GQ

How Buck Mason's Erik Allen Turned a Basic Rental Into a Mid-Century Modern Hideaway

Here's how you make the most of a rental home.Building the perfect home, or gut-renovating one with good bones into a haven of personal taste, might be the dream, but reality is often working with the space you have. And when you're renting, making the most of a space that isn't yours is a top priority. Here to make plan B look damn good is the man behind our favorite white T-shirt, Erik Allen, designer and co-founder of Buck Mason, and the woman behind our favorite country house, interior designer Leanne Ford, who recently collaborated to make Allen's Echo Park rental—a mid-century modern bungalow with plenty of character—feel like home. Mixing business and pleasure, the newly married Allen and Ford invested in big-ticket pieces they knew they could bring to their future home together, keeping changes to the bungalow itself simple but impactful. Get to know Allen and see his space, plus get tips from Ford on decorating your own rental, in our latest edition of Gentlemen's Quarters below.The story behind this space:"I was looking for a place in Echo Park to be close to my now-wife’s house—she was working on down the street. I've been here for about a year and it's been so good to me. It's different and funky. It's one of two bungalows on this property and it has a very Donald Judd vibe—only quirky. I fell in love with all the woodwork: the custom cabinetry, the wood trim everywhere. I love that it's up on a hill so the elevation gives it a treehouse feel."[button size='' style='' text='READ FULL ARTICLE' icon='' icon_color='' link='https://www.gq.com/story/gentlemens-quarters-buck-mason-erik-allen-midcentury-home' target='_blank' color='' hover_color='' border_color='' hover_border_color='' background_color='' hover_background_color='' font_style='' font_weight='' text_align='' margin='']