Lauren Wilson has moved quite a bit since arriving in Columbus in 1997 to attend college at Ohio State University.
“I’ve probably lived in fourteen different apartments since I moved here,” she says.
She has mostly lived in the urban neighborhoods, with one foray into Canal Winchester.
“My favorite neighborhood was Italian Village,” she says. “I had an apartment on Fourth Avenue between Summit and Fourth Streets. The location was great.”
She gave that up and moved to Canal Winchester for a little while, also giving away most of her things for the move. Then she decided she needed to get back into the city.
She found out there was a nice looking apartment available, in Olde Towne East, the same building as an At Home feature she remembered seeing on Columbus Underground.
“This apartment had been vacant awhile, but I kept in mind how great Amy’s looked, and I loved the layout of the space,” says Wilson.
With two bedrooms, one bath, and about 1100 square-feet, the apartment suite Wilson perfectly. It has pretty wooden floors, lightly colored walls, and plenty of windows to let in lots of natural light. It was the only place she looked at, and with the location close to her work as well as the developing Oak Street area, it was just right.
“It’s the first place I’ve really been able to maintain houseplants,” she says. “I’ve done more decorating here and genuinely unpacked. I’ve also started collecting art.”
Artist Michael Bush helped her move in and once he saw the space, he said, “I have something special that is going to come live here.”
“Injection” is right at home in Wilson’s apartment and greets you at the top of the stairs.
Getting a new place meant Wilson had to furnish it again, and add all of the little touches that make a place a home.
To find these treasures, Wilson goes thrifting about twice a week.”I find stuff almost every trip,” she says.
“Anything some one’s Grandma made, I probably love it.”
But that doesn’t mean her place is filled with dated doilies and dusty figurines. Instead, it is a curated collection of cozy afghans and 70s colors mixed in with modern pieces, and it all works together.
Wilson admits her thrifting hobby sometimes gets a little out of hand -“I have coffee mugs coming out of my eyeballs,” she says- but it’s a really fun hobby.
“I’ve been considering doing a bit of reselling,” she says. “Every once in awhile, there’s something I can’t leave behind, but I know somebody else may like it.”
[Looking to open your own Antique Booth? Find out how on The Metropreneur.]
In addition to the fabulous thrift and antique stores in Columbus, Wilson loves the food, music, and art scenes. She became a board member for the Franklinton Arts District and enjoys attending opening receptions for artists as often as she can.
“It’s my friends and social circle that keeps me here,” she says. “I have dreams of heading West some day. My friends have sort of become my family, so unless I can round them all up, I don’t imagine leaving anytime soon.”
At Home is a monthly column on Columbus Underground focused on urban home remodeling and style as well as older home renovations and unique homes in Columbus. If you would like to have your home featured in the At Home series, please send an email to me at [email protected].