EmmyL's Profile

You integrate the unique details of your home into your personal style very well! I think some of the home's features could create a kind of foreboding ambiance, but I find the space clever and welcoming. Nice job!

I have a small apartment with limited closet space and getting rid of stuff has been key — and exceptionally liberating! I finally gave myself permission to let go of all that sentimental baggage (like gifts I'd outgrown or no longer liked) that didn't really fit into my style and was just getting moved from place to place.

I've also generally adopted a policy this year of putting everything away at the end of the day, not letting mail pile up (recycling or into the pile for filing) and doing all my dishes so that clutter doesn't get out of hand, as it tends to do and quickly. It's easy once you get a hang of the routine and you expect it of yourself.

Finally, I love the idea above about sports equipment. The one thing I've not figured out how to solve is what to do with my sweaty roller derby pads! I practice 3-4 times a week and they need to air out afterwards, which usually happens on my living room floor :-/. They're pretty much always out there.

When I moved in, my entire apartment has beige carpeting and all the walls were was painted brown (except the bathroom, which was painted blue but had a brown shower curtain) :-/. My landlord lets me paint as long as I okay the general color idea before moving forward. I've been doing one room at a time and it's made a world of difference as to how I feel about the place! He sees that my efforts are improving the space and making me a happy tenant, and has proposed some further upgrades, including painting the kitchen cabinets, redoing the vinyl flooring and switching out some light fixtures. I feel lucky that he's so easy-going and open to ideas.

I'd love to remove a fugly brown ceiling fan in my living room and replace it with almost anything else, but haven't been brave enough to try yet.

I will add to the chorus of commenters applauding this post for highlighting an upgrade that should be well within reach of a lot of renters and makes a lot of impact with a few small changes.

I am curious to know how difficult this self-adhesive flooring is to install for anyone who's worked with it. Can you buy something similar at Lowe's or Home Depot? I'd love to try something similar on my tiny closet kitchen.

This really goes to show how a few small changes can make a world of difference. The space went from unremarkable to charming and unique. I like how you've tied together various elements that might seem dissonant at first — the doggie needlepoint, black paint, a bamboo shade, white lanterns. Somehow you've made paper lanterns look grown-up and made the bland oatmeal carpet fade into the background. Bravo!

I majored in literature during undergrad and journalism for grad school. My love for books is unabashed, yet culling my collection before my last intrastate move was most liberating! I donated them to a local Pages for Prisoners Project. I still have lots of books I'll probably never read or re-read, but my collection is now somewhat more manageable. I'm sure it could stand another winnowing, which will be easier now that I started the process (and haven't missed a single one of the books I gave away).

Inspiring post. I really love when AT highlights examples of really affordable, simple upgrades that create dramatic impact. It gives me hope for my fugly rental kitchen, which features dark pressboard cabinets and a counter and sink very similar to the one pictured (not to mention a godawful white board on one wall).

Smithratliff, I loved hearing your anecdote since I don't know anyone else afflicted with this particular neighbor quirk! Since my neighbor stopped doing the earnest and loud pet-talking during the wee hours, I find it more silly than annoying. No one believes me until they hear it! The way we act when no one is around....

I always dismiss compliments and point out flaws when guests say nice things about my apartment. That's just dumb and now that you've pointed this out, I plan to stop doing it! It's NOT perfect, but I'm doing a decent job with what I have to work with.