rosemary on the tv

It’s been a trying couple of months, first with moving out on my own for the first time, leaving my old job and starting a new job, my apartment flooding, going through the apartment search all over again, and moving for the second time in as many months.

But I think things have finally settled down.  I was able to get everything unpacked and moved in this weekend, and except for a couple of small household projects and necessary furniture pieces, my new place is starting to feel like home.  So I thought it might be time to share a few photos with you, but please bear in mind that nothing is finished as I’ve only been moved in for about a month.

This is the dining area/eat-in kitchen, which is what you see when you walk in the door.  The table is IKEA’s Docksta, the green chair was an $8 flea market find I bought in college, the benches were given to me from a friend who works at a Bath & Body Works store and is always giving my mom their outdated visual merchandising props (score!).  I bought a couple yards of that gorgeous fabric from Cynthia East Fabrics and my lovely mother made me cushions!  The Etsy print is from mwilson in a vintage tree branch frame I bought at Sweet Home/Clement and painted white.

Here’s a shot of the full kitchen area, taken from the living room.  When I moved in, the only kitchen storage was the cabinet under the sink and the two cabinets on either side of the window.  THAT’S IT.  I didn’t even have any kitchen drawers, much less a pantry.  Luckily, I had faced a kitchen storage problem in my last place and was working on the cabinet on the left (ignore the unhinged doors – it’s one of the aforementioned unfinished projects that I’ll blog about later on), which I constructed from a piece of countertop and some upper kitchen cabinets my mom found in her storage warehouse.  As for drawer storage, I’m using the wire drawers on my rolling cart/cutting board for now.  The top one has silverware in it, which is slightly awkward, but a small sacrifice overall.

Also please ignore the hanging lightbulb – my landlord has promised me a brand new light fixture soon!

Here’s a close up of my floating shelves, bought from Home Depot and constructed with a bit of help from my power tool-wielding mother.  Despite their looks, I can assure you that they are straight (according to the million times we checked the level).

Turning around, a doorway leads to the living/bedroom.  This large room has four huge windows, high ceilings and really pretty hardwood floors.  It was the windows that sold me.  My white couch (from which I forgot to remove the puppy-proof cover, but let’s be honest – white couches and dogs are rarely a successful combination!) is from IKEA, the vintage dresser was given to me by a friend, the bookcase is a Target purchase and at $299, probably the most expensive thing I own, and the brown chair, also from Target, was found still wrapped in its plastic at a flea market in my hometown, priced at $20 (Target price: $200).

I still have projects in mind here.  For one thing, I lost all my rugs in the flood, so an area rug is crucial.  The grid rug in front of my couch was actually a bath mat that the boyfriend managed to save in all the watery chaos.  I’ve also been meaning to recover that stinking brown chair since I purchased it four years ago, but haven’t done it.  I’m thinking I want a bright printed fabric, but can never seem to make a decision!

I’m also planning a bed overhaul.  As in all new bedding, new mattresses, new headboard, the works!  My college comforter and 1970s mattress and box spring just aren’t cutting it.  I’d also like to install some wall sconces on either side, but that will need to wait until I’ve decided on a headboard (or MADE a headboard, due to budget restraints).

My living space is small, sure, but it’s plenty big enough for me and Baby Lu, and maybe the boyfriend who finds my couch extremely uncomfortable (it was a $150 for crying out loud).  The vintage sewing desk was also given to me by a friend.  The slipper chair, like my brown armchair, was another flea market mystery – straight off the Target truck, but marked down to $20 (Target price: $160), draped with a $25 IKEA RENS sheepskin.  Artwork is all homemade except for the Dan McCarthy Harry and the Potters poster, which I love love love and do not for a moment regret having professionally framed.

On my list of things to save up for: a flat screen television.  That clunker is a solid two feet from the wall, and it’s bulky backside causes it to stick out awkwardly.

Another view of the living space.  I feel like that’s a big blank wall, but I’m having trouble deciding what to do with it.  Any suggestions are totally welcome.

And I’ll leave you with another view into the kitchen!

I’ve definitely got a lot more work to do, but it’s coming along.  No pictures of the bathroom just yet.  The only bathroom storage the apartment had was a small medicine cabinet.  That’s IT!  No cabinets, drawers, shelves, nothing!  So all of my bathroom stuff is currently stashed in big plastic containers that are stacked high enough to create a makeshift vanity.  Soon, I’ll find the perfect cabinet and give you another update!