Inside the Abbot "Apartment"

Inhabiting the corner room on the second floor of Abbot, uppers Wiley Bahr and Lucas McEachern have transformed the space to suit their every need. The door opens to a central square room, with four windows and a small living room in the alcove on the left. Because of the unconventional interior design, the roommates call their room “The Apartment.” 

The walls of “The Apartment” are adorned with an eclectic array of items: posters, maps, photographs, flags, squash racquets—and even a baby Jesus. “I really enjoy going into thrift stores, so most of our decorations are found there,” Bahr said. 

These items come from a variety of places, and McEachern, an international student from France, attributes this to their shared passion for traveling. “Our room was inspired by where we’ve been in the world, and this room is a representation of our travel experiences,” he said. 

In addition to worldly mementos, items from pop culture and with family significance fill the duo’s room. “My mom followed the Grateful Dead around for four years in college,” he said. “That really influenced me to put [their posters] up.”

All around the room are items that remind Bahr and McEachern of their respective homes. Hailing from a suburb of Chicago, Bahr represents his hometown with a Chicago Cubs poster. For McEachern, who grew up in Paris, a poster of The Adventures of Tintin comics displays an important part of his childhood. 

More importantly, the two Abbot residents highlight their common experiences. To do so, they proudly showcase flags of the Academy and the United States. “There’s an American flag because we’ve both been to America,” McEachern joked.

Certainly, “The Apartment” benefits from pre-existing features. When picking a room for their upper year, the duo was drawn to the natural light, afforded by several large windows. “We needed sunlight because when it gets too dark, I can’t see,” McEachern said. “It also makes us happy.” 

With a couch, television and fridge, the living room in “The Apartment” serves as a welcoming hangout spot. “We like to have movie nights with friends over on weekends,” Bahr said. Friends from Abbott and beyond have spent fun-filled evenings in “The Apartment,” watching a movie over pizza or playing games on the couch. Surrounded by the varied memorabilia of the room’s owners, they have forged the best of memories.