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Friday, October 11, 2013

Update on Apartment Decorating

Remember this cute student apartment that my friend, Vivian, asked me to help decorate?  We have had the best time exploring antique shops, furniture stores and second hand places all over town to find the right pieces for her new town house-- and we are nearly finished!  We're waiting for a few more things to come in, and then I'll post lots of before and after photos.



In the meantime, check out are some of our great finds for the apartment.  Our goal was to make the space comfortable and inviting, with a relaxed but still grown-up feel.  We wanted a mix of understatedly elegant pieces, rustic finishes, natural fibers and comfy seating-- and it will all be finished off perfectly with some of Vivian's gorgeous artwork we get to hang all over the place!  

I absolutely fell in love with this English inlaid wood flip top table.  In love.  And thankfully so did Vivian:)  This we are going to use as a front entry/hall table, so it will be the first thing you see when you walk in the door.


Most important purchase of the whole place: the couch!  We spent a lot of time looking at our options for the sofa, and we ended up with this comfortable, understated beige linen one from Colonial Designs here in town.


When we first began the shopping process we didn't really have much of a plan in mind for Vivian's dining room table, and sometimes it pays to keep an open mind.  Walking through a huge antique warehouse stuffed with furniture, this gorgeous table jumped out at both of us, and we couldn't stop thinking about it.  You know, when you find yourself comparing everything else to it?  Once we realized this was THE table, we simply adjusted the rest of the design for the room around it.  Because it's just that gorgeous.


 Across from the sofa we're using a pair of these leather club chairs.  Their smaller profile fits the space perfectly, keeping the sitting area from feeling overcrowded.


These handsome nesting tables will go in between the club chairs, a perfect spot for them to show off the intricate carving from nearly all angles.  I love how different they are-- the carving, the super dark espresso color, those legs!  


 We got a pair of these gold lamps for a steal at a second hand place, and they'll be perfect on either side of the couch.


While some of the older student townhouses have pretty bamboo floors throughout the space, ours only has them upstairs, and in the first floor living area we've got tile.  It's not as pretty (although not hideous, either), but the main problem is how it makes the whole downstairs feel cold and echoey.  So to warm up the space we decided to go with a big natural fiber rug, large enough to cover the entire surface area of the living and dining spaces.  We picked out a gorgeous basket weave design, which will add some pattern and texture to the rug while keeping the neutral, relaxed feel we've been shooting for.


Upstairs in the master bedroom we realized we had enough extra space for a vanity and chair and love the combination of this cane back armchair and the painted table below (the color is a bit washed out in the photo-- it's a pretty pale blue in person).



 We're going for a more feminine feel in the bedroom with light, airy colors and a bit more of a French feel.  For Vivian's bedside lighting we found this gorgeous pair of alabaster lamps with a beautiful soft gray marbled effect.  


When we got stuck and couldn't find the right thing, Vivian discovered these pretty bedside tables on Etsy, which are just perfect for the feel of the bedroom.  Love them.


We searched for ages for a headboard, for a long time thinking of going with something brass-- until we found this guy.  It wasn't being sold as a headboard-- just a mirror-- but it fits the dimensions of the king sized bed perfectly, and how fabulous will it be once we get the base built and it's installed??


Have a great weekend, and happy Friday!

xo

Liza

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