How To Decorate Your Home Like Carly And Spencer's Loft In iCarly
Running from 2007 to 2012, Nickelodeon's "iCarly" was a beloved children's sitcom famous for being a pioneer in the creator space for online-loving teens. The show follows Carly Shay and her two best friends, Sam and Freddie, who produce a successful online show. According to BuzzFeed, the hi-jinks, recurring features, and peak comedy on the show within a show sitcom were truly ahead of their time.
However, even more famous than the bursts of random dancing is the Seattle loft apartment that Carly shares with her older brother, Spencer (via YouTube). Since Spencer is an artist, the outlandishly decorated apartment is almost a character in and of itself. Now that the "iCarly" reboot is well underway, fans of the show's original run are understandably interested in how to create the same fun and avant-garde vibe of the Shay sibling's apartment in their own homes. Keep reading for the best ideas to decorate a loft and bring "iCarly" to life.
Use your stairs as an expression of style
Spencer and Carly made sure to decorate every last inch of their home, even the stairs. Spencer leans into his artistic inspiration by adding a set of plastic monkey string lights and a life-size version of the Barrel of Monkeys children's toy to his staircase. However, you don't have to commit so heavily to the primate theme to decorate a staircase wall. Something to take away is that you don't have to ignore the stairwell when you decorate.
According to HGTV, staircases are the perfect place to show our unique personality and style. Whether we want to turn our staircases into a chic gallery wall, create a cozy relaxation nook, or even install shelving for extra storage is up to us. The main thing to remember is we need to make the most of all available space to be like Carly and Spencer.
Never underestimate the power of a funky lamp
A fun lamp can make or break a room, which is a lesson that Carly and Spencer learned the hard way on "iCarly." Spencer went out of his way to create an ultra-funky gummy bear lamp for his little sister's birthday. However, since he used real gummy bears, the light caught on fire and burned down Carly's bedroom. So, when choosing a funky lamp of your own, make sure it's not flammable.
According to The Spruce, choosing the right lampshade to elevate a space can be quite an endeavor. The first thing to consider is how much light you would like the lamp to put off. If you are looking for mood lighting, it's possible to have a more opaque shade for the lamp. On the other hand, if you need a lot of light, you should choose a more see-through one. Finally, when selecting the bulb, leave at least two inches (preferably three) in between the shade and the bulb to reduce the risk of accidental fires.
Lean into pink and purple
After Carly's bedroom burns down due to Spencer's gummy bear lamp disaster, her older brother goes of his way to make things right by designing an entirely new bedroom for her. With the help of Sam, Gibby, and Freddie, Spencer makes Carly a pink and purple paradise. For fans looking to recreate the look at home, choosing this color scheme is a great start.
According to Southern Living, purple makes rooms feel exotic, while pink is a romantic color, making the two a perfect pairing. However, the best thing about pink and purple is that nearly all shades complement each other. You will have a chic result if you choose lilac and baby pink or magenta and plum. Pink and purple can also grow up along with you, meaning that their use doesn't always have to signal a child's room, as some might think. Instead, both colors offer a bold, dynamic choice for all ages.
Invest in a spa bathtub
After a long day of being one of Seattle's most famous web hosts, all Carly wanted to do was take a nice relaxing bath ... until she got her toe stuck in the faucet. Regardless, Carly picked a great place to be since the Shay siblings have a tiled spa bathtub to relax in. According to La Mantia, having a spa bathroom at home is essential for our overall health and relaxation.
There are plenty of ways to decorate your bathroom like a wellness retreat. Most spas have neutral shades, so it makes sense that Carly and Spencer use calming gray and blue tiles against the exposed red brick of their loft. In addition, a spa bathroom should never be crowded or disorganized, which is why the bathroom on "iCarly" has a shelving unit with plenty of organized bins, including bath bombs, bath gel, a loofah, and even a bath radio. Finally, the "iCarly" bathroom also has candles on the windowsill for added ambiance, a touch that is definitely not something you can leave out of a spa bathroom.
Don't be afraid to showcase unique art
Whether you bought it or made it yourself, never be afraid to show off art in your home. Just like Spencer does throughout "iCarly." One of the most famous pieces he creates on the show is the soda bottle robot, which is featured prominently in the background of many episodes. According to Fancy Pants Homes, many people are afraid of incorporating sculpture into their interior design visions because they aren't so sure about the correct way to do it.
The best way to break into the space is to start with small sculptures and figurines. By starting small, you can better understand your likes and dislikes and expand your collection. A great place to begin is collecting abstract pieces that serve a function, like a coffee table or a larger vase. Or, if you prefer, small animal figurines are also popular and easy to come by at many different price points.
Curate unique sitting areas
The loft in "iCarly" has plenty of funky seating options. Just look at the vinyl dining room chairs that look like they've been plucked straight from a 1950s diner, plus the red plastic bar chairs with a chrome base. In this case, the chairs are almost fashion statements in and of themselves. They are a bold color, a retro material, and a statement shape. However, no matter what kind of chairs you plan to buy or already have on hand, it's possible to style them effectively like "iCarly."
According to Country Living, each chair you add should have a purpose — even if that purpose is purely decorative. Do you need a place to sit down, store items in your room, even out a space, or simply look cool? Before you purchase a chair or place it in your home, decide how you plan to use it ahead of time. One thing to be wary of is reinventing the style of a room to accommodate just one piece. Each new sitting area you curate should add to your current theme, not take away from it.
