An Industrial & Mid-Century Modern Blend in a Mt. Vernon Flat

Name:Devin Byrnes
Location:Mt. Vernon; Baltimore, Maryland
Size:900 square feet
Years lived in:1 year, 2 months; Rented

When you walk into this second story apartment in the historic Baltimore neighborhood of Mt. Vernon, it’s easy to feel that you’ve come to a designer’s place. The clever, retro-industrial style of Devin Byrnes, Creative Director atHardly Squarestudio in Baltimore, works well with the picturesque Gothic style of this late 19th century row house, now converted into apartments.

Current, curated pieces are what make the cut, a style that reflects the neighborhood: sociable, artful, pragmatic. Much of the art is by local artists, and similarly you’ll find a fair amount of local products and vintage goods, as well as a few modern pieces. Walking around this one-bedroom apartment, you’ll find the small space to be well-used: by bringing in furniture and accessories sparingly, Devin manages to very comfortably fit both a dining and living room into one space. Potted plants dot the apartment, bringing verdant touches to the otherwise very urban apartment.

My Style:My style is a functional blend of industrial and mid-century modern. I gravitate towards simple forms that combine natural, and often reclaimed, raw materials.

Inspiration:Baltimore is a city full of creative individuals. Some of their work has found its way into my home. My inspiration for interior design draws from Mid-Century Modern, Bauhaus-era, and Swiss Design.

Favorite Element:I’ve always loved the idea of bringing nature into my living area. The green space in my bedroom has dozens of plants, but one giant, six-foot tall bird of paradise right in the middle towers over everything.

Biggest Challenge:One of the biggest challenges I had with the apartment was finding an optimal layout. I like to maintain easy accessibility to musical equipment without cluttering the living space. Hiding all the wires from the electronics was also challenging.

What Friends Say:On their first visit, friends usually ask about the reclaimed wood dining table and remark on the lighting fixtures and various artwork.

Biggest Embarrassment:墙墙米色地毯。我是房东。What can you do?

Proudest DIY:My proudest DIY project is the floor lamp I built using parts found at an antique salvage store gem in Baltimore called Housewerks Salvage. I got the idea for the project when I spotted a large gear next to a pile of rusty wrought iron railings, and an old, dusty green machinist desk lamp. I brought to two pieces together to make a floor lamp, also using black wire and pipes reach the best height. Once I had all the materials, it took about an hour to put it together.

Biggest Indulgence:Collecting art, records, and keeping the liquor shelf stocked.

Best Advice:Only buy something if you can envision where it will go. I keep a photo of my apartment’s floor plan on my phone, so when I’m at a store, I can measure to check that the chair or table will actually fit in the space. If you’re buying online, Photoshop can be useful for compositing the image of an item over a photo of your room. It helps give context to make a better decision about the purchase.

Dream Sources:Housewerks Salvage,Factory 20,Urban Remains,1stdibs,Design Within Reach,YLighting,Herman Miller,Knoll,Restoration Hardware

Reeve Mid-Century Console from West Elm

Bonnie Sofa from Blu Dot with Throw Blanket from Beaver State Pendleton Wool Mills and Thomas Paul & Crate & Barrel Pillows. Coffee Table from Urban Hardwoods.

Swivel Bucket Chair from Herman Miller

Rocking Chair from Krueger with Sheepskin Throw Blanket from Springfield Farm.

Miscellaneous Rugs and Wood boxes from Todd’s Farm Flea Market.

Table Lamp from Orion’s Objects, USA Light Box sign letters from The Antique Man, Arc lamp is a vintage find from the Salvation Army.

Various Paintings and Prints by: Cleon Peterson, Seth Adelsberger, James Bouche, and Joanne Byrnes

Dining Table custom built by Dylan Design Co. paired with Restoration Hardware Pendant light.

Race Horse & Jockey Bottle Stoppers: They’re a Byrnes’ tradition… each Christmas my dad gives me bottle of Blanton’s bourbon. And I bring him a bottle of whiskey–usually discovered at one of the BAWC (Baltimore American Whiskey Club) meetings.

Turning Triangles Terrarium from Urban Outfitters, Tea cup set succulents and various terrarums from BWillow.

Marble top side table from Todd’s Farm Flea Market. Dresser fromOff Main Mid-century modern antiques.

Various prints byBeth Hoeckel,James Bouche, andEduardo Recife.

The artist who created the green and black forest scene hanging above the bedroom mantle is unknown, but this fabric print has some history to it. My newly married parents, hung this in their first apartment. After moving to their current house, the print spent three decades in storage. I uncovered it while spring cleaning ten years ago, and brought it back to Baltimore.

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