It's been a month now but here I am all moved in and decorated! I feel like I was able to completely transform my new apartment for the better and now I'm ready to share some before/after pics with you. Every wall was repainted, every cupboard scrubbed inside and out, and every window, floor, and light switch plate looks so much brighter now without a yellow film of old smoke.
Entrance:
The final touch was this beautiful bench that sits so perfectly just inside the front door. The wood was found when picking up free firewood from Craigslist. Then Huy spent hours sanding down both sides and applying several coats of Tung oil. His brother-in-law made the iron legs and... voila!
Bathroom:
All of the walls (and ceilings in the bathroom and kitchen) were repainted Natural White. The cabinets were painted Jamaican Aqua which is also used in the entrance/studio area. I caulked the bathtub which made everything look much whiter. Even cleaning the light fixture made the light look less yellow!
Bedroom:
A new bed from Sleep Country and curtains from Ikea. I love waking up and seeing the leaf pattern back-lit from the morning light. The nightstand was found on the street and then repainted... a cute little owl knob is on it's way from Etsy. The large painting was a trade I did with
Laurie Skantzos. I just had to get the faux sheepskin rug at Ikea... it's a fun and soft landing before jumping into bed. Both the blue armchair and dresser were found on Craigslist.
Studio/Living Room:
Painting over the dark walls really brightened up this room. Even though the windows face North, the light is quite bright even on a cloudy day. These curtains are also from Ikea. My first-ever couch is from GH Johnson. The shelf is one of the few pieces I already owned and I had made the small table a few years back. Looking at the other corner is my work area. Thank goodness the S-shaped light fixture happened to break which the landlord generously replaced with a more subtle one. The 2 matching tables were bought for $40 each from a company about to relocate. Huy made the 3rd desk by the window, custom designed to fit all my large format papers and some equipment. Sometime soon, I plan to make a half-height bamboo wall to hide the wires and clutter behind the computer.
Kitchen:
The light fixture was fixed and a major clean was needed under/behind the fridge and stove. The edges of the tile area were caulked and there was lots of scrapping off of old paint drops. From the over-the-island view, the once looking yellow buzzer now looks off-white. The bar stools were bought for a discount from a small shop on Bloor Street and the large mirror was picked up just outside of Goodwill a few years back. My favourite colour of blue wraps around 2 walls from the entrance into the studio.
So that is my home sweet home :)
