9/10/07

The Apartment Revealed

So yes, I've been living in the apartment for well over a month now, actually it'll be two months on Sunday if you want to be specific. Mind you the apartment is still a work-in-progress but here are the most recent photos, yes I know LONG overdue...note, when relevant I've added paint colors and sources for decorative art, et al, just in case you're curious.

First things first, you should know that upon arrival at the humble homestead you will be asked to remove your shoes. Martha Stewart featured the concept of creating a framed (ahem, polite) request within the immediate entry way which you can see at left. ;-) I hope to have a supply of slippers/socks on hand come those slushy wintry months.

At right is the BM Moroccan Red wall complete with my foyer piece. The stacked system is in essence three (3) sets of stacked drawers--a little redundant I suppose--purchased at HomeGoods. The radiator cover was left behind from the former occupant and there is a Chelsea Hanger (courtesy of Southern Living Goods) on the left wall adjacent to the front door. I need a mirror above the file system, initially the plan was to use the one I now have propped in the living room but the wood is too dark, and I will probably order something from Brocade Home.

For the benefit of those who haven't been to the apartment, or cannot remember the layout, just an FYI. If you turn right at the end of the foyer, you enter the living room; turn left and you enter the kitchen. The kitchen used to have an archway wall that separated the kitchen from the dining area. I have since blown out the wall to create one large room, as noted below.

The color of the walls is BM Semolina Yellow, the kitchen cabinets medium brown AKURUM from IKEA. The ceramic tiles, purchased from Weissman's Home Discounts, remind me of a riverbed and the golden granite seems to complement everything nicely.

There is a Tiffany-style flush mount above the glass bistro table in the front of the room. My contractor added a small bookshelf to the windowsill and spray painted the radiator cover in a copper accent metal.

The metal and white tile buffet server to the right was a steal from Pier 1. There's nothing like a bargain, a skill I picked up from my mom. :) The refrigerator, though out of sight, is opposite this wall. A stainless steel bottom freezer procured from Quentin's List at a severely discounted price.

I bought the mini-mighty ceiling fan ages ago and shattered the bulb cover just as the electrician was prepared to set it up. I called the manufacturer thinking that I would have to search high and low for the cover but they sent a replacement to me for free! I promised I would talk them up in return for their generosity. Contact XX here for your very own.

At some point I hope to be organized but until then the kitchen has become my catch-all room. It's one part office/den/kitchen for now.

There are normally four (4) chairs around the bistro table but for space-sake I've been using three. The other one is in storage (aka the garage). The chairs were remnant pieces from a floral show Nat & Junior planned and executed, and at first I didn't think they would go with the decor (I have two in royal blue velvet corduroy and two in cranberry) but the linen seat covers from QVC offered the perfect fix. I love the idea of using the table top as a mini gallery, so here's an art shot of sorts of two prints beneath the glass. The green glass mosaic platter was given to me by Sharyl, the yellow mosaic candle sconce I picked up at TJ Maxx; I think it was from my very first visit to the infamous 'never the same place twice' store.

Here is a close-up of the window overlooking the garden. The window offers a southeast exposure, and a good amount of sunlight throughout the day. The photo is a tad dark but I think you can still make out the fashioned bookshelf and windowsill. Once I get a screen for the window the plan is to have a pillow for Tigger so he can get a clear view of the world outside. :)

Next room to view is the living room which as noted above is to the right of the foyer entrance.

The living room is painted BM Shaker Beige (thank you Stacy!) and with the exception of some key pieces is fairly sparse. To the left, an Indonesian carved mirror from an import/export warehouse in Newark, with an ancient (and soon-to-be-replaced) AIWA boombox. Kerri suggested upgrading to the 3-2-1 BOSE system (a bonus that it comes with a DVD player); I'm looking into that option now. I am planning a trip up to Woodbury Commons (where there is a BOSE outlet) in October.

I have an espresso finish Markor Bookshelf from IKEA (mine is twice the size of the one shown) that will either go in this corner or on this wall below, adjacent to the leather chair. In a previous post I mentioned my frustration and at times, hesitation, in finding the right area rugs for the space. As you can see, Tigger duly enjoys the sheepskins from IKEA; not sure if they have a larger version but perhaps therein lies the solution. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, please don't hold back if you have any cool innovative ideas. ;-)


This love seat from Jennifer Convertibles is in the opposite corner of Tigger's shot. :) Yes, I made the jump and purchased a Cloud blue twill sofa. The rose flower pillows are from Cost Plus Market, the black floor lamp is from Homegoods (in Staten Island).

The walls seem bare but I have a selection of prints to make up for the existing drabness, including some black and white shots from my college photography portfolio. The sofa definitely needs a coffee table and potentially a shag rug to be placed in front of the piece.



Next up is the powder room...I replaced the cabinet sink with a pedestal and switched up the lighting, adding a much needed outlet. There used to be a very modern white, black & yellow wall paper which I tore down, something about wallpaper in a bathroom that doesn't set right with me. Anyway, the wall color is Behr Cosmic Dust. I added a bamboo floor mat, palm tree linen shower curtain (from Overstock.com) and a crocheted curtain my grandmother made years ago.

Last but not least is the BM Blue Spa bedroom. Again I need an area rug here as well (I'm thinking I may take Sharon's suggestion and get that leather shag from Overstock) and would also like a floor to ceiling mirror to prop against the wall. Maybe in a dark espresso to match the bed, though I am open to suggestion. Ideally I would prefer not to have any other piece of furniture in the room and the goal (I need to call Ingrid!!!) is to organize both the closets (one in the bedroom, the other in the living room) so I won't need an armoire or chest of drawers, et al. If I must pare down my closet, well then all yee ladies might find yourself with some second hand treasures. :)

And we end the post with a view from the bedroom through the living room and into the kitchen.

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