Beal Properties’ Guide to Your Chicago Apartment Glow-Up

While collectively in quarantine, a surge of creativity, desire to learn, and openness to try new things has led to countless individuals partaking in crafting projects, beautification of their living spaces, and the following of a myriad of different tutorials. Spending more time than ever in their apartments, countless tenants have engaged in various “nesting” projects to create personal sanctuaries, reach previously inconceivable organization levels, and revamp already existing decor. If you’ve missed the boat on the apartment glow-up, don’t fret, as now is the perfect time for an apartment overhaul. As the city begins to adapt to a “new normal”, and opens for business, this timing is a wonderful opportunity to finally create a window garden, upgrade your tableside accessories, or create a bespoke closet organizer. With over 30 years of experience as a leading real estate investment and management company, Chicago’s Beal Properties is well versed in the art of making an apartment feel like home. Below, Beal’s experts lend their sage wisdom for Chicago’s tenants looking to expand their apartment’s charm.

Minimize Hallway Clutter

In an apartment of any size, configuration, or layout, maximizing space is a key factor for creating a welcoming, clean, and clutter-free aesthetic. Most of Beal Properties’ Chicago apartments feature semi-open floor plans, which can be made further boundless by avoiding excessive clutter throughout high-traffic open areas. By avoiding clunky furniture in hallways, you can maintain wide open passage, creating a clean, open, and breathable area. To offset a feeling of emptiness, the experts at Beal Properties suggest showcasing art, family photos, or other wall-mounted designs on a lengthy hallway wall. To create a showroom look, they suggest utilizing a myriad of different frames in complementary colors and styles, and extending framed pieces throughout the length of an entire wall. For savvy online shoppers, finding great deals on picture frames, pre-framed art, and printing services will swiftly meet this need. For those venturing out, local artisan shops in neighborhoods like Andersonville champion local artisan creations, and may allow window shopping, local pick-up, or other shopping methods.

Mix Vintage With Modern

Historic buildings in Chicago are known for bespoke architectural detailing. From expertly handcrafted crown molding, to classic bay windows, many buildings feature craftsmanship indicative of their inaugural build. Many properties owned and operated by Beal Properties contain a beautiful array of original and restored architectural features, proudly highlighted and protected by Beal Properties. These vintage touches are seamlessly married with modern appliances, sleek finished, and thoroughly new touches. One of Beal Properties’ most recent renovations, located at 2900 N. Mildred Ave in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, combines classic Chicago architecture with sleek modernity. To play up both styles, the experts at Beal Properties suggest combining sleek furniture with vintage trinkets. By retaining a mostly modern furniture style, you can indulge in modern conveniences and comforts made available by new furniture, and create a sleek space. However, to add charm, vintage accessories can provide the charm that will pull out detailed crown molding accents. From vintage Bears gear, to weathered maps, there are endless local shops dedicated to eccentric homewares, local accessories, and the accessories that will bring soul into your apartment. Chicago’s many vintage shops provide authentic goods from yesteryear that can add character to any space.

Create a “Mud Room”

While entering your apartment used to be a seemingly thoughtless project, the ongoing global pandemic has created new routines for individuals entering their apartment after a venture outdoors. This new procession involves taking off a mask, hat, keys, purse, wallet, and maybe even shoes before immediately rushing to the nearest sink for hand washing. Thus, creating a bespoke area dedicated to a safe, seamless, and proactive entrance can make this process more streamlined. Maintaining a portfolio of over 90 properties within the Chicago area, Beal Properties professionals understand the unique needs of apartment dwellers, including this burgeoning need to create a safe entryway. They suggest adding a small table or stand in the entryway, complete with bowls or small containers for housing masks, and hooks for hanging keys, and other essentials. To complete the efficiency of this space, Beal Properties professionals suggest adding a hand sanitizing area for quick on-the-go sanitizing, and keeping disinfecting wipes handy for any immediate needs for compromised items, such as cell phones.

Invest in a Home Office Space

As working from home has become the new normal for countless professionals, the need for a bespoke space to conduct operations is crucial. According to Beal Properties, creating an office nook in an apartment can expertly foster a working atmosphere without the need for extensive space. If you don’t have access to an entire room to devote to home office operations, consider items that can easily transition a space. For example, creating an office experience in your dining room can be as simple as moving your laptop, a few office supplies, and a coffee mug into your dining area. When it is time to transition to post-work living, simply removing these items allows you to return to the space’s original intention. To keep things organized, undamaged, and in working order, consider purchasing a large storage container for transporting these materials. Some storage containers can even easily pass for furniture, like ottomans with hidden storage. For heavier loads, look for storage options on wheels, or ones that can be incorporated into a room’s already existing decor.

Add Some Greenery

If you’re an avid outdoor lover who misses basking in the greenery as much as possible, bring the outdoors inside with crisp, lush, and easy to care for plants. Many hardy varieties do not require extensive gardening knowledge, and can thrive in apartment settings. From cacti and mosses, to palms and snake plants, there are many houseplants to choose from. With retailers offering trendy and beautiful displays, like hanging terrariums and “living walls”, your greenery can even double as art. By adding a few living plants into your apartment’s space, you can relish in your love of nature safely indoors. 

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