Before & After: A Chicago Event Planner Transformed His Blank-Box Apartment into a Traveled Oasis

September is Transformation Month at Apartment Therapy! That means every day, we’re sharing a new before & after to show the power of transformations at home. Head over here to see them all!

Makeover by: TW Baker
Location: Lincoln Park, Chicago

When event planner and blogger TW Baker moved into his new 700-square-foot apartment in Lincoln Park, Chicago, he was given a blank slate — literally.

“After living in an old building for years, I wanted something that was bright, open, and white,” he says. “When I moved in, I thought, ‘Wow, it really is a blank box.’”

Baker loves to travel and has a penchant for a pop of color, but decided to express that with restraint in his new grown-up home.

“I studied abroad in college and have done the thing where your whole house has a London theme,” he laughs. “I wanted to tone it down a little bit.”

Baker’s jumping-off point was to paint a half-accent wall in a muted green by Backdrop Home. From there, he added an oriental rug to designate the living space, where the coffee table is crafted from two vintage trunks found at Chicago’s Edgewater Antiques Mall. Flanking the table is a pair of vintage red velvet chairs, which visitors immediately notice upon arrival. Contemporary furnishings from West Elm, Birch Lane, and Article are interspersed with antique finds throughout.

Baker accessorized with a careful curation of decor, like books from Europe, a colorful globe and French bulldog figurines. (The Chicagoan is a self-proclaimed dog person but doesn’t have a pooch of his own currently.)

“I really love vintage pieces such as little jars and knick-knacks,” he says, adding, “I didn’t want to beat you over the head with it.”

A former art student, Baker decorated the walls with a mix of his own work—like a pair of jacket sketches—and vintage-inspired finds. In the dining space, he created a gallery wall of framed Louis Vuitton luggage tags found at an exhibit in New York City.

“I bought a set of 32,” he says. “Of the 32, I’ve been to 16 places, so I picked those to display.”

To create separate spaces in his formerly blank box, Baker used rugs as anchors then chose contrasting wood furniture.

“I love how everything has its own moment but really comes together and blends well,” he notes. “I had this in my mind, and it came out how I wanted. I took something that was completely bare and gave it some TW personality.”

Thanks, TW!

Are you interested in sharing a decorating or renovation project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Makeover Project Submission Form.