My apartment was recently featured on ApartmentTherapy.com, and I was beyond excited as it’s a favorite site I’ve been visiting ever since I moved into a small space in the big city, and strived to maximize square footage.The site has since expanded to cover both small and larger apartments, with a focus on profiling real apartment dwellers and their creative solutions for living.

My full piece is here, but I’m pulling the main shots below as they’re a good sampling of new updates I’ve made at home.

I made some edits to the bedroom, but it wasn’t about dramatic changes, rather the small changes that make a huge difference, showing what happens when you swap in new colors and textures.  And while bedrooms are often places of serenity and neutral colors (ie white and white!) that’s just not me. 

Enter:  new graphic rug!  It’s amazing what a small piece can do to bring in new energy.   I fell in love with this little 3×5′ number from Urban Outfitters that was initially for my kitchen, with it’s cheery pattern and mix off-base colors.  But once I placed it between my nightstand and red dresser, bingo – it found it’s rightful home.

I pulled pinks and teals from the rug to accent the bed and nightstand, then the natural domino-effect occurred and the whole exercise found me repainting the walls – from taupe to a barely there gray – and restyling my bookshelf.

For the bookshelf task, I had to start is from scratch.  They say (ok, my mom says…) that sometimes you stop seeing what’s right in front of you once it’s been there for awhile.  This meant clearing everything off and gathering my accessories – from my bedroom and beyond – into one pile.  (Guesses on my favorite colors??)

I built vignettes on a few shelves, then left some white space for the eye to rest, working in warm brass and earthiness with the plants and wooden frame.  I then added sculptural items like the oversized jack and the succulent, to break the divide between the more horizontal lines of the shelf and the vertical pieces.

The result feels clean, bright, edited.  And it truly impacts how I feel when get up each morning:  I’m a bit more focused, a bit more energized and ready for my day.

Sources:

Mirror: Rejuvenation.com
Dresser:  cb2
Bookshelf:  cb2
Bed:  ABC Home
Linens:  Parachute, Crate & Barrel, Linge Particulier, Anthropologie
Artwork:  Etsy
Lighting:  West Elm, Urban outfitters
Rug:  Dash and Albert (large), Urban outfitters (small)
Accent pillow:  John Robshaw
Throw:  Fern
Accessories:  Anthropologie, flea markets, etc.

More pics from ApartmentTherapy post: