My Apartment - the influence of a new painting - it's all about function

Dear readers, I've been promising a picture of my apartment, rearranged with my new Dee Adams painting (see below). Things have gotten so hectic and crazy-busy I can barely keep up. I know you feel me. And I don't even have a blackberry (topic for another post). How do people with Blackberries keep up? Anyway, I don't have to tell you that I am overwhelmed with exciting projects. We all are. It's a busy, exciting time!

Here's how my abode looks today. The apartment itself is small and humble, but I love it. It's where I come to relax and to experiment with color. My OTT inspired style is kind of scaring me. Pink is an obsession - but with small pops of other colors. Also thinking about purple. At the same time, I want it to be super-functional. Tall order. I want my place to be beautiful, simple, uncluttered, a little edgy, modern, super-functional and ahem, cozy (it's getting cold outside), with lots of pink. And, oh yeah - with no money. Solution - I'll just move around what I already have and shop in my closet. Step one. I carefully considered how each spot of my tiny apartment is used.

This is where I do my major chillin'. That sofa is so comfy, perfect for a cup of tea and afternoon nap. I'd love to have it professionally recovered in pink fabric, but that's currently not in the realm of possibility. Since I'm not going to kid myself that I will learn to sew, sheets are a great solution. They come in pretty colors, you can change them on a whim, you can get them cheap (even sometimes at the dollar store!), and they are machine washable! Best of all, your dear visitors can feel free to put their feet up.

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I love having my pottery displayed where I can meditate on its forms and colors. Making sure to leave some negative space keeps it looking less cluttered. The key is to find balance. It requires editing and restraint. After moving everything, you should always go back and edit a couple of pieces. It can be difficult, because some of your favorite things will go in the closet. But it's fun to recycle things, and sometimes you rediscover something, as I describe below.

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You may remember that I took the bookcase/wall divider out to open up the apartment. I considered using the bookcase as a headboard, which actually worked perfectly, except that it made the bed too large for the area. But that is definitely an option for a future place.

Turning it on its side lowered the scale - I'm a big fan of low scale. It also made it more functional, and solved a problem beautifully. My new Dee Adams painting was too heavy for the wall. But I love it propped! I love the repetition of the square motif and I love it displayed with my all-time favorite lamp! The moon lamp from CB2. I wanted this lamp forever and paid for it with hard-earned overtime pay. Finally it has been elevated to its proper place of prominence in my apartment! And there's my favorite teapot, made in Vietnam. My favorite things, in perfect eye-view when lounging on the sofa.

I had been looking for an acrylic candelabra but opted for an object already in my closet. This green candlestick works perfectly. It's a beautiful shimmery glass, along with my little sequined box, gives a little Asian balance. Both pieces are made in India. I am also pleased that my broken, orphan Fenton piece has gained the place of prominence it deserves.

I thought I was getting bored of my standing lamp, but I fell in love with it again. Because of its function! It's perfect in its multi-tasking abilities. I can point the light on the painting. Or I can point it to where I am reading. And I love hanging purses everywhere, don't you?

I've been using a shit load of pillows. I know I am guilty of one of the biggest design errors - over-pillowfication. But I just can't help it. Throwing them around is like an act of painting. I can change the colors on a whim. I think I could live in a place without a sofa if I had a ton of pillows.

I put my votive holders on the radiator. This collection happened by accident. When I went to the cupboard today, I was shocked to find that I have yet another collection! Yes I have a small, but growing, collection of votive holders. I'm not sure how that happened. One day, I may have to admit that I am a collector, but I think I'll procrastinate about that. They have a delightful function as well. When filled with green tea leaves, it makes the place smell fresh and clean! Thanks to the tea's anti-oxidant abilities.

Here's a radical, but functional choice. I moved the dining table next to the bed. I never actually used it to eat meals and here it solves several problems. One is that I have been looking high and low for the perfect bedside tables. I can't find them. Now that I plan to use the bookcase as the headboard in my new place, it doesn't matter. Turns out it's lucky I didn't spend the money. The table also eliminated the problem of finding my glasses in the morning. Finally, I have a place to set them. Also, I often wake up in the middle of the night and brainstorm, so I have a couple of notebooks handy. It's a great place to drink a cup of coffee too. I need one area where I'm unplugged.

I'm not going to show you my work area, because it's a disaster. I have several projects going on, so you can just imagine! I saw a really cute screen I wanted to buy, but don't feel like spending money. In the next few posts, I will be considering color and whether I should paint the walls. All suggestions are welcome!