How To Spice Up a White Bathroom

The bathroom decor should always be chic and calming. You go to the bathroom to de-stress and to rejuvenate yourself. You want everything to be clean, bright and light. I have a white bathroom and I haven't gotten around to decorating it yet other than hanging up a canvas painting I created a year ago because I've focused primarily on the living room decor. I'm not going to paint the bathroom--I think the white really works in the space and I have wanted to accent the white with some trendy red decor like shower curtains, vase, soap dish, etc. Keeping it bright and cheery is a nice way to enjoy a bathroom. Red and white striped hand towels would put the icing on the cake!

Working with Small Spaces

People often see a closet and use it as a closet, but sometimes that space would be better utilized as a small office or a bookshelf. I see a lot of little spaces in the apartment I want to use to its best ability like little ledges and window spaces. You can do a lot with a bit of space! All you have to do is think about functionality and be creative. How will it benefit you? Will yo get use out of it? Is it something you need? Some people cannot do with a dining table but if their apartment is too small, a dropleaf table can be a dining table and also a desk when not in use for eating. Areas that are used for multi-tasking are best in small spaces, it isn't like there is room for a sitting room, a parlour room, the den, etc to all be separate. Though we wish!

Last Minute Inspiration

"To select well among old things, is almost equal to inventing new ones."
This is very true. That is why there is dozens of interior decorating websites and magazines--to give YOU the inspiration to invent a cool new house/room and also so you'll buy their brandname stuff. 

I LOVE HOW SIMPLISTIC YET HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THIS COZY APARTMENT HAS.

PUTTING PHOTOGRAPHS ABOVE A BED AND PAINTING THE WALL ADDS LIFE AND PERSONALITY!

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF BIG WINDOWS, USE A LARGE MIRROR IN IT'S PLACE FOR THE SAME EFFECT

MATCHING THEMES (BLACK & WHITE) AND MONOCHROMATIC COLOURS KEEPS THIS PLACE COOL. NOT TO MENTION THE SMALL DETAILS LIKE A VASE OF FLOWERS AND THE SIDE TABLE!

THE RED CARPET ADDS A PUNCH TO AN OTHERWISE DULL SET UP!

THE WOODEN TREND HERE IS APPEALING AND A SIDE TABLE WITH DECOR OR A COLLECTION OF SOMETHING, PLUS A LAMP IS A NICE WAY TO RAMP UP A BORING ROOM.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SET UP SCREAMS COZY, SERENE AND PEACEFUL. THE USAGE OF POWDER BLUES AND ABSTRACT VIBRANT RENT PAINT WITH STRIPES KEEPS THIS COTTAGE-FRESH LOOK VERY MODERN.

THE USE OF CREAMY LIGHT COLOURS KEEPS A ROOM LIGHT AND BRIGHT AND CHEERY! ADD SOME COMFY PILLOWS AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO!

UTILIZING SPACE AND KEEPING IT LOOKING NICE IS IMPORTANT. HERE, A DESK BEHIND THE SOFA LOOKS VERY NATURAL WITH THE LEATHER EMBOSSED WHITE CHAIR AND MATCHING WHITE DESK. EVERYTHING FLOWS SEAMLESSLY.

A POP OF ACCENT COLOURS IN DECOR CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE ON A CREME AND WHITE PALETTE.

   I like to just have beautiful rooms on display so I can peruse through them and perk up on anything I see that I'd like for my own space.  There are some creative-minded people out there with fabulously decorated and innovative homes! 

One Million and One..

Now we are only 6 days from moving in, I am forgetting the one million things I wanted to do with the flat! I guess it is a form of stressing out, which is what I did on my first vacation. I had planned to scuba dive, snorkel, visit X museum and X restaurant and instead, went with the flow and still had a great time. I am flipping through the pages and reminding myself "Oh yeah, the wicker box for the toilet paper" and "Don't forget you need to get a ladder to paint--and a power drill! You need the power drill!"

Yes, we are DIYkes and we are lesbians who like to hammer and do stuff ourselves. That is the whole POINT of the blog--the adventure of making the place where you live...yours. I realized since I didn't have my own digs yet, I had to compensate by uploading pics and vids of other rad places and things but in 6 days I'll be able to record my own videos and take photographs of my place and stick 'em up on the blog which is pretty fricken' awesome because I'll see what needs to be fixed, be changed--hey, maybe the taupe paint will look god awful and I'll switch to something else, who knows? 
Maybe the dropleaf dinner table won't work and instead we'll get a bistro size table. It's all about experimentation--and fitting two unique people's styles into a tiny apartment takes skill and negotiation! 

I'm completely camera-shy but I'll do my best to showcase our home in all it's different levels of becomingness. Hopefully, it'll be half decent!

Paint Selections

I have pored over what colors to paint each room for months but have narrowed it down finally. I want the living room to be calming and cozy, the bedroom to be lively and the bathroom to be chic. So by room, these are the suggestions. 
Bedroom -  bermuda grass green, bayberry, beechnut or wasabi. 

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YELLOW

WASABI PAINT IS COOL

CARIBBEAN TEAL

Bathroom - tapestry gold, camel, burnt caramel or Carribean teal. (Runner ups: marmalade, Appalachian spring and driftscape tan). 

MARMALADE

CAMEL

Basement Bellissima

I am hell bent on creating a basement space that is modern, artsy and functional. One that does not necessarily feel like a basement. I want to accentuate the windows and bring in as much natural\artificial light as possible so this means clip-on shelf lights, lamps and mirrors. I never really thought about lamps before. I always assumed the ceiling pot lights would be fine, but the more light, the merrier!

You wouldn't expect a lot of greenery in a basement so house plants that can survive in shade are on my top list of things to get. I think wall sconces add a baroque, traditional element and will look great against the paint! So to liven up a basement flat these are some good things to get:

-lamps
-lights that attach to your shelving
-floor to ceiling bookshelf
-light coloured paint
-wall sconces
-mirror opposite your window

-accentuating the basement windows (sheer curtains, perhaps?)

Ceiling Shelving

Whoever thought of ceiling shelving is ingenious and fantastic. For those short on space, building vertically is like one of the few viable options but it could be chic. We have high ceiling space that most people don't utilize because they do not think storing things so high is very convenient. But it can look chic and be functional, and keep floor space clear making the apartment look organized and neat. 

CEILING SHELVES IS CHIC AND PRACTICAL

WHEN SPACE IS AT A PREMIUM, BUILD VERTICALLY

A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ORGANIZING WITH CEILING SHELVES

I plan to put ceiling shelving in the apartment because space is already at a premium. On the shelving, I will store important documents, a few pieces of decor and books/movies. That way I can use the floor space for things like an easy chair or an ottoman or just walking space. It's such a clever idea! 

Make Your Room Vintage

by Stefan, posted in How To, Tips, and Advice, on December 1st, 201
If you like weathered and distressed look over the new and glossy look then consider adopting vintage design for your room. With vintage style is subdued and plain. It revolves around styles from several eras and gives way to an eclectic look. Vintage decorating is not only easy but also fun to do. With this approach, you have the exceptional opportunity to explore thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets for purchase of pieces that raise the vintage feel. Vintage decoration amalgamates perfectly with numerous decorating schemes, including French country, Tuscan, Farmhouse, bohemian modern, vintage modern, shabby chic, etc.

Here is a list of steps that shall help you make your room vintage –
1) Start with dressing of the walls. Select paints and textures that have a vintage look. You may apply layers of paint and then mix it up with straps of retro wallpaper for a bohemian look. