For the past two years, Marquardt, a director of sponsorship and promotions at Metro, has rented a 1,200-square-foot 2.5-bedroom with her boyfriend, Reidell, a graphic designer and one half of DJ/production duo the Hood Internet. While the pair can’t stand clutter, they also can’t resist snagging whimsical Craigslist, eBay or thrift-store finds. “We like things with a good sense of humor,” she says. To reconcile the useful with the comical, the couple adapted every piece for maximum utility, including a life-size bust of Harrison Ford à la Blade Runner that doubles as a headphone stand and a refinished vintage turntable console AirPorted to play MP3s from a laptop. The couple’s personalities shine through in the decor, too, as Reidell notes: “It meant a lot to us when we had a party and some people after looking around said, ‘We can tell that you live here.’”
House call: Stacey Marquardt and Steve Reidell's Humboldt Park walk-up
Reidell of the Hood Internet and Marquardt, the Metro's director of sponsorship, aim for functionality with a sense of humor.
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