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Houzz Tour: Eclectic, Minimalist Brooklyn Apartment
Can you create a home that feels like you even if you rent? A jewelry and textile designer in New York has done just that
When you know you're not going to live somewhere for long, how do you still make it feel like home? Like most renters, Caitlin Mociun faced this dilemma in her Brooklyn, New York, apartment. Although it had some great features, she knew it wouldn't be a permanent residence — the challenge was making it feel like home without doing any major work.
Mociun is a jewelry and textile designer with a knack for perfectly balanced color, texture and shape. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she finds much of her artwork and objets within her circle of friends. By emphasizing quality furniture, highlighting colorful artwork and keeping her design minimalist, Mociun has made her apartment a comfortable and creative home that's easy to live in and move out of. "I'm not attached to it," she says." But I'm totally comfortable in it. It's inspiring to me."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Caitlin Mociun
Location: Wallabout neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Mociun is a jewelry and textile designer with a knack for perfectly balanced color, texture and shape. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she finds much of her artwork and objets within her circle of friends. By emphasizing quality furniture, highlighting colorful artwork and keeping her design minimalist, Mociun has made her apartment a comfortable and creative home that's easy to live in and move out of. "I'm not attached to it," she says." But I'm totally comfortable in it. It's inspiring to me."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Caitlin Mociun
Location: Wallabout neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Size: 1,200 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
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Unlike her previous homes, Mociun's new apartment is minimalist. She has left the walls white and many of her belongings tucked away. Artwork and textiles add color when needed.
Mociun's clever dining table takes advantage of this spacious room. The U-shape piece is made out of Ikea countertops. Her friends from Iacoli & McAllister are currently creating custom bases and matching benches to mix in with the antique chairs.
Mociun's clever dining table takes advantage of this spacious room. The U-shape piece is made out of Ikea countertops. Her friends from Iacoli & McAllister are currently creating custom bases and matching benches to mix in with the antique chairs.
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| The honey-colored credenza is a vintage find from RePop in Brooklyn. Most of her wall art is done by friends, and friends of friends. Since Mociun went to art school, finding one-of-a-kind pieces from emerging artists is pretty easy. |
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Mociun's apartment was once a bar in the Brooklyn Navy Yard; her landlord gutted it and turned it into apartments. Although there are some downsides, she loves the high ceilings, painted brick, big windows and natural light. The connected main living spaces help the apartment feel even more open.
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| The minimalist design might be a result of functionality, but Mociun now loves it. Keeping her home low key now isn't just preventing more work when she moves out, but it's also much easier to clean a space when there's not a lot of stuff around. |
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| To add color, Mociun put together some festive pillows made from vintage Middle Eastern carpets and purchases from Stockholm. The living room mainly is comprised of this sofabed, which is built in the same style as her self-made bed frame. |
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| Sun-drenched houseplants liven up the far wall in the living room. Mociun has had this armchair since college. Until she gets a chance to reupholster the piece, it will stay covered in a Moroccan rag rug — which she sells in her store. |
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Judas the cat plays on another Moroccan rag rug underneath one of Mociun's favorite pieces, a vintage Danish credenza. Mociun has strewn pottery from the 1960s and work by artists who sell in her store across the top.
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| The sunny and simple bedroom is Mociun's favorite spot in the house. Cozy and warm, it's designed just for sleeping — which she loves. "I don't really hang out in there, and I like that," she says. "It's very private." |
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| Mociun built a simple bed frame to lie low to the ground. The colorful kilim rug was found on eBay. The linen Libeco bedding is a great choice for her classic but eclectic style, and can be special ordered through her store. |
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| The bedside table lamp is an old Danish piece found on eBay. The artwork above the bed is by Olivia Wright. |
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| Mociun made the beautiful bench at the far end of her bedroom herself. Before she moved in, she got rid of a lot of furniture that she knew she wouldn't want in her new place, so now she's investing time in finding pieces she'll want for years to come. "I like making things different," she says. "I like having something that's really special." |
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Despite the temporary time frame, Mociun has made her rented apartment a simple and cozy place to call home. "It's inspired me to buy an apartment," she says. "And then I can do all the stuff that I want to do, but it will probably take months."
Ideabook published on June 14, 2012.
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Our "credenza" was a cast off from my grandmother, and we had that exact slatted bench (found it on the street)! We had orange crate end tables and a cable reel coffee table too. Brick and board bookcases, wicker and iron chairs (straight off my aunts patio in fact) and yes, the mattress on the floor too. It's kind of amusing to look back on that now ... I didn't own a real sofa till I was 40 ...LOL