Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hi Everyone!! I'm Kim, and I write a blog called Design Thoughts and am so excited to share my Apartment living, Highs and Lows with you today!!!!


The Good

I left my home in MI (yep, that we own!!) to move to NY, into an apartment, 8 yrs ago!! Can you imagine?! To be honest, it took me many years of apt living, to find the good! (Sad, right?) But now that I have embraced it, there are so many great things about apt living!

The first, although, not glamorous at all, is that if something breaks (i.e. Dishwasher, washing machine, and furnace) you don’t have to pay for it to be fixed!!  Not having that stress is a BIGGIE for me.

Second, you can LEAVE whenever you want!!  It is SO great, knowing that if we are no longer happy living where we are, we can move, just like that, no strings attached!!

And Third, This won’t be everyone’s story, but for us, we have been VERY lucky that our landlord ROCKS!! We have been able to rip up carpet to expose hardwood, paint walls, and hang artwork, so we have been able to make this our HOME even though it’s an apartment.  It took me a very long time to accept our apartment as our home, but the minute, we left the hospital with our baby boy, everything changed.  I want to make this apartment special for him, not just a place we rent. So...that’s what we are doing, little by little, knowing that one day, we won’t be here anymore, but the time we spent here, we enjoyed, by surrounding  ourselves, with things we love!

The Bad

I’m an Interior Designer. SO, it’s very difficult, not being able to “renovate” a space, that may not be my style or preference. ( I’m talking, moving walls and re-locating plumbing) When we moved in, our bathroom had pink tiles and pink walls, and not super cool, hip, see it on the pages of Domino(yikes, old reference)  Pink, but like, no one cared EVER, pink. We had to wait, until the upstairs apartment flooded (um... 5 yrs AFTER we moved in) for our landlords to remodel the bathroom.  Our Washing Machine is in our kitchen...Lucky to have a washing machine, yes, but to have it RIGHT next to our clean dishes…Not so great. That has been BAD. So many things I would change or remodel if this was a home we owned, BUT, along with the freedom of picking up and going anytime you want, also comes the fact that you are TIED to whatever awful design elements are there.

The Ugly

Ohhh the ugly...sigh...Okay, I am going to state the obvious here, because truly, it’s the worst thing.  Other people, not your family, literally are living one wall, or floor, away from you.  Even the coolest neighbors, whom we have had, are so close, you can hear everything that’s happening, which means, of course, they also, can HEAR everything that’s happening in your home!  It’s not cool, but, you learn to live with it! The other very obvious, you are paying someone else, every single month, for a place, that’s not yours...ouch! It stings, I’m not gonna lie. I hate sending that check, BUT see the “Good” above...it evens out ;)

I have to say; even though I can’t wait until the day we OWN again, living the “apartment life” has been great! Especially in New York…EVERYONE lives in apartments, so it’s the norm!! The key is making it your HOME, not just a place you rent!

Thank you!
Kim from Design Thoughts blog

Resources: 

1st picture, this living room use to have grey, commercial carpet and bright yellow walls, so ugly!
2nd picture,( real life in the Salter House) , my son Liam, enjoying hot chocolate in our "home"
3rd Missoni picture wall

If you'd like to share, the good, the bad, the ugly of living in a rental, email me your submission with 3-4 pictures of your apartment! Pls use the same format as above! 

Guest Post: By Drew

Hello dears, Happy Halloween! I'm Drew, over from the design and fashion blog, Coral Cafe. I am extremely thrilled Jen invited me to share with you today while she's back from her vacation & settling in! Made by Girl is a daily visit for me and being a graphic designer myself, I find numerous amounts of inspiration and tips on interiors, fashion, art and design by following Jen. 

Today, I'm sharing my Top 10 Home Accessories that will turn your home into a glamorous and appealing abode!

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First off, TRAYS. Using trays to hold vases, frames, flowers and little trinkets gives a coffee table, bed or counterspace a real touch of flair and personality. I am always intrigued with the way a tray is styled and composed, giving me insight into the homeowners personal style and individuality.

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 I'm sure most would agree that LIGHTING is KEY when making your home feel cozy and giving it that extra touch of luxuriousness. Using lamps and chandeliers sets the mood for the overall feel of a room, by far. Lighting is also used to illuminate and highlight certain pieces of furniture, artwork and decor. 

I feel the perfect effect of lighting is achieved when you incorporate color, intensity and movement into the overall process of light fixtures.

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PILLOWS are a must have for sofas and chairs! The bolder the better. It's also an easy way to incorporate colors and textures without having to do too much. I especially love monogrammed pillows that personalize the home even more!

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RUGS can add extra layers to a room. I prefer large, even layered rugs, to add that extra pizazz! Rugs can certainly tie elements in the room together visually and of course add a soft landing for your feet. How can you say no to a metallic cowhide/zebra rug? The fuschia rug leading to the living room is pretty eye catching and glorious, too!

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Tired of magazine and book clutter? Spruce it up by placing them in between fun and chic BOOKENDS. They actually help make the spines of your books stand out and aid in creating a clean and polished book collection. The ram bookends might be my favorite! {maybe because I've seen pictures of Jen's pair in her own home}

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MIRRORS create a sense of increased space, length and dimension. Ornamental mirrors are a definite must when looking to glamorize a room. Even installing a gallery wall of mirrors adds a fancy and playful touch to a wall. Your mirrors will also help in reflecting light from the elegant chandelier and lamps you have in your home.

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Adding THROWS into your home not only keeps you warm and cozy, but is also very inviting and helps brighten up a couch and chair, with a touch of class and flair. You can choose a bright colored throw or one with your favorite print. Throws become very versatile accessories in the home and can be moved from room to room.

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You MUST have a BOOKCASE to display your favorite designer books, vases, trinkets and frames. 

They can be built in, used in a hutch or free standing. Designers are even adding wallpaper or printed fabric to the back of the cases to give it added appeal. Bookcases can also create a strong focal point and area of interest. I'm always intrigued with the composition, spacing and color grouping in a bookcase. Every bookcase styling is always so different and captivating!

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I am obsessed with TRINKETS galore!! These are defined as little treasures, small decor items or even odds-and-end pieces that help in styling a bookcase, side tables or nooks. Trinkets also add extra charm and are extremely helpful in highlighting certain colors and adding depth, using a variety of shapes and sizes.

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I have to say, the cherry on top of all accessories is ARTWORK.{mainly paintings!} Abstract and colorful artwork speaks volumes in a home. If you have a very minimalistic approach in home design, art can speak for itself , as well as for a whole room. Paintings become easy conversation pieces and focal points. I had to showcase three of my favorites {of course Jen is included!}

Also check out Nancy Ramirez and Rachel Wright.

Thanks so much for having me, Jen!