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My parents' first apartment in Chicago in the mid 1950s. My father was just out of architectural school and his midcentury modern tastes are evident. Full size.
And the obligatory ceramic ashtray. I recognize that from my childhood, as well. It seemed everyone smoked (and indoors!) back in those days.
What did they rent -- a shipping container? The giant radiator just completely messes up my perspective. Neat furniture, though.
As a Chicagoan I think I recognize that space--did your parents rent the second story of a Chicago Bungalow? They did a great job with it. I love the driftwood on the table to the right. We had one on our coffee table.
I, too, love that coffee table. Do you have any other photos of this room, maybe with different angles, yet showing the coffee table? I see a woodworking project just crying out at me.
It looks like your folks were living in a garden shed, but WOW did they have excellent taste in furnishings! They probably could've made a chicken coop look like a penthouse suite.
How tall are your parents? That apartment looks like it should have been for the small people in Wizard of Oz.
Simplicity always works. Very nicely done; well adapted. That C.I. radiator on the right side really jars the perceived scale of the space! Is that a picture-less frame on the right wall? Cool! And a good use of the 'heta' materials.
I seriously love it, not a single thing out of place, but I must say I get a definite Being John Malkovich vibe.
Wow, this photo really caught my eye on the homepage. The apartment looks small, but the room flows nicely and is beautifully decorated. Just shows how much you can do in small spaces. This should be in a furnishing magazine.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you thank you shorpy!! A huge fan of mid-century modern, great photo!
Between the sloping attic ceiling and the too-big-radiator for the room, this looks like a child's playhouse. Our first apartment in 1954 looked very, very much like this one. Had to take turns to turn around but we were happy.
That picture looks like a scale model of an apartment. I think it might because of the sloping walls.
They were fortunate. They had air conditioning!
I think I can safely say that from this point everything was moving up.
Was your dad a woodworker? It looks like the coffee table and chair are home made. Maybe stained pine?
When I see pictures of cool rooms I am reminded that I should document the places I live. Better bust out the vacuum so I can take some pictures tonight.
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