Today, friends, I have something brand new and exciting for you. Never before seen on Rosy Blu: a guest house tour!
My dear friend Keelie, who once visited Rosy Blu to share a favorite recipe, has generously opened her apartment for a photo tour to share with all of you. (I am assuming you share this trait with me: a nagging curiosity to see the insides of other people’s homes, even when you don’t know them…a curiosity that gets constantly thwarted, because it’s not “socially acceptable” to peek in the windows of strangers homes…have I said too much?)
You’ll find lots of vintage treasures and original art in Keelie’s St. Paul apartment, which is in the Schmidt Artist Lofts, a renovated brewery-turned-abode for artists and creators. As you may guess, Keelie is an artist of the photography type, all photos below are by her (and you can view more of her work on her website).
I hope you enjoy this sneak peek into Keelie’s sweet living space! And now, I turn it over to Keelie’s interview (scroll to the bottom for the gallery tour).
How does your home nourish you in a way other places don’t?
My home nourishes the homebody in me. While life gets super busy and I’m not home as often as I’d sometimes like, when I am there I totally revel in it. I’m a flower-arranger and a candle-burner, and not just when guests are coming over. Lately I’ve been obsessed with having white flowers around.
If you had to designate just one slice of your home as your favorite, what would it be?
My favorite part of my home is the kitchen. I guess I don’t have a particular reason for this, other than that I love old and unique kitchen items (mugs, casserole dishes, etc). I also really like making snacks.
Who do you share your home with?
I share my home with my two dear kitties, Gus (the black and white guy) and Oliver (the tabby). I also really enjoy having house-guests.
Share a memory that took place here that will live in your memory, even after you’ve left the house.
Favorite times at my place would be all the slumber parties. I’ve had so many friends and family stay with me, and whether it’s rowdy or relaxed, it’s always fun to be able to play hostess. I also love taking advantage of the air mattress/Netflix combo after my guests leave. Guilty pleasures.
If you could snap your fingers to invoke one change in an instant, what would it be?
My two wonderful cats would miraculously lose their ability to shed.
Top 5 possessions that are the magical combination of beautiful, loved and useful:
In no particular order:
- My couch. That’s hands-down my favorite “find” ever. I fell for that thing lock, stock and barrel when I first laid eyes on it at an estate sale. We were destined to be together.
- Not pictured, but an umbrella that belonged to my Grandma. She never learned to drive, and therefore walked everywhere. Naturally, when I would spend the day with her as a kid, I would walk a lot too. Whenever it rained or looked like rain we took that black and white checkered umbrella with the black hook handle. It’s from circa 1970 and I’ll be damned if the thing doesn’t still open up beautifully. They don’t make ’em like they used to. I’ve always said that it’s the one thing I’d grab if my house was burning down (besides my cats, of course).
- My camera.
- The wine box/rack that my dad made me. He actually took a vintage whiskey crate that belonged to me and built an insert to hold the bottles in place. A vintage, but hand-built crate filled with wine. It’s a glorious sight.
- A lamp I bought while I was living and working in West Virginia. There was an older woman a few miles down the road from me who owned an “Antique Store”, however most people who aren’t deranged (as she was) would consider it a warehouse full of crap. I mean, this place was floor to ceiling dirt, dust and old junk. One day when digging (literally, digging) through stuff, I came across that lamp. It was filthy, but I could see it was so unique and very pretty. It was also $1, so that just made it all the more satisfying.
Click on an image for a larger view:
