Speakers In The Bathroom

Happy Friday! Today I'm guest posting over on Mandy's blog 'Knowing The Difference.' I'd love to have you comment over there!

This picture might LOOK irrelevant but it totally goes with the guest post ;) 

Inside Out

Last night, through a series of clicks, I discovered that Rita Konig (former 'Girl About Town' Domino contributor)  is now contributing to T Magazine Blog. Maybe some of you already knew this but I certainly didn't. I read tons of design blogs too and haven't seen it mentioned so I wanted to share my discovery...just in case some of you have missed it as well. We all loved Domino so it's nice to see what some of the writers are up to.

Let me just say, Rita's Inside Out column certainly doesn't disappoint. I spent the better part of an hour going through the archives and it's great! Not only doesn't she post about decorating her new NYC apartment (with pictures!) she also blogs about some of the client projects she's working on. I enjoy that her writing style is very...approachable. She seems to be posting about relate-able issues that anyone in a small space and without an unlimited budget (*ahem* me!) can relate to.

In one post she writes about reinventing her sofa & the result - isn't the after great?

before

after

In another, she writes about using trays to control clutter & make arrangements:

And in yet another she writes about using her closet space as a home office:

She even gives a peek into designer Tom Delavan's new studio space:

Really great posts & I'm happy to have stumbled on it.
Hope you enjoy poking around it as much as I did!

*BTW, if you're not sure who Rita Konig is perhaps this picture jog your memory:

It was, I think, one of the most blogged photos/spreads from Domino and it belonged to Rita. What a fab space it was!

*All images, except for the last, from Inside Out column.

Black Ceiling Love

Ugh. I love every single thing about this photo. When I own my own home I am DEFINITELY using this as my inspiration photo. No need to look any further! This is IT. Of course I'll add my own little touches to make it even more me but this is pretty darn close to perfect. Let me list exactly what I love about this room:

• It's classic but modern. It's modern but warm.
• The black ceiling. So unexpected but it works!
• The full curtains.
• The medallion on the ceiling. It's ridiculously ornate & unusual. Love.
• The dark wood floors.
• The oversized light fixture.
• ALL OF THE MOLDING.
• The quirky brass candle holders (I definitely prefer brass to chrome)

And the hot pink flowers on the table. Love. Yes. I'm in love with this room. And can you believe it looked like THIS before??? Isn't that incredible? It doesn't even look like that same room. An amazing transformation, don't you agree? Gives me hope that the little fixer upper I hope to one day own will, with a little elbow grease, turn out just fine.

Have a great weekend! We're expecting up to 6c (a whopping 43f) and I can't wait!

p.s. If you have any questions for me, about me, no matter how random click here & ask away! I'll post the answers next week.

*Image from DesignSponge provided by McGill Design Group.

Help Me With This Wall

Excuse the not so great photos. I snapped them with my iPhone and actually - they're not so bad. I tried to fix 'em up a bit too.

So this wall in my apartment is causing my a bit of distress. I don't know what to do on it and it needs something! First, here are the issues (as I see them):

1. The way I have my desk laid out doesn't leave much space between it (the desk) and the problem wall. So I can't put something on it that's too deep. I don't want it to feel cluttered or tight.

2. I don't want to do any type of fun paint treatments on it because it joins onto the hallway wall which has already has a fun graphic paint treatment (you can see in the bottom pic) and I don't want them to clash.

3. Just putting a small table won't really work. It needs something a bit more substantial.

4. It's a small space. Not only is it my 'work' area it's also my entryway as you can see. So, I don't want to clutter it.

I've had a few thoughts of what to do but I'm not 100% on any of them. I spotted this bench which I thought I might be able to easily paint and recover. It would definitely be functional - I could sit and put my shoes on or while people are waiting for me they could have a seat. But...I dunno. It seems like it might not be substantial enough for the wall. The idea  I'm leaning most towards is this malm console from Ikea. It has a hidden-type drawer which would be useful and I don't think it's too deep. And then maybe I could do something like this to it....Above I'm thinking maybe a really large black & white framed photograph...but what would sit on the console itself? (I don't want to put office supplies!)

So that's the idea I'm leaning most towards BUT I know you all are filled with great ideas so I wanted to see what you might have in mind. The only requirements: not too cluttered and it has to be functional. As you can tell from the pictures I keep a few pairs of shoes right at the door and as much as I'd like to put them in the closet as soon as I walk in the door - I don't. And that's not likely to change. Just being honest.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Any Questions?

It's nice getting to know who the person is behind the blogs you enjoy - so from time to time I like to turn my blog over to you, the readers, to ask me anything you may want to know or be interested in knowing about me. Anything you may be curious about or anything that may have popped into your mind at one point or another while visiting my blog. Doesn't matter what it is or how seemingly random or nosey it may be ;) Go ahead & ask! Don't be shy...

I'll answer in an upcoming post :)

Considering a Black Lampshade

I can't remember where I found this photo (so if you know please leave a comment so I can properly give credit) but I think it is so beautifully styled. I love love love the lamp! and the black shade? so chic. It's making me seriously consider getting a black shade for my still shade-less lamp that I found at the thrift store for $4.99.

Have you checked out Ice Cream & Peonies lately? I'd love for you all to visit me over there too. Here's some links to what's been going on over there:

- Things I should be embarrassed about.
- I got bit*h slapped.
- My god-daughter suggested I create an online dating profile and call myself Candy Girl.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

*image from faire houre - who makes the adorable clocks seen in the photo!

Favourites...

So things are a bit quiet around Apartment #412 right now. Not much decor purchases or diy happening at the moment but I have some things in mind - it's just a matter of getting the supplies needed and implementing them. I did kinda help my sister (who is anti-diy) turn her old coffee table into an upholstered bench this past weekend though. Easy peasy transformation and I'll take some pictures to share here.

None-the-less Apartment #412 is a space for not only what's going in my apartment but also decor-related things I find inspiring and want to share. So here's a couple of my most favourite interior images pulled from my inspiration files. Some are from homes of well known people, some are homes that have appeared in design magazines, & others are from homes of regular Joe's like you and me. Some you may have seen before others - maybe not. But I love them and hope at least 1, if not all?, makes it into your inspiration folder. Enjoy!

Wow! Can I just say it was hard to pick just this handful. There are about 10 more I want to add but perhaps I'll save those for another day.....

* Images (1-2) As seen in Elle Decor (3). Christine's bright & cheerful home as seen on Apartment Therapy (4). Unknown (5). Alberto & Jeff's home as seen on Apartment Therapy (6). Tracey J's home as see on (7-8). Via Domino magazine (9). As seen in Domino magazine (10). Herrera's living room as seen in Domino magazine (11). Via Domino magazine (12). As seen in Canadian House & Home Magazine

Let's See...#1 I'm Black, #2 I Have Big Feet...

Check out 10 kinda random things about me here.

Update: Thank you to everyone who voted for me to win the camera bag! I really appreciate it and can't imagine someone had more votes than I did...but they did. Unfortunately, I didn't win. I'll just have to add the bag to my must-buy list :) Again, thanks to everyone that took a couple of seconds to vote for me - once again confirming I have some of the best blog readers on the 'net!

One More Time

Last time asking. I promise.

If you haven't yet voted, or even if you have, can you please vote (again?). Maybe a couple of times in a row? They'll all count.

Here's the link.

I'm #131.

I'd really appreciate it.

Voting closes at Noon today.

Thank you (& thank you so much to everyone who's already voted!)

Lusting After : Traditional Rolled Arm Sofas

Do you ever find yourself drawn to something that is so the opposite of your style? Such is the case with this sofa:

Actually, I quite adore the entire space. The lightness of it all, the low coffee table...Yup - the entire room is my style but the sofa is not...and I adore it. It's very traditional and my style is not what I would call traditional - but I love it. It reminds me of Lauren of the blog Pure Style Home's sofa:

Which was a craigslist find that she reupholstered in that stunning green velvet. It's beautiful! Not getting too ahead of myself but as much as I love my current sofa & while it's built to last - if/when I move I may end up getting something like those pictured above. I've even already sourced two very close matches online.

The Ellroy Sofa available at Jayson Home & Garden (currently on sale!)

Or this two-seater sofa from Lee Industries (the same maker as Lauren's sofa above).

Ugh, these definitely have me wanting a new sofa. Good thing it's so not in the budget!

p.s. Have you voted yet? If not please do. If you have - you can vote again - several times if you want. It will count & the most vote wins. Simply click here. I'm #131. Thank you!

*image two from Pure Style Home

please help me win this bag

Most of you know that I'm really into photography and even take pictures of people. For the longest time I have been searching high & low for a chic stylish camera bag (that doesn't look like a camera bag) but haven't had any luck...

Until just before the holidays when one of the photographs I admire tweeted that their photographer friend had just created a new stylish bag for photographers. I've been drooling over it since I saw it...Isn't it beautiful?

Right now I have the opportunity to a Kelly Moore Bag...but I need your help! During the next 48 hours PLEASE head over to Kelly Moore's Blog & vote for me and my resolution. I'm entry #131. So all you have to do is click this link, scroll half way down the page to #131, and vote for me :) over & over & over again! There is no limit on the number of times you can vote & the person/resolution with the most votes wins - so please vote often. I'd really appreciate it. Heck, pass the link on to your family & friends if you want :) 

Thank you!

So You're Not Confused...

How's your new year going so far?

I thought since I now have 2 blogs I should do a quick post letting you all know what you can expect going forward here on Apartment #412. Apartment #412 will be for anything I blog related to decorating my apartment, decorating in general, thrifting & my DIYs. So if that's what you mostly come here for - please continue to visit because I'll be posting! I imagine I'll be posting here 2-3x a week.

Ice Cream & Peonies, my new blog, will be for everything else. It's really a more personal blog that will not only document the changes I hope to make this year (my year of action) but also random musings on things going on in my life and my thoughts on everything from style to music. For example the post Breath. Just Breath would definitely go on Ice Cream & Peonies. So if you'd like to know more about the person behind the blog - Ice Cream & Peonies is the place. I'm aiming to post there at least 4x a week.

Or you can just read both ;)

So I hope this doesn't totally confuse any of you readers/followers! If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments or email me.

Now...if you'd like to see my New Year Resolutions click here.

...Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 
I hope 2010 is everything you wish for and so much more. My new 2nd blog, Ice Cream & Peonies, is now up & running. Please click over to read my 1st post of the New Year.




Note: Ice Cream & Peonies is my 2nd, more personal, blog. But have no worries! This blog, Apartment #412, will remain active. In short, I now have 2.