Author Erika Veurink pulled collectively her Brooklyn condominium like she did her wardrobe: she peppered it with offbeat items (assume: a foot candle and Greek column), and nearly each piece was thrifted. “I don’t need our dwelling to ever really feel too severe,” she says. Come take a tour…
ENTRYWAY
On creating an oasis: I need our dwelling 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 total day on their face, and may simply sit down and be like, ‘Okay, I’m right here now.’ I at all times prefer to mild candles earlier than pals arrive and supply them a seat on the couch, versus our chairs.
Bench: Restoration {Hardware} through Craigslist. Display screen, eating desk and chair: Craiglist.
On furnishings price preventing for: My husband, Christian, and I bought into a large argument the night time we discovered this room display screen on Craigslist, as a result of we needed to wait exterior of the vendor’s condominium for an hour. My husband was like, ‘I don’t wish to be right here.’ And I used to be like, ‘I’ve looked for a room display screen like this for 5 years. We’re ready.’ Painted room screens don’t come up that usually, and this one was solely $75. So, price 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 picture: 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 greatest good friend 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 once 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reads: I’ve been loving Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik, and I additionally like flipping by means of The Home Ebook, an outdated coffee-table ebook of interiors by Terence Conran. It’s from the ’90s, and I really like how intentional each 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 condominium feels cozy, heat, and brilliant. I used to be impressed by English countryside coziness; I like the concept that there are not any guidelines with regards to colour. 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 greatest good friend 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 bear in mind going to her mother and father’ home for the primary time, and so they had all these framed photographs of their pals 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 bear in mind framing this image nearly instantly and displaying it with delight.
On the foot candle: My good friend made this two years in the past, and he or she 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 be taught 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 condominium. At first I assumed it was so ugly and cheesy, however now I’ve turn 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 the whole lot to me. So, ethical of the story — individuals can develop and alter.
Couch and basket: Craigslist. Lamp: Etsy. Facet 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 residing in Iowa, and he or she normally provides quilts for weddings. It meant rather a lot that she acknowledged my grad-school commencement as one thing to essentially have a good time.
Espresso desk: Craigslist.
On fortunate finds: I prefer to randomly seek for furnishings on Craigslist inside a three-mile radius, and at some point a list 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 condominium, she was reluctant to provide it up. She was anxious it could go to somebody who didn’t admire it. So, once I couldn’t cease gushing, we had this wonderful second the place I used to be like, ‘Don’t fear, that is going to dwelling.’ It’s one among 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 non-public chef. When I’ve dinner events with my girlfriends, he’ll make the dinner, go away to go learn at a bar, come again after which do the dishes. He reveals up for me in that method 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 films for us, and discover good podcasts to take heed to once we’re on highway 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 picture: of Erika’s grandfather.
On shocking photographs: This picture is of my grandad. He used to race vehicles, and once I noticed this picture hanging in his storage, I made him to provide it to me so I may 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 quilt: 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 number of time in design shops. That, plus the romance on being on our honeymoon, form of incited a confidence in colours that I’d beforehand been intimidated by. After we got here dwelling, I mentioned ‘We would have liked a striped yellow quilt 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 noticed they see the world’s cutest stuff every single day.
Dresser: Fb Market. Bag: thrifted. Eve Babitz picture: 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 pink. I’m obsessive about candles and at all times have backups readily available. If you happen to’re in search of taper candles, go together with beeswax as a result of it burns extra slowly. For scented, I at all times do D.S. & Durga.
Cellular: Mobiles Mobiles. Chair: Reuse America. Throw pillow: Salvesen Graham. Coronary heart and balloon lamp: classic Ikea.
On huge realizations: For some time, Christian and I went forwards and backwards over the place to quiet down and begin a household, and thought of in search of a home on the lake in Minnesota. I grew up in Iowa and at all times imagined elevating my youngsters within the Midwest. However after many lengthy conversations, we realized that our lives and persons are right here in Brooklyn. When I discovered this cellular, I used to be initially drawn to the colour. However then I observed it’s additionally referred to as ‘Lake’, and it felt symbolic to me. I noticed that although we’re staying in New York, we are able to nonetheless convey that lovely, calm Midwest vitality to our dwelling.
On recreating childhood recollections: Rising up, I at all times had the liberty to be artistic in my household dwelling. 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 mother and father’ perspective was ‘Nice, go forward.’ So, my hope is to domesticate that for my youngsters sometime, and for myself now.
Thanks a lot, Erika. We love you.
P.S. Many extra home excursions, together with a Minnesota dwelling with a number of collections and a really colourful home in Connecticut.
(Pictures by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)
