this space, but man, that view of the Chicago skyline can’t be beat!

Eclectic condo tour

Shop Kristin’s Eclectic Condo

reader omg kristin mood board

Persian Rug | Brass Candle Holders | Wall Plates | Media Console| Lumbar Pillow

Green Velvet Pillow |ย Black Pillow | Eames Chair | Baskets (love this one too!) | Ceramic Vase | Brass Table Lamp

Kristin and her dog on the couch

A big thank you to Kristin for inviting us into her gorgeous home. Her style is so cool and makes me want to be more daring with my home choices. Which is your favorite spot? Mine is a tie between the circle wall in the guest bedroom (genius!) and the mermaid wallpaper in the powder room. Both soooo amazing!

Submit your Home for Reader OMG!Reader OMG blog series

Want to see your home featured on The DIY Playbook? Send an email to [email protected] with the subject line โ€œReader OMG!โ€ including lots of photos of your gorgeous home. I already have a few tours booked up for this summer, but would love to get your home ready for a fall feature!

Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.