Artist’s Victoria Rental Is a Playful Canvas of Type, Retro Finds, and a Lips Sofa
Artist Trevor Ball has spent eight and a half years customizing his one-bedroom rental in Victoria, British Columbia. The 1,200-square-foot apartment, in a building from the early 1900s, now features typographic artwork, bold colors, vintage pieces, and a Gufram Lips sofa. Ball describes the result as playful and eclectic, with a mid-century and retro-modern influence.
Trevor Ball, an artist, rents a one-bedroom apartment in Victoria, British Columbia’s Chinatown. The 1,200-square-foot unit sits in a building constructed between 1908 and 1911. Over eight and a half years, he has personalized it with typographic artwork, bold color, vintage-style street signs, mirrors, a projector, toys, and unusual accessories. A Gufram Lips sofa adds to the playful, eclectic mix.
The original space felt dominated by brown, white, and black and had a businesslike tone. Ball’s changes create a lighthearted, varied atmosphere, drawing on mid-century, retro-modern, and 1980s graphic-design cues. His landlord knows about the wall art and likes it; Ball jokes he never plans to leave.
This story may resonate with renters who want to personalize temporary homes, showing how art and vintage finds can make a rental feel individual without major renovation. It could also encourage landlords to see tenant creativity as an asset rather than damage risk. Design enthusiasts might draw inspiration for mixing bold typography, retro objects, and statement furniture in small urban apartments. However, such highly personal spaces may not suit everyone’s taste or lease terms.