Even with dust, rats, old wooden planks and burned out appliances, Chelsea Horvath was immediately attracted to her bohemian lao fangzi because she felt it had a sense of history and was excited to be a part of it. Three years later, the Assistant Director of twocities gallery, has overseen its transformation. “I'm a painter who loves to work with layers; I like to call my paintings spaces of eclectic beauty,” she says. “Now that I have had three years of cleaning up under my belt, this apartment has become one of those pieces. I get to literally live in one of the spaces that I have created; it's a living collage of layered history.”

Living Room

The living area contains a collection of pieces from the landlord's past, that she is unwilling to let go of, and Chelsea’s present. The screen in the centre of the room was a challenge until she figured out how to change it from an over-sized bed frame into a nice dramatic piece, which conveniently creates an office-type nook in the corner behind it. Other pieces include a wash basin, a clock from the dumpster and a wooden baby-bed-turned-couch. Most of the artwork in the space is collected from twocities. 

Studio/Bedroom

This is the highest of the three levels of the apartment, which serves as her studio/bedroom. There's no heating or air conditioning, but there are two skylights that bring in a nice breeze in the summer. It's a good place to retreat into, because all she can see up there is her artwork and the birds in the sky. 

Dressing Room

Once inhabited by scrap wood, then turned roommate's bedroom, this mid-level is now the largest closet Chelsea’s ever owned. Her clothes hang from shower rods and a curtain is hung to separate the space from the bedroom above. The only problem is having to climb up and down the ladder whenever she forgets a sock or pair of pants.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the biggest challenge in this apartment. It's in the stairwell and connects to the balcony where the kitchen sink is, which makes it difficult to manoeuvre around. Though bulky and covered in oil, her landlord had some beautiful pieces of furniture that now serve as storage spaces.