Renters Painted Every Inch of This Chicago Apartment – Even the Floors

When Bridgette Haulenbeek first saw her 1,000-square-foot apartment, nestled in a building built in the 1900s with tall ceilings and big bright windows, she was immediately sold on its potential as a beautiful blank canvas.

An interior designer who loves to live and work in “Freshly Edited Color Stories,” the home she shares with her husband, furniture and sculpture artist, Steven Haulenbeek, and their son, Franklin, showcases the eclectic style that her design company Bridgette Haulenbeek Interiors Inc. executes so beautifully.

Nods to traditional silhouettes as well as modern materiality, avant garde whimsy, bold contemporary, and a little punk rock, the home reflects a couple living and growing in an ever-evolving eclectic city rooted in tradition. The front room, the family’s favorite, provides a view of the city they love.

“We always find ourselves looking out the front windows. We can see the Sears Tower (Willis) along with the massive West Town American flag and Chicago flag and feel so much a part of the energy of the city.”

While renting provides its own set of design challenges, Bridgette and Steven have still been able to transform their space in a way that brings them joy. “I love our home and this is the chapter of life we are in and I love what we’ve been able to do with our space. We also have great landlords that have been flexible with us painting.”

After a trip to Deco Off in Paris in 2019, Bridgette returned home with the idea to paint their kitchen walls a terracotta orange, inspired by the smokestacks in the Parisian neighborhoods she toured.

“One of my most favorite things about our home is that everything has a story, and we enjoy hosting in our home and sharing where items came from or who made them,” she muses while pointing out all of the different pieces in their home — her husband’s art, for one.

Whether it’s the resin-bonded side table in the living room, the table lamp and floor lamp in the dining room, or the bedside pendants in the primary bedroom, all of his pieces demonstrate “how easy it can be to live with functional art and objects you love.” Bridgette’s motto rings true throughout their beautifully curated vintage apartment. “Pull color from art, fill your home with stories, and buy what you love.”

Resources

PAINT & COLORS

• Behr — Polar Bear

LIVING ROOM

• Mohair Throw Blanket — Mantas Ezcaray

• Sofa — “Bank Sofa” Blu Dot 

• Steel Side Table — Jonathan Nesci

• Sand Side Table — Steven Haulenbeek

• Rug — Oscar Isberian Rugs

• Lumbar Custom Pillow — S. Harris

• Square Custom Antique Pillow — Textures4Home

• Lounge Chairs — Design Within Reach

• Artwork — Custom

• Parentesi Light — Flos

DINING ROOM

• Chandelier — 37 Series by Bocci 

• Dining Chairs — Bellini and Eames

• Wool Rug 9×12 — Jaipur 

• Custom Painted Credenza — Jeff Martin Joinery

• Vertical Screen Prints — Parsons Charlesworth

• “Nutgrove” Wall Cushion — Kate McCarthy

• Table Lamp and Floor Lamp — Steven Haulenbeek

KITCHEN

• Art — The Wrong Shop

• Counter Stools — Webstaurant

• Industrial Island

BEDROOM

• Duvet Cover — Matouk

• Sheeting — Matouk

• Boudoir Pillow Fabric — Pierre Frey fabric

• Bedside Pendants — Steven Haulenbeek

FRANK’S BEDROOM

• Rug — IKEA

• Original Prints — Elliot Bergman

• Vintage Hudson Blanket — Find new here.

• Floor Lamp — Steven Haulenbeek

BATHROOM

• Shower Curtain – Matouk

• “Cool Breeze” Tub Mat — Cold Picnic

• Plumbing Fixtures and Mirror — Kohler

Thanks Bridgette and Steven!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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