Use '70s inspired decor
Spencer leans into major '70s influences throughout his loft. His Seattle apartment features plenty of red and brown earth tones popular during the decade. In addition, there are some fun geometric shapes, like the orange lamp pictured here. According to Country Living, funky lights, lava lamps, floating stairs, bean bag chairs, and dial radios were significant parts of 1970s style. The era also introduced design elements like sunken living rooms, floating stairs, and even linoleum flooring (much to everyone's chagrin).
To add an iconic '70s look to your "iCarly" inspired living space, you can incorporate these elements or look further afield within the era to create the same look. Spencer and Carly like to accessorize with period pieces. Consider adding a record player, pendant lights, pyrex dishes, and something funky like patterned wallpaper to recreate their fun retro style in your home. You can pick up vintage furnishings at thrift stores, flea markets, or online shops.
Always have a sweet treat on hand
Nothing says "I'm an adult!" like having a candy machine in your house. With his love of gummy bear decorations and the gumball machine upstairs, it's clear that Spencer Shay has a pretty big sweet tooth. Although Spencer was technically in his 20s while looking after his little sister, he definitely always acted like a child at heart.
According to the Chicago Tribune, having a candy dispensary in your house isn't uncommon. It's so popular that the newspaper did a deep dive into the best gumball machines to purchase and why. When selecting one for your home, you need to think about whether or not you want to pay each time you want a sweet treat or whether you would prefer to get the candy for free. Gumball machines come in all shapes and sizes, so select a location for your machine before shopping for one. This tip will help you make sure it fits where it's intended to go.
Create a sitting area in your bedroom
If you have the space in your bedroom, create a secondary sitting area so you have somewhere other than your bed to relax. Carly has a chaise lounge in her room for this very reason. Plus, it gives Sam another place to torture Freddy. According to MyDomaine, having a sitting area in your bedroom is functional, and it adds a touch of luxury to the space, making it instantly seem more spacious and welcoming. Who doesn't want more room for reading and relaxing?
Even if you don't have a large bedroom, you can consider adding a sitting area across the foot of your bed to help section things off. In addition, you can also think about placing a chair in the corner of your room. If you don't have room for an upholstered chair, consider a wooden chair with a cushion that matches the rest of the room.
Try to emphasize your open floor plan
In "iCarly," Sam, Freddie, Carly, and even much loved guest star Gibby always seem to be running around and chasing each other. The chasing is easy because the Shay siblings' Seattle loft has an open plan on the first floor. According to MasterClass, the main benefit of an open floor plan is improved traffic flow, which makes sense for the show. In addition, open floor plans tend to allow for increased light in a space, maximize square footage, and create better communication between residents, as they can easily see each other.
While decorating your house like "iCarly," you might not be able to knock down walls to create a more open space, but you can use furniture to add to the open feeling. Couches and tables lower to the ground will help a room feel larger. If your home feels a bit closed off, consider ways to bring good vibes into your home using feng shui.
Invest in a good lounge
The Shays' couch saw its fair share of jokes and drama. According to SlipcoverShop, there are many benefits to having a high-quality couch at home. A good sofa can help correct your posture and assist in decompressing your spine after a long day of sitting in less comfortable seats, like at the office or in the car. Comfy couches are also warm and inviting, making them better for our mental health.
However, choosing a style of couch that does these things and matches your style can be a bit difficult. Before purchasing a sofa, consider where you might want to place it. Against the wall? In the middle of the room? Or, maybe you even want two smaller couches set up across from each other. Then, choose a color that works with your space (via Explore Home). Carly and Spencer went with shades of red and mustard because it matches their space, but this color scheme might not work in your home.
Anchor your space with a fun rug
A fun rug can effortlessly liven up a space. Carly and Spencer seem to get this, as their striped rug is in the center of their living room — really pulling things together. According to The Spruce, if you want to recreate the same look, there are a few things that you should consider. The first is the color scheme. While the Shay siblings go for more of a warm neutral palette, you don't necessarily have to go the same route.
Next, think about the kind of patterns that you would like on your rug. Do you want bold stripes like on the show, or maybe you prefer animal print or even a solid color. Once you have thought about these things, you can also think about the pile length on the rug. Piles are the fibers that make up the texture. Rugs with shorter piles tend to be easier to clean, but longer-pile rugs can seem more stylish to some.
Use red in your kitchen
The Shay's kitchen is red hot, perfectly complementing the loft apartment's exposed brick walls. According to HGTV, red is a fun color to decorate with, but you need to be careful with how you display it. Red is typically a cheerful color, but someone in a blind rage is also said to "see red." Too much red can make your space feel overwhelming and chaotic.
Try using red in accents like Spencer and Carly to tone it down. As you can see, their dining room table chairs are red vinyl, and their cabinet drawers are red, as is their microwave. However, the light brown of the island's top and the rest of the cabinets work well to balance the room and make the kitchen feel cozy. When decorating with red, always try to make it less intense by including other soft colors alongside it to mellow out the visuals. Think about what color palettes to use if you're featuring red.
Collect thrifted knick knacks
Spencer and Carly's house features many weird and wonderful items, including the cookie jar in their kitchen. If you want to build up a unique collection of housewares, it's definitely worth some time and effort. The best way to find unconventional decorations is to shop at unconventional places. You'll need to trade mainstream stores for thrift shops and secondhand stores instead.
According to PopSugar, no two visits to a flea market will ever be the same, so you have to keep an open mind every time you go. On each visit, you should be of two minds. First, if you require a new coffee table, you need to have the dimensions of your living room to ensure you select something that will actually fit. Second, you need to stay flexible, as a vintage cookie jar might call to you while you're there. Maybe you love it so much that you come home with it instead.