Filed under: Color, Design, etc, House Tours, News & Trends
Forget the Sex and the City single girl pad. We went home with "The Science of Single" writer Rachel Machacek and fell in love with her cozy studio.Rachel Machacek just might be the next real life "Bridget Jones." After spending several years spending too many weekends at home with her cat in her small Washington, DC studio, she decided to take finding a mate seriously, embarking on a year-long adventure to find out "what happens when you use all of the resources you possibly can to meet and date the opposite sex." She went on blind dates, visited with dating coaches, tried online dating -- even met with professional matchmakers.
Photo: Amazon, Sara Brown
And it's in her 265-square-foot "grandmother chic" studio in the trendy Adams Morgan neighborhood where she finds solace from her dating woes.
The apartment, where she writes her popular dating blog and where she spent two weeks holed up writing "The Science of Single," is painted in sorbet-inspired paint colors, like cantaloupe and periwinkle; her kitchen is bubblegum pink. On the walls is a collection of mix and match artwork she inherited from her parents and grandparents. A red-trimmed chalkboard covers up an unsightly power box. She says that her apartment is filled with found items and special things she's picked up over the last several years. "For some reason it all kind of goes together in this weird, eclectic mish-mash sort of way," Machacek says. "I walk in now and I just love it."
While the size of her apartment is womb-like, which can be comforting, it can also get to her sometimes. "There are periods when I feel like everything's falling down around me," she says. "If I don't stay on top of my stuff, I'll literally start running into things."
Photo: Sara Brown
Plus her dates can get a little distracted when they walk in and see a bed in the middle of her living room. She beckons them to the couch. "I don't use the bed unless I'm sleeping in it, but I have invited guys up who've gone straight for the bed," she says with a laugh. "If it's after a date...at night...after a couple of drinks, it doesn't take much to make your way to the bed, so you have to make an effort not to even go there."
Because of the aparment's shape and size, there isn't really a way to avoid the situation. "When I first looked at the place, the girl who lived here before me had her bed in the closet, too," she says. "I thought I could think of a better way to lay out the space, but put the bed anywhere else and you can't really have a couch. At least now I can at least offer my dates a place to sit down."
Despite the tiny footprint, Machacek has come up with ways to break up the space. One of her first (and only) real furniture purchases, a wooden folding screen, currently hides her cat's litter box; it's also used as a room divider, creating a private nook for her writing desk. Also, by simply facing her bed and her sofa in different directions, she's created two separate "rooms" -- a sitting area to chat and watch TV and a cozy bedroom.
Machacek has considered moving to a new place, but much like her dating life, she's having a hard time singling out "the one." "When I was looking at condos last year, I had an experience kind of like dating -- I kept finding things wrong with every potential place. It wasn't old enough. Or they had renovated, so it had all of the typical trendy amenities that don't attract me. I had a hard time finding a place with real personality or soul, which makes it hard to commit to anything more than what I already have."
Photo: Sara Brown
Did she find a man after her year-long search? Nothing permanent. But that's okay with her. She's become a little hesitant about moving in with a guy.
"The whole idea of merging things and styles with a guy makes me a little anxious," she says. "Alot of guys' apartments turn me off. I understand that a lot of guys are less prone to coming up with a real design scheme, but it's a good thing when a guy puts some thought into his home. That's how you can tell that he's a grown up."
Since Machacek has designed a comforting respite from the ups and downs of her dating life, we asked her for five must-haves to help our single readers do the same.
1. Invest in a comfy place to lounge. Machacek swears by her big, billowy, chenille couch -- it's the perfect spot for that much-needed pre-date nap or a good cuddle with her cat after coming home.
2. Give your place a signature scent. Like an invisible security blanket, Machacek loves the smell of Anthropologie's Capri Blue Candle. "The aroma is soothing after bad dates and romantic for good dates," she says.
3. Stock your shelves with picture books. "I have a hard time reading when I'm nervous about meeting someone new, but I do find that browsing picture books like "Bitter With Baggage Seeks Same" calms me down and makes me laugh," Machacek says.
4. Make Room for a Full-Length Mirror. Even in the smallest spaces, it's important to get a good look at yourself before heading out on a date. Plus, as Machacek points out, it's a must-have when playing dress-up and trying on potential outfits for future meetings.
5. Don't Underestimate the Tiny Bathroom. Not much bigger than a phone booth, Machacek admits that her bathroom is a wee bit tight, but close the door, turn on the shower and it turns into her own private "shed the bad date" steam room. Brilliant.
To learn more about Rachel Machacek, buy her book here. Or check out her hilarious dating blog, ScienceofSingle.com.
Want to find out how single men live? Check out Shelterpop's bachelor pad transformation. And check out more Valentine's Day stories!
Got a small space? This video shows you how to decorate one.