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Saturday, February 23, 2002
Apartment appeal Olympia woman crafts stylish rental home SARAH JACKSON, THE OLYMPIAN Originally published Saturday, February 23, 2002
OLYMPIA -- Peggy O'Neill of Olympia knows the power of paint, the craftily spent dollar and a little creativity.
Mixing these three ingredients -- and her landlord's openness to some pretty major decorating modifications -- O'Neill has created an apartment surprisingly full of personality, charm and even a little playfulness.
You'd never know the atmosphere inside O'Neill's two-bedroom abode by looking at the exterior.
Only the pastel painted chairs on her north-facing balcony -- in a series of uniform units -- give an inkling of what's inside.
Walking into O'Neill's place, you can't help but forget you're in a traditional motel-style apartment complex.
"It's my retreat," O'Neill says, standing amid her lavish sofas, rugs, floral arrangements and draperies with tassel tiebacks -- all warmed by the textured, golden walls. "I really have fun doing this. I keep changing everything."
Thrifty
But O'Neill isn't just playing around with money to burn. She's done it all on a budget.
"Everything I buy is secondhand," O'Neill said. "I know how to stretch money."
O'Neill found much of the fine furniture in her place for less than a fifth of the original price.
By patrolling Goodwills, Salvation Armys and thrift stores faithfully -- three to four times a week -- O'Neill scored not only most of her furniture, but many of her snazzy decorations.
Some of her finds need fixing up, but others come brand new.
"I'm well-known in those places," O'Neill said. "People really get some neat stuff. It's fun. It's a game."
Though O'Neill guards her thrift shopping secrets closely, she offers one tip:
"You've got to be there at 9 o'clock in the morning before the doors open," she said. "There will be 50 people with their noses pressed against the glass. You have to know quality. There's so many people that shop at thrift stores now."
O'Neill also finds great deals at Big Lots and other discount stores, but adds: "You have to have time," O'Neill said. "I'm fortunate."
Creativity
When O'Neill's "shopping muse" leaves her, she throws in her own creativity.
That's partly because O'Neill plays artist for her own, little-known business, Windows of Opportunity, which started out as a store-window display service.
But now O'Neill, currently studying interior decorating by correspondence, is building a greater following with her paintings, murals and faux finishes.
O'Neill hopes to make her way into more professional decorating after she completes the three-year course from Thomson Education Direct in September.
"I really like the course," O'Neill said. "I'm way ahead of schedule. I take my exams online. I want to get in with a decorator and learn -- even if I don't get paid."
Gold
Part of O'Neill's creative touch comes from her experience with painting.
"I love this color," O'Neill says of the rich, dark gold that graces her combined living room and dining area. "It makes all the difference."
Using a rag-rolling technique and a faux finish glaze, O'Neill created on old-world fresco look.
Near the walkway to the bedrooms, O'Neill also painted a mural -- a woody cherry blossom tree -- over the gold.
O'Neill's choice of gold unifies an Asian motif in the living room, accented with fish, paintings and refurbished sculptures, many also with gold highlights.
Two overstuffed, tapestry-design couches -- flush with cushions and homemade accent pillows -- sit in the middle of the living room.
"Can you believe that?" O'Neill says, admitting the scandalously low two-for-one price for both love seats procured at Salvation Army. "They're designer furniture."
Draperies, which O'Neill bought for next to nothing at thrift shops, make perhaps the biggest impression of all -- with their lace sheers and thick swags of cream fabric all around the living room.
Carrying the same cream and gold colors into her kitchen, O'Neill painted the walls and cabinet doors to lighten the formerly all-brown wooden landscape of cupboards.
During the past few years, O'Neill has changed the kitchen look many times -- just for fun.
"I'm always tinkering around," O'Neill said. "I don't take my self too seriously. If I lived in a cave, I'd have to put up pictures."
Boudoir
O'Neill's bedroom -- perhaps the crown jewel of this revamped rental -- reflects O'Neill's interest in traditional European design.
O'Neill, originally from Canada, caught the French decorating bug while visiting France.
"I think that left an indelible impression," O'Neill said. "I just went crazy."
So when O'Neill stumbled upon an antique bed -- tucked away and not initially for sale at a garage sale in Olympia -- she begged to take it off the owner's hands.
Ultimately, O'Neill struck a deal to make payments on the elaborate bed, which eventually set the theme for her entire bedroom.
"If I see something I really like, I just work around it," O'Neill said. "I wonder if it belonged to some aristocrat in France."
Finding the right color came next.
"It had to be red that with that bed," O'Neill said, looking at the painstaking work she did to create a vertically textured wall. "It took me so long to find just the right red. Every time I walk in here, I just feel so good."
That might be because of the remade, dressed up armoire and vanity that started out as a plain, modern pieces. Then again, it might be the $6 chandelier O'Neill spruced up with beads and hung with help from friends. Finally, don't forget the foot of the bed, accented with a rich, red velveteen throw (which once served as a table cloth).
Landlords
Wayne and Marilyn Brisbane of Olympia said they allowed O'Neill's decorating changes because of her obvious artistic ability and commitment to renting, which started five year ago in a different unit at the same site.
"We made an exception in Peggy's case because she was obviously artistically inclined," Marilyn Brisbane said, "and she lived in a little bit smaller apartment there and I could tell even from that apartment that she had a lot of talent."
Brisbane said she and her husband wanted to reinforce O'Neill's growing business.
"We also wanted to support her, so that she would have some place to bring somebody to show: 'Here's what I could do.' "
O'Neill's advanced painting techniques certainly, Brisbane said, depart from the typical "landlord white."
"It's pretty remarkable," Brisbane said. "I think there are very few people that could do that. Most of the time, you find there's not really a sense of (apartment) ownership, and Peggy, I think, certainly does that where ever she lives."
O'Neill, who says "necessity is the mother of invention," believes if the Brisbanes needed to rent her place, it wouldn't be a tough sell.
Though the two-bedroom is nice, O'Neill dreams of even more space.
"This is a small apartment," O'Neill said. "If I had a bigger place, I'd really have a ball."
Sarah Jackson writes for The Olympian and can be reached at 360-704-6871 or sajackso@olympia.gannett.com.
- Windows of Opportunity by Peggy O'Neill, P.O. Box 7471, Olympia, WA 98507, 360-357-7736.
- Check out the Thomson Education Direct course on decorating, available online at www.education direct.com/programs/decorator/.
Check out The Olympian's Home of the Month.
Every month, we'll bring you scenes from a South Sound home and stories that show why our humble -- and not so humble -- abodes shape the way we live.
We're looking for remarkable architecture, creative interior design, original decorating, interesting remodeling jobs and just about anything else you think makes your house a home.
Plus, be on the lookout for notable gardens for the Garden of the Month. What better time could you find to show off your garden -- or a neighbor's garden -- than a South Sound spring?
Call Home reporter Sarah Jackson with your ideas at 360-704-6871 or write sajackso@olympia.gannett.com
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