annoushka's Profile

To second Jdad, in Russia most rentals come furnished. You can often negotiate with the landlord over what stays and what goes, but most people prefer the basic furniture, because the infrastructure for moving/buying furnishings is not nearly as developed there. It is also very common for students and young professionals there to rent single, fully furnished rooms in two-three bedroom apartments from older people who live alone.

FYI the designer's name is Olya Levicheva, not the other way around. In Russian, there is no set order for first name/family name, but it IS disrespectful to mention someone by their last name only. Also, I have to agree with eliabee, Russia has very specific views on what is attractive and tasteful, some of these traditions going back thousands of years. So please, if you don't agree with the designer's artistic choices, try to be courteous.

I might be alone in this suggestion, as it is not about actual safety, but *perception* of such. I live in a studio, and the thing that always bothered me is being able to see the front door. It does not make me feel safe to be "exposed" to the entrance. So I always arranged the space so there would be a small entryway, separated by a shelf or a screen. In my mind, if someone I did not invite were to enter my apartment, I would have an extra second of warning before they see me, and would be able to take better action, be it hiding or attacking. But that's just me...I've never been comfortable with the American architectural style of entering right into a living space.

#twnt1andcounting, I have a studio for $1100 in Fenway NOW, so the rents have not gone down. But I second all of your arguments re: Fenway and Allston/Brighton/Jamaica Plain. For what it's worth, there are Oct 1 openings in my building, and although my management company is not great, there are 1beds for $1400 around the area.

Something that most people don't think about right off the bat is how long your commute is going to be. Boston's public transport can be grueling, so after years of commuting up to 1.5 hours each way (different apartments, different jobs) I decided that paying extra for living within walking distance to my job was worth it.

Look at Jamaica Plain, Union Square, Davis Square - anything on the Red Line assures decent commutes. Also, South Boston is gentrifying very fast, and has some fabulous spaces - both lofts and apartments.

Central Boston has apartments in larger buildings dating to 1920s (great ceilings) or smaller brownstones from the 1860s-on (even better ceilings), Cambridge/Somerville/Brookline/Watertown and even Jamaica Plain are likely to offer you a floor in a triple-decker or a 2-story house. The further out you go, the more it is likely that in exchange for lower rent you will have to pay for your heat (which is included in most properties in Boston proper) - ask about heat and hot water.

Do not pay a realtor. I have rented 5 apartments over 10 years, and never had to pay a fee. If you DO use an agent, there are many many many landlords that pay the fee themselves. As other people have said, realtors here focus on the student population, and do not know their own stock, resulting in constant cross-listing.

Something I did when I moved to Boston long-distance is rent a 3-month sublet, and take that time to learn the city and find an apartment that was suitable to my needs better than the sublet. It might be difficult in October, but that's already the time when some kids drop out of school for various reasons, and sublets become quite easy to come by.

Good luck!

Love it!

I am amazed at how inflexible some of the readers of this blog are. I would think that people interested in decor of small spaces (which tends to be the focus of *apartment* therapy) would be more open and accepting in their opinions, when instead we get the extremes of both suburb-bashing and "your space is still too large!".

I grew up in the Soviet Union in a household of 6 that was *2* separate families, one bathroom, 800 sf. Did I like it? No. No privacy and no personal space. Did it make me adjusted to living with less and in small spaces? Yes. Would I want to live like that again? Probably not. Would I criticize someone else for making a similar choice? No, because it all comes down to personal preferences and economic reality.

I am a family of 2 and 2 pets in 350 sf, and many of my friends don't understand my choices precisely because they are spoiled by their suburban upbringing, whereas to me right now the family of 6 in 1200 feels rather palatial.

I think the attractiveness and comfort of the TYLOSAND is a matter of personal taste. I suffered for years with back pain on inner-spring mattresses (and not cheap ones, either) and this issue, combined with a lack of space in our 350 sf studio, led my finacee and I to replace our bed and a loveseat with the TYLOSAND over a year ago. The cushions never slip, btw. The modern lines of the couch, as well as the colour (we got the beige) fit perfectly into our space, and the foam is very comfortable to sleep on, not to mention the affordability of the darn thing. Of course, we invested into a thicker mattress pad as well, since the couch is really too thin for every night sleep. And as a bonus, the back and arm cushions, when arranged on the floor, make a wonderful and comfy double guest bed, as enjoyed by 6 separate house guests in the past year.

Two people and two cats in 350 sq. feet downtown Boston. Going on year 3. Frankly, it's the only place we can afford in our favourite location, allowing us for a great urban experience. We have many space-saving storage ideas, and we created a separate office and dining areas in the studio, so it never feels cramped. While we don't expect to remain in a studio when we start a family, minimizing effects is the way to go!

I have moved my 5x5 EXPEDIT 4 times, disassembled each time, never encountered any problems, and at the end of 6 years (and 4 moves) sold it on Craigslist because it no longer fit the decor for half of a new one - so I would highly recommend disassembling it, it will be easier to move and less damaging to the book-case.

IKEA TROFAST children's storage - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19819557

We have a small galley kitchen as well, and there was roughly a 12" space next to the stove that was going unused. Recycling was piling up everywhere - in the entryway, by the pantry. While looking for shelving at IKEA recently, we were inspired by the children's things, and bought the trofast with 3 bins to match our kitchen - white frame with red bins. Now it's plastic/glass/paper, and once the bin is full, it immediately goes into a paper bag and out the door.