Chicago Pet Parent & Muralist Transforms Her West Town Apartment Walls

When your move coincides with a global pandemic and complete and utter uncertainty for the future, it can be hard to focus on home decor. Take it from Katie Lukes, Chicago illustrator, muralist (you may have seen her work in places like Day Glow Coffee and Orkenoy), and dog mom, who got the keys to her Chicago apartment in mid-2020. If a year stuck inside has taught us anything, it's that the spaces we inhabit can influence our mood, and either help or hinder how settled we feel on the daily. So what's an artist to do when she wants to make her rental feel like home? Break out the brushes! Join us in touring the stunning handpainted walls in Katie (and Bingo's) West Town apartment in this month's Figo Pet Partment tour!

Your place

City you're located in: Chicago (West Town)

Years lived in current home/apartment: 1

How would you describe your decorating style: A little bit mid-century and a little bit eclectic.

Favorite feature of your space: Honestly the amount of light! Being East/West facing and on the top floor, this place gets amazing light all throughout the day.

Biggest challenge (either about the space itself or one you encountered while decorating): When I moved into this apartment, I did not have much furniture or decor. I moved here in the middle of 2020 so it was peak covid. I didn't want to go out to a bunch of stores at the time and with the uncertainty of things I also didn't want to buy a bunch of decor at once. So my solution was to paint the walls in a fun way. I'm an illustrator and muralist for a living, so I know that simply adding color to a space can really add a lot (and for cheap)!

Must-have piece of décor/furniture: A good accent chair and the perfect area rugs

Favorite place to buy décor/furniture: West Elm, Article, Humboldt House, Etsy

What really drew you to your place: The amount of light, the private deck, and the layout. Normally I'd love a good open floor pan but since I work from home, I loved the way that the living room and bedroom were on one side and kitchen/dining/studio space were on the other. It kept it feeling like work was separate.

Your pet(s)

Name + breed of pet(s): I have one 1.5-year-old Maltese/Yorkie mix named Bingo

Nicknames you have for them: Bingo Beans

Where did you buy/adopt from? Is there a story behind it?: After months of trying to adopt a small pup with no luck, I stumbled upon Bingo and his four brothers looking for homes a few hours west of Chicago. When I went to pick him up, the very honest granddaughter helping get him all ready proclaimed that this was "the hyper one" and well, it completely checks out!

Their favorite part of your place: He absolutely loves sitting out on the deck and chewing on sticks whenever possible! If he's stuck inside though, he will always claim the yellow chair.

Favorite pet accessory or furniture piece: Bingo loves his furry bed from Chewy!

What does being a pet parent to your pets mean to you: It's been so rewarding raising a small pup all on my own. I live alone, so having his constant company (and entertainment) is something I'm so grateful for!

Want to see more of Katie's incredible work? Check her out at @LukesKatie on Instagram.

Lizz Caputo is a Content Strategist at Figo, animal enthusiast, and owner of a rescued senior American Bully. Her hobbies include checking out new restaurants in her area, boxing, and petting dogs of all shapes and sizes.