Home.

The apartment we currently call home is approximately 1200 Sq. ft. of living space consisting of two bedrooms, one bath with an open floor plan living/kitchen/dining area. Until last week, it was thought of by me as a temporary space we are on the verge of outgrowing. Due to various reasons, including fiscal and personal, we are not ready to buy a house so I'm on a mission to transform the home of all our crap into a home that is truly ours. My husband and I decided we don't like moving much, so until we can buy a house, we are staying put. Might as well get comfy, right?

Now, if you know me, you know I am slightly handicapped in the arena of designing anything. Clothes, home decor, arts and crafts, etc...but I am trying to make a true effort to change this. But I need help. That's where the interweb comes in. It is chock-full 'o goodies.

Most of the inspiration to begin this transformation of our rental into our home comes from reading about a friend's own decorating adventures over at Turn Right at Lake Michigan. While they are renovating their first home (something I don't even want to think about undertaking...they have bigger balls than I) there are many interior design topics that come up, and that's what I'm going for. If home ren-o is your thang or if you just like witty banter, check it out (yes, I just said thang, it wasn't a typo).

Apartment Therapy has proven to be an amazing source for inspiration so far as well. Here's a snapshot of what I likey from them.

For the bedroom:

I have a weak spot for trees/nature worked into design and I love the wall mounted dressing area for its space saving abilities.

For the living room:





I find myself loving clusters of things hung on walls. It reminds me of collages I used to make as a kid and since we have high ceilings in the living room, why not? I also am digging the t.v. stands that double as shelving/storage. And I will have a sectional couch like the one above even if we have to eat ramen noodles all summer long. It would be perfect for our living room, and since the couch seen here is awful, our first large purchase will be a sectional:

Kiddo doesn't judge us for our post-fire donated couch and although its functional and pretty comfortable, its very ugly. (ps-she read that chapter book in two sittings! She's a genius I swear and please ignore my hubby's scruffy do...he even admitted yesterday he's overdue for a cut)

For Ms. Kitty:
Even though I don't know where we would fit this, I thought it was so smart...it's an IKEA hack, consisting of a $60 cabinet and a $13 kitty door.

Again, all these (and more!) can be found at the amazing Apartment Therapy.

I am going to try to use updating this blog as motivation to keep re-working our space at home. I will admit I forgot to take before pictures when re-organizing the space right inside what we use as the main entrance, but here is the after, with a fabulous shoe rack I got on clearance at Target for $6.50: (I apologize for the crappy blackberry photo as well)

The wall crap needs a do over as well, but for now at least my shoes aren't the focal point of the space. Maybe by next time I'll have the table removed from what is now a reading nook near the deck doors to nowhere (that's a whole other post) and I'll share that space, or just some pictures of the apartment the weekend we moved in...since not much has changed since then...but that is about to...well, change.

Til next time.