Author Erika Veurink pulled collectively her Brooklyn condo like she did her wardrobe: she peppered it with offbeat items (assume: a foot candle and Greek column), and virtually every bit was thrifted. “I don’t need our residence to ever really feel too critical,” she says. Come take a tour…
ENTRYWAY
On creating an oasis: I would like our residence to really feel like a soothing inhale, exhale. We’re in a quieter a part of Brooklyn, and it’s good when individuals come from Manhattan and have their complete day on their face, and may simply sit down and be like, ‘Okay, I’m right here now.’ I at all times wish to mild candles earlier than associates arrive and supply them a seat on the couch, versus our chairs.
Bench: Restoration {Hardware} by way of Craigslist. Display screen, eating desk and chair: Craiglist.
On furnishings value preventing for: My husband, Christian, and I bought into a large argument the evening we discovered this room display on Craigslist, as a result of we needed to wait exterior of the vendor’s condo for an hour. My husband was like, ‘I don’t need to be right here.’ And I used to be like, ‘I’ve looked for a room display like this for 5 years. We’re ready.’ Painted room screens don’t come up that usually, and this one was solely $75. So, value it.
Cloud portray: Rachel English. Rain portray: Francesca Wade. Eating desk illustration: Julie Thomson Martin. Brick wall {photograph}: taken by Erika. To Kill a Mockingbird quote: painted by Erika’s sister. Flower portray: “my husband’s grandmother painted it for our marriage ceremony.” Italy photograph: taken by Erika’s mother-in-law. Embroidered wall hanging and Elvis bust: thrifted.
On DIY shenanigans: I discovered this Elvis bust whereas thrifting with my finest pal Ruby in D.C. I’m a giant Elvis fan, and Ruby and I at all times egg one another on with concepts. The bust was initially colourful and sparkly, however after we noticed it, we thought, We are able to spray paint it! Let’s do it!
LIVING/DINING AREA
Paint: White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Mirror: Craigslist, comparable. Bookshelves: Ikea. Chairs: Reuse America. Espresso desk and globe pendant: Craigslist. Wall clock: Umei. Rug: eBay.
On favourite reads: I’ve been loving Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik, and I additionally like flipping by way of The Home Guide, an previous coffee-table ebook of interiors by Terence Conran. It’s from the ’90s, and I really like how intentional every bit feels, again when placing collectively a house was a usually slower course of. After which clearly I learn Sarah Manguso’s Liars like everybody else.
Candlesticks: Tiffany. Mirror: Craigslist, comparable. Bookshelves: Ikea. Chair: Reuse America.
On Euro inspiration: I like how our condo feels cozy, heat, and shiny. I used to be impressed by English countryside coziness; I like the concept there are not any guidelines in the case of shade. Additionally, all these ladies on the market in Copenhagen, their dedication to paint, and the way they boldly mash issues collectively.
Candles: Hay. Des Moines Map: Home.
On soulmates: My finest pal Ruby and I met 10 years in the past in Iowa, and we have been each going to highschool in New York. She’s my muse and like a second sister to me. I keep in mind going to her dad and mom’ home for the primary time, they usually had all these framed pictures of their associates and prolonged household, and I discovered it so touching. I didn’t have that in the home that I grew up in — we simply had footage of our nuclear household. So, I keep in mind framing this image virtually instantly and displaying it with satisfaction.
On the foot candle: My pal made this two years in the past, and she or he was like, ‘I’m going to start out a foot candle enterprise.’ I used to be like, ‘Okay, I’m by no means going to burn this,’ as a result of I wished to help her when she launched her enterprise. She nonetheless hasn’t began it, however I’m simply ready.
David Hockney poster: First Dibs. Eating desk and chairs: Craigslist.
On items you study to like: The Greek-style column was once my father-in-law’s; he had it in his bachelor pad. It was one of many three items of furnishings that my husband introduced into our condo. At first I assumed it was so ugly and cheesy, however now I’ve develop into so endeared to it. Seeing it built-in into our area made me far more keen on it; generally I simply want a bit of time to heat as much as one thing. Now it means every thing to me. So, ethical of the story — individuals can develop and alter.
Couch and basket: Craigslist. Lamp: Etsy. Aspect desk: classic. Weighted blanket: Bearaby.
On household heirlooms: My grandma made the quilt [pictured above, top] for me once I graduated with my MFA in non-fiction writing. She’s a lifelong quilter dwelling in Iowa, and she or he often offers quilts for weddings. It meant so much that she acknowledged my grad-school commencement as one thing to essentially have fun.
Espresso desk: Craigslist.
On fortunate finds: I wish to randomly seek for furnishings on Craigslist inside a three-mile radius, and in the future an inventory for this espresso desk got here up. It included a screenshot of its Chairish itemizing that was priced at $16,000, however the proprietor was promoting it on Craigslist for $350. After we went over to the vendor’s condo, she was reluctant to present it up. She was fearful it could go to somebody who didn’t admire it. So, once I couldn’t cease gushing, we had this superb second the place I used to be like, ‘Don’t fear, that is going to a great residence.’ It’s certainly one of my favourite thrifting recollections.
KITCHEN
Star print: Alex Ry.
On partnership roles: I don’t prepare dinner any of the meals in our household — I really feel very uncomfortable in that area, and my husband was once a personal chef. When I’ve dinner events with my girlfriends, he’ll make the dinner, depart to go learn at a bar, come again after which do the dishes. He reveals up for me in that approach on a regular basis; he’s the kindest individual I do know and is supportive in each sense of the phrase.
On love languages: As for me, I at all times select good motion pictures for us, and discover good podcasts to hearken to after we’re on street journeys.
On helpful vegetation: Christian grows herbs in our kitchen within the winter. Salade niçoise and our morning cappuccinos are my favourite issues he makes.
Race automotive photograph: of Erika’s grandfather.
On stunning pictures: This photograph is of my grandad. He used to race automobiles, and once I noticed this photograph hanging in his storage, I made him to present it to me so I might make prints for my sister and myself. I really like this image a lot.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Oui print: Clare V x Framebridge. Lamp: Craigslist. Yellow cover: Pottery Barn, comparable. Yellow throw pillow: Mexico. Blue throw pillow: Matouk. Euro shams: Restoration {Hardware}.
On a monochrome bed room: We went to Copenhagen for our winter honeymoon — it was freezing chilly and windy, so we spent a lot of time in design shops. That, plus the romance on being on our honeymoon, type of incited a confidence in colours that I’d beforehand been intimidated by. After we got here residence, I mentioned ‘We wanted a striped yellow cover instantly.’ Then the Clare V. print got here into the image, after which all of it got here collectively.
On inside jokes: Above our mattress, we framed the manila envelope we used to hold the papers for our marriage license. It says ‘Pups Solely’ as a result of ‘Pup’ is our nickname for one another. I introduced it to Framebridge and was prepared to inform them the entire backstory. However then they have been like, ‘Okay, what sort of mat would you like?’ In that second, I spotted they see the world’s cutest stuff on daily basis.
Dresser: Fb Market. Bag: thrifted. Eve Babitz photograph: reward.
On reward traditions: My mother-in-law and I began a ritual of at all times giving one another candle sticks; it’s very candy. She stunned me with those on my dresser as a result of she is aware of I like a pop of crimson. I’m obsessive about candles and at all times have backups readily available. Should you’re searching for taper candles, go together with beeswax as a result of it burns extra slowly. For scented, I at all times do D.S. & Durga.
Cell: Mobiles Mobiles. Chair: Reuse America. Throw pillow: Salvesen Graham. Coronary heart and balloon lamp: classic Ikea.
On large realizations: For some time, Christian and I went backwards and forwards over the place to cool down and begin a household, and thought of searching for a home on the lake in Minnesota. I grew up in Iowa and at all times imagined elevating my children within the Midwest. However after many lengthy conversations, we realized that our lives and individuals are right here in Brooklyn. When I discovered this cellular, I used to be initially drawn to the colour. However then I seen it’s additionally referred to as ‘Lake’, and it felt symbolic to me. I spotted that despite the fact that we’re staying in New York, we will nonetheless carry that lovely, calm Midwest vitality to our residence.
On recreating childhood recollections: Rising up, I at all times had the liberty to be inventive in my household residence. There was an area in my basement the place I produced a play, and if I wished to take over the eating desk to construct a fort or placed on a puppet present, my dad and mom’ angle was ‘Nice, go forward.’ So, my hope is to domesticate that for my children sometime, and for myself now.
Thanks a lot, Erika. We like you.
P.S. Many extra home excursions, together with a Minnesota residence with a lot of collections and a really colourful home in Connecticut.
(Pictures by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)
