emilyinchicago's Profile

I agree with a lot of your ideas here - I've always tried to emphasize the height of a room with long curtains that stretch from floor to ceiling or taking the back splash up to the ceiling on a kitchen wall that doesn't have cabinetry above the counter top or even in the shower tiles - anything you can do to bring the eye up works wonders on the size of a room.

Editing furniture is also key - just be switching up my dining room table and chairs I added a ton of visual space to my main room recently, without changing the day-to-day # of seating available or the overall functionality of the space. I added a pedestal table and clear, Lucite chairs. I knew I'd like the updated look - I had no idea how much bigger my condo would feel!!

I LOVE the all-white look. Just last week I finally eliminated the builder beige walls of my condo with a few coats of Ben Moore White Dove in a flat, matte finish. I have dark hardwoods and cabinetry/doors and white, slipcovered upholstery - so it's not totally Norwegian, but for me, white walls are fresh, inviting and simply sheer happiness. The few guests I've had to date confirm it makes my small place feel brighter and airy. To me, the key benefit of white, beyond it being my fav "color" - it provides a fresh, clean slate that will allow me to change out the feel of the room by switching out pillows and wall art - cheap, inexpensive and quick fixes to switch on a whim or by the season.

And, to those who say it's hard to keep clean, well, the dirt is there whether you can see it or not. I'd rather see it... although I spend a lot of quality time with my vacuum and microfiber clothes. ;-)

I could totally hang out here - you've done what so many people can't do. You've made a comfortable yet beautiful space out of IKEA and resale items. Bravo to my fellow Ukrainian Villagers!

How did I not know about this??? I grew up 30 minutes from there. I'm going to need a Uhaul next time I visit my fam.....

Like many of the responses, I just turned 30 in January and bought my first condo in December. I have yet to have an official housewarming or really have many folks over beyond super close friends and the group from church I host every other week. I'm not married, so no one has ever spent hundreds or even thousands celebrating my wedding or baby or anything like that (like I have on most of my friends), so is it all that much to have a housewarming, even if people feel they at least need to bring a bottle of wine to acknowledge this big endeavor? I also feel weird about it and want the place to be perfect. It's not yet perfect. My last apartment was featured here on AT, so I have a reputation to live up to! I'm enjoying reading everyone's comments on this as it's something I've given a lot of thought to! Maybe I best get to work on painting and decorating so I can have one soon!!

Hi Emily in Cincy! Those are wall decals that were advertised as "landlord friendly." I don't believe mine has seen them yet so only time will tell!

Lizzykewl, I'm not certain on the color despite my efforts to sort through old paint cans in the basement. But, I have a Glidden paint deck and I've matched it in both natural and artificial light. Both times it looked most like "Oyster White" 30YY 64/149. The deck I have is a few years old, but with the formula the paint department at Home Depot should be able to help you find something similar.

JasmineSummer, the fabric on the chairs is all Michael Miller "Garden Trellis." If you Google that, you'll get quite a few online sellers. It's actually quilting weight fabric, which is much cheaper than home decor weights. One caution: I'm not sure it will stand the test of time like a heavier fabric would, but the chairs still look good after a year or so, so I'm happy thus far!

Hi Pattilynne, I know it's a Glidden color, but I'll find out the exact shade. My landlord did the painting before I moved in, but I know where the extra is kept in the basement!!

Hi ChrisGal, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but my guests do very much appreciate the room. Not only that I put so much time and effort to make a very, very small space as warm and inviting as possible, but for the fact that they don’t have to spend several hundred dollars per night on a nearby hotel room. In fact, I have guests enjoying the space now on their cross-country journey to visit family in the Midwest and back to their home in Texas. I’m very proud of the space, and the fact that I can offer old friends like these a place to stay for free. I understand it’s not your style, and that’s OK.