‘Meant to be’ in Old City

When Jaden Daubert moved out of his apartment at 509 Vine St. in 2020, he thought he was saying goodbye for good. But when he was looking to move again in 2023, he couldn’t believe his luck — his exact unit in the Old City apartment building was available. So he moved back in.

“It felt really great to be in a place that was familiar,” said Daubert, whose roommate is his 3-year-old Yorkie, Juicy. “I had so many great memories. It felt like it was meant to be.”

The 1,400-square-foot, two-bedroom corner unit has 14-foot ceilings with exposed ductwork and two walls of huge windows with views of Center City and the Ben Franklin Bridge. That’s important to Daubert, who finds that sunlight improves his mood.

Originally built in 1929 by Boekel Scientific, the building served as a manufacturing plant for medical devices. Stonehenge Advisors purchased the property in 2001, converted it into 44 apartments, and began renting in 2003.

Daubert describes his apartment as having a maximalist eclectic feel, with a mix of vintage furniture, bold patterns, and a curated art collection.

“My goal is to be authentically unique,” said Daubert, who shares his design ideas on TikTok as @homedecorhomie. “That means curating one of a kind pieces that reflect my personality, while also embracing trends when they truly resonate. I don’t try to be different just for the sake of being different.”

He is an avid collector of vintage goods. His walnut dining room table, built in the early 1900s, was the first antique piece he bought, and it sparked his interest in thrifting. His favorite haunts are in Allentown, Lancaster, and elsewhere in central Pennsylvania. He also finds things on Facebook Marketplace.

He never sets out to find something specific — he waits for a piece of furniture or art to inspire him. Among his favorites are the Mexican folk art tin masks from the ’50s or ’60s that hang on the wall between the kitchen and living room.

He also has two vintage Tiffany lamps, one hanging in the kitchen and the other standing by the bed in his guest room, which he also uses as an office. He splurged on the standing lamp with purple and green iridescent glass.

“If you’re looking on Facebook Marketplace, it’s like the opposite of online dating,” he said. “Sometimes the pictures don’t do it justice. The pictures of the hanging lamp were blurry, but I had a good feeling about it. It captures the light from the window really great.”

The office desk came from a church that closed and is inscribed, “This Do In Remembrance of Me,” a reference to the Lord’s Supper. For Daubert, it isn’t about the religious symbolism but the beauty of the piece.

Daubert is also fond of the framed vintage Rolling Stone cover featuring Janet Jackson from the early ’90s that he found on eBay. Though it doesn’t match his office decor, it spoke to him.

“I wanted to pay homage to her,” he said. “She’s an icon, and I relate to her in a lot of ways. She found success when she finally took control and did things her way. I relate to that.”

For example, he eschews design rules and advice from influencers — even his own. Design should be personal and flexible, he said, and he is willing to break the so-called rules when it feels right.

His galley kitchen features mismatched vases sitting alongside Polish pottery. It’s the room he appreciates most, where he whips up Italian meals, including lasagna and chicken marsala.

“The kitchen is me summarized in a room,” he said of its decor. “It’s bold with a lot of interesting patterns and textures. It’s very playful with vintage pottery and a tiger rug on the floor.”

He also decorates his doors with art, something he feels is unique and interesting. He loves gallery walls and the idea of mixing things together that don’t make sense.

“If you like it, put it together, and it will turn out great,” he said.

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