APARTMENT "BEFORE" PHOTOS

I can be a bit of a perfectionist which is why it's tempting for me to only show you the "after" photos from any given project, particularly my first apartment. But it took me months to get it looking like that and I thought it would be fun and different to share more of the decorating process with you this time around. So here it is: my new apartment as it looked when I moved in a week ago!

Here's what I'm loving:

1. When it came time to choose between a studio in my favorite neighborhood and a one-bedroom in a neighborhood I didn't love quite as much, I opted for living in a studio again. This one is a tiny bit bigger than my last place and I'm already so happy with my new neighborhood. It will be even better come spring and summer!

2. The hardwood floors. 

3. The kitchen is way nicer than the one in my last place. Incentive to cook!

4. The window trim. My last apartment was pretty much devoid of any architectural detail (so I added my own with pieces like this mirror and the pelmet boxes!).

5. The little alcove for the fridge. The fridge in my last place was kind of in the middle of the living room (to the right of the sofa) so I like that it's a little less in the way here.

6. The light. This is so, so important when you work from home!

A few challenges:

1. A few of the less expensive pieces (think Ikea) from my first apartment got pretty banged up during my first year in New York and the move. Think chips on the tabletop, dings on the bookshelves, etc. It's not realistic for me to try to replace everything at once so I'm referring to my own advice and keeping an eye out for replacement pieces from Craigslist, family members, etc. And I think I'm going to find a table skirt for my round dining table — a way to totally update the look (and hide the chipping paint) without spending a fortune. I'll keep you posted!

2. The layout is almost exactly the same as my last apartment. I tried to avoid this when I was looking at apartments but this layout really does have very little "dead space" and accommodates all my furniture well. That said, I really want to move things around so it feels different to me (since I spend so much time here!) and so it photographs differently when I am eventually ready to share the finished product. 

So that's where you come in: what would you do with this space? Color palettes, furniture layouts, pieces to add or subtract from my last place? I'm all ears!!!

I can be a bit of a perfectionist which is why it's tempting for me to only show you the "after" photos from any given project, particularly my first apartment. But it took me months to get it looking like that and I thought it would be fun and different to share more of the decorating process with you this time around. So here it is: my new apartment as it looked when I moved in a week ago!

Here's what I'm loving:

1. When it came time to choose between a studio in my favorite neighborhood and a one-bedroom in a neighborhood I didn't love quite as much, I opted for living in a studio again. This one is a tiny bit bigger than my last place and I'm already so happy with my new neighborhood. It will be even better come spring and summer!

2. The hardwood floors. 

3. The kitchen is way nicer than the one in my last place. Incentive to cook!

4. The window trim. My last apartment was pretty much devoid of any architectural detail (so I added my own with pieces like this mirror and the pelmet boxes!).

5. The little alcove for the fridge. The fridge in my last place was kind of in the middle of the living room (to the right of the sofa) so I like that it's a little less in the way here.

6. The light. This is so, so important when you work from home!

A few challenges:

1. A few of the less expensive pieces (think Ikea) from my first apartment got pretty banged up during my first year in New York and the move. Think chips on the tabletop, dings on the bookshelves, etc. It's not realistic for me to try to replace everything at once so I'm referring to my own advice and keeping an eye out for replacement pieces from Craigslist, family members, etc. And I think I'm going to find a table skirt for my round dining table — a way to totally update the look (and hide the chipping paint) without spending a fortune. I'll keep you posted!

2. The layout is almost exactly the same as my last apartment. I tried to avoid this when I was looking at apartments but this layout really does have very little "dead space" and accommodates all my furniture well. That said, I really want to move things around so it feels different to me (since I spend so much time here!) and so it photographs differently when I am eventually ready to share the finished product. 

So that's where you come in: what would you do with this space? Color palettes, furniture layouts, pieces to add or subtract from my last place? I'm all ears!!!