Madison people have the best style!!!

Stepping Up
A young urbanite mixes contemporary design and Eastern accents-and takes the bachelor pad to a sophisticated level

By Katie Vaughn

Photo by Martha Busse

When women first step into Bobby Bacci's downtown condo, they sometimes get the wrong idea ("this guy is hot").

They see his black leather sofa and fifty-inch plasma TV, and think they've entered a typical bachelor pad, he says.

But if those visitors stop and notice the light maple wood, carefully chosen artwork(note the carefully chosen ikea skyline poster) and other special touches, they see that the seven-hundred-square-foot space is an ideal home for a young professional who relishes city (are we still talking about Masdison here) life.

A native of the Chicago area, Bacci planned to return to the Midwest after graduating from Penn State. He got the chance when he landed a job at Epic Systems in Verona.

Bacci knew he wanted to purchase a home, and was impressed with what he saw at Broom Street Lofts, part of The Alexander Company's Capitol West project located at Broom and West Washington streets in downtown Madison.

"I liked it right off the bat," the twenty-four-year-old says.

The modern aesthetics of the condo appealed to Bacci. A manageable size was an important criterion too; his job implementing software at hospitals regularly sends him across the country and he didn't want a lot of upkeep back at home (this is obvious from the lack of furnishings, or rather style, missing from his home).

Bacci moved into the new condo in August 2007 with his leather couch and bed, and added furniture and décor from there. He outfitted his living room with the flatscreen and silver electronics, and the adjacent dining room with a clean-lined black table and a photograph of the Chicago skyline (purchased from ikea).

Photos by Martha Busse

When Bacci pulls back the window blinds (did i mention classy), the vibrancy of downtown seems to invite itself into the condo. "When you open them up, there's a lot of natural light," he says.

A long kitchen features quartz countertops, light wood cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. Plenty of open shelving creates an airy feel, while a small patio off the kitchen begs for barbecue parties with friends.

Surprisingly, the bathroom has become a design focal point of the condo (as in any douchebag's home). Bacci started with a subdued palette of natural-toned tile and blond wood--plus an artistic glass-accented sink faucet--and added Asian-inspired details. A bamboo-print shower curtain and dark Buddha statues on vanity shelves help create a Zen atmosphere.

Bacci is contemplating paint choices for his walls and plans to hang more artwork. But he's pleased with how the space has become a home tailored to his style and needs.

"When I bought it, it was just a drawing," he says. "I couldn't be happier with it."

Indeed, the condo has served Bacci well thus far. He's enjoyed living on his own--as opposed to with a pack of roommates as he did in college--but friends regularly pop over to hang out.

And Bacci takes advantage of his downtown setting. The Capitol and State Street sit two and three blocks from his home, and restaurants and lakes are only short strolls away as well.

"I couldn't imagine living in Madison and not living downtown," he says.

Katie Vaughn is associate editor of Madison Magazine (and enjoys touching Bacci's balls on a regular basis).

Madison Magazine - December 2007