4 Decor Things I Love Right Now

1. The use of creamy colors

2. Denim Furniture (its probably a "out" but I'll always love it)

3. The use of small space done really well

4. Big school like sinks.

Whats making you "ooo and ahh" in the decor department these days???

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progress continues

I finished painting the bathroom and kitchen this weekend which meant I got to begin hanging shelves and 'decorating'. I didn't do a lot, but here's a little peak at what I did manage to do... The photo above is a detail from my bathroom. There were no shelves or closet so I put up a corner shelving unit that has 4 shelves on it for bathroom paraphenelia storage.

The photos below give you a glimpse at the progress of my kitchen. The 'before' shot comes first, followed by where I'm at with things so far. Now that the shelves are up, I'm going to start bringing over pots and pans and dishes to fill them up.

I actually had a lot of fun putting up these shelves because for the first time ever, I used a power drill. I have since developed a very enthusastic love for power drills. I can't wait to find more things to drill!

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bit by bit

I've begun the transfer of goods from one apartment to another. I plan on finishing the painting this weekend and getting shelves up in the kitchen and bathroom so more photos to come soon of things other than the radiator wall ;)

PS - while painting the bathroom last night, I discovered a horrid, putrid smell rising from the floor? the walls? Not sure, but it's a little concerning. Hoping it's something fixable and not a sign of major wall rot...ugh.

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The Art of the Mix

Some people just know how to mix things up. I'd like to think I can, but I often see pictures that make me think how clever. Thats why I like magzines and the internet. Its so inspiring to see how creative people can get. In a small space you really have to be creative!

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getting back on track - before & after pics of the little corner that's causing all the fuss

Well...I sprayed what was left of the spray paint last night (which wasn't much). As you can see, I armed myself with a nose hair protector mask this time... You can see the before and after shots of the floor below - the difference is much less noticable now, however, a couple more shots of paint probably would have been perfect. I'm not sure if I'm going to bother buying any more. I think I might leave it for awhile and see if regular wear and tear will help even things out.

I also ran out of regular white paint last night. I'm done painting the studio and have done half of the kitchen and hallway and none of the bathroom. I've used three gallons already - this place is a sponge!

Before...

And after...

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i have an idea...

So...some friends and I were swapping spray-paint-on-hardwood-floor cleaning ideas last night that included everything from cleaning solutions to resanding and polishing the floor to bit-by-bit scraping the paint off with a razor blade. The brainstorming session inspired me to stop by the apartment on my way home and take a closer look at my 'situation'.

There's absolutely no way that I can 'scrape' the paint off the floor. It's so finely dusted that there's really nothing to get a blade underneath of to scrape. That said, there are concerns about cleaning solutions taking the finish off the floor. And I was strongly encouraged not to attempt a sanding and refinishing project myself for fear of making things look worse.

So...upon closer inspection, I've decided to remove all objects from the room and blast a couple more sprays of paint into the air in an attempt to 'even out' the fine paint coating on the floor. The paint is so fine and so pale that if you weren't able to see the before and after difference next to the patch of flooring that was originally covered by drop cloth, you'd never know that there was paint on the floor at all. It just looks like a slightly paler shade of hardwood. So I think my 'paint it all' option is the best, easiest, safest and cheapest. Hey - if I could paint a huge wall (see photo above), I can surely handle a little itty bit of flooring...

Seriously. I swear I'm not crazy (I have yet to end up in a situation like the tykes in the photo below - and no, the fact that I'm 29 and they're under 5 doesn't make any difference ;).

Here's to hoping my landlord never reads my blog! To be continued (again)...

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Where do your guest sleep?

A daybed tucked in a corner? Outdoors somehow? Futon or pull out couch? My sister comes twice a year with her 2 kids. With only 3 bedrooms it makes it hard but we make due. Air mattress's help tons, great solution with small kids. How do YOU handle overnight guest? A nice room at the Holiday Inn?

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