phantastica's Profile

Yeah, without tearing down the wall, it's going to be hard to make this look like one room. I'd say to do a formal living room in one space, and a play/exercise room in the other.

You could make the area under the stairs the kids' nook. Kids aren't tall and wouldn't miss the overhead space, but on the other hand having kids' toys there might be a cluttery mess that you see when you walk in the door every day.

I also thought it was a good idea to hang a curtain to hide a corner that you use as storage.

If you used the front room as the living room, maybe you could angle the couch so when you're sitting on it you can easily see into the play room.

I agree your question is kind of broad. In general, though ...

Find the features of the apartment you love the most, and find ways to accentuate them.

Pay attention to "flow" ... where your eyes and body naturally go when you enter a room, and find ways to work with that.

I agree that a good solid cleaning and fixing anything in disrepair would help you understand what you have to work with.

It sounds like the space may be a little cramped? If it is, make use of vertical space - put up some high shelves to store lesser used items, hang things (lamps, plants) from the ceiling, etc.

I agree wholeheartedly with preserving family relationship and going directly to the landlord/relative with the mistake. If you are reasonable and honest, there's a better chance he will be too.

Not creepy at all! Way grosser to use animal hide.

I think it's a perfect solution for the hordes of stuffed animals sitting in bags in the basement. What else would you do with them, if not repurpose? Some thrift places won't take them because they can be carriers of small pests (fleas, etc).

My current spices are in about five different types of containers, all arranged in two stacked clementine boxes. Not ideal, but functional for now.

I have successfully arranged my furniture as Fire Wife Katie describes: the back of the couch and table backed up against each other, floating in the center of the room.

I also like the idea of flipping the couch with whatever is on the opposite wall - entertainment center?

I suppose everybody can find one that's useful and agree that one is a waste. I could've used that shower step on my last apartment, and I think my cat would disagree that the observation window is useless.

I used to live in a home with a small walk-through room that attached the bathroom to the bedroom. The bedroom had a tiny closet, so I used the walk-through room as a dressing room. I added a portable hanging rack for extra closet space, had a small desk and make-up mirror, and I hung jewelry on the wall. I enjoyed seeing all my clothes, jewelry, scarves, shoes, and purses in one glance. It made it so much easier to pull together outfits!

My new house doesn't have a set-up like that, so I'm back to a traditional closet and I miss that space!

I am a 6' tall female, and my son is 6'7". We lived in a small arts and crafts home where my son had to duck through the doorways. Purchasing a bi-level split is a treat, as we both appreciate the vertical space.

Wind Whistler - when I was in a battered women's shelter (about as dignified as a homeless shelter), I was thrilled to get a set of good, used sheets. I was able to take them with me when I moved into my own place, and I used them for years after that. Good-quality used sheets are NOT degrading.