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The Erin Thiessen home is a colorful example of how vintage finds and thoughtful organization can give a compact rental plenty of personality. Erin shares a second-floor apartment in a century-old house with her husband, Derek, and their cat. One room serves as both a closet and a workspace, with clothing and accessories displayed as part of the decor.
Inside the Erin Thiessen Home
The apartment measures about 800 square feet and is filled with color, much of it inspired by Erin’s collection of 1950s and 1960s furniture, accessories and clothing. Many of the pieces came from thrift and antique stores. The result is a home that feels personal and distinctly vintage without relying on a single style in every room.
The closet room takes a slightly different approach: its decor is less overtly vintage, allowing the clothes to stand out. Dresses, skirts and tops in varied prints, polka dots and bright colors create a rainbow-like display. Shoes and clothing are easy to see, turning storage into a feature of the room.
A Closet Organized by Color
Erin arranges her clothing by color, a system she has used for several years. Grouping similar shades together makes the collection easy to scan and can simplify choosing an outfit. The drawers hold additional clothes, including neutral pieces, so the visible dresses are only part of the wardrobe.
For a similar setup, start by sorting clothes into broad color groups, then arrange each group from light to dark if that makes items easier to find. Keep frequently worn pieces accessible, and use drawers or other storage for items that do not need to be on display. A color-organized closet works best when it remains practical as well as attractive.
Color and Layout in a Rental
The apartment has been part of the family for more than seven years. Erin and Derek have rented it for about two and a half years, and earlier family members lived there before them. Since it is a rental, paint has been the main change. The kitchen is bright yellow, the living room chartreuse, the bedroom greenish turquoise and the closet room orangey-red.
The rooms were rearranged to make better use of the apartment’s layout and natural light. Finding a place for everything took nearly two and a half years, illustrating that a comfortable room arrangement may take time to work out. In a rental, checking permission and lease requirements before painting is a useful first step. When painting is not an option, colorful textiles and removable decor can bring in color without a permanent change.
Erin hopes to look for a house in the coming year, with more space and a yard among the things she would like. She would also be glad to have another dedicated closet room.
What Makes This Home Work
This Erin Thiessen home combines expressive color with practical storage. The compact floor plan is arranged around the household’s needs, while thrifted and antique pieces give the rooms character. In the closet, keeping clothing visible and sorting it by color makes a personal collection both decorative and easier to navigate.
Photos by Tristan Fast
