livc's Profile

One of the homes on AT that I would most want to live in. Absolutely lovely. All the light, those rugs, the antiques mixed with the modern touches... all so cheery, simple, and fun.

I live in a studio apartment so my priorities are a little different. The focal point of my space is my bed, so the first thing that makes my place look pulled together is making the bed. Then I clean the countertops, clear any dishes that are out, and sweep the kitchen and bathroom. I shake out the rug in my bathroom and then sweep, as there are always lots of strands of hair lying around the bathroom if I don't do that. Another quick tip: open your blinds or curtains to let in the maximum light in your space, and open the windows if the weather is nice. If it's after dark, then light a candle and turn on various points of light rather than the overhead. Lighting has such a big impact on how nice your space looks and it only takes a second to flip a switch or pull up the blinds. And opening the windows is always a good idea to minimize stuffiness.

I think a bigger piece of art would look better over the sofa, or a grouping of more pieces. The current piece doesn't seem dramatic enough for that spot, and the gray matting looks dull compared with the warmer tones of your furniture. If you keep it there, I would suggest switching the matting to white.

I would definitely replace the pillows. I think yellow would look good if you're going to keep the rug. Green could also be nice. Patterned pillows which incorporate some of the colors in the space are always good because they allow you more variety and depth. I would also add a throw blanket folded over the back of the couch in a color similar to whichever pillows you choose. Having coordinated pillows and throws can make a space seem much cozier.

I also agree about buying a coffee table, but if that's not in the budget yet I would move the glass table there, and then put a tall plant in the corner where the table is currently. I'd also add curtains, but I think sticking with airy white ones would be the best bet to keep as much light as possible in space and to allow for versatility if you change the color palette.

Good luck!

Very homey, welcoming, and pretty. The kind of place I'd feel very comfortable curling up with a book or having friends over for a glass of wine and dinner.

Ooh, I really love this. What a beautiful airy space. Beautiful use of vintage pieces that don't feel precious or on display. Her apartment feels homey and comfortable while still being modern, sparse, and stylish. And I too love the flowers on the floor, as well as the interesting groupings of artwork. I would be happy to move in!

Really beautiful space. Clean and spare feeling while still having tons of style, collections, and quirk. I'd love to hang out here. :)

I agree that I wouldn't buy knock offs, I'd prefer to buy vintage pieces or, if new was necessary, something from CB2 or similar stores. I also am in agreement that buying higher quality items one-time is better -- for budget, environment, etc. -- than buying cheap and needing to replace in a few years (or a few months in some cases!). And if you don't have the budget to buy something nice now, well that's the beauty of second hand items.

I just broke down and bought a bed that for me is very expensive, made of solid wood and with a nicely upholstered headboard and footboard, and a new mattress to go with it. I bought an Ikea bed about six months ago thinking that I could get by with something inexpensive for the time being, since I really just needed a platform bed, but the slats on it have fallen through repeatedly, I've cut myself on sharp edges, it squeaks at the slightest move, and it's basically been a nightmare. I got what I paid for. I should have just bought a better quality item to begin with, and now I've lost several hundred dollars needlessly on a cheap bed. When looking for a replacement I decided that it would be better to get something I can have forever and that is built to last. When confronted with mattress prices, too, I ended up getting a great deal on a floor model that had a slight stain but was a great quality bed, which was therefore the same price as beds of much lower quality that I could have gotten brand new. Hopefully these items will last me for many years down the line.

Also, in the past I've settled for cheap designs that I didn't really love, and then gotten sick of them and switched them out with the justification "Well, it didn't cost very much to begin with." And I've come to realize that when you do that, you really may as well buy something twice the cost now... because otherwise you will just want to replace it in the future. Only if you're getting something for free or near it should you EVER settle for bringing something into your home that you don't love, because you will end up getting rid of it and having to buy something new anyway. And in that case, it makes much more sense to buy a higher priced, better quality item that really suits you in the first place rather than rushing to fill a corner with something inferior.

OK, so I have a couple caveats. If I'm not fully dressed (i.e. lounging in pjs, or just got outta the shower) I will probably not answer the door unless you're UPS or it's an emergency. And if it's late at night or early in the morning, I will also probably pretend I'm not home unless it's an emergency, because it would just be rude to knock on someone's door after, say, 10pm.

That said, I am a firm believer that being on good terms with your neighbors is really important. One of my closest friends is a former neighbor, actually , who I met because she knocked on my door to ask my ex to help her get something up the stairs. Once we became friends, it was awesome knowing someone in the building who I could invite over for dinner spur or the moment, and we borrowed stuff from each other all the time (out of toilet paper? need an extra guest chair? step ladder?)

I've also, practically, had to knock on neighbors doors to discuss safety issues. When my last apartment got broken into, I knocked on my neighbors doors to let them know about it and explain the shady circumstances that pointed to the landlord's family. Before that, I hadn't talked to most of my neighbors in that building, but they were all really nice and said to just let them know if I ever needed anything. My across the hall neighbors even offered to watch my dog if I was going to be out for the day. People are a lot nicer than we give them credit for.

Now, obviously if you feel unsafe answering your door, you aren't under any obligation to, but I do think it's good to know who lives around you and be able to approach them if you need to.

Not a fan of cowhide, but this is a great transformation nonetheless, and very well done! I would never have thought you could turn that monstrosity into something so elegant looking.

cittykitty, I don't think anyone is disagreeing with your general point, just confused by your taking it out on this particular article, when 3/5 of the women above are not white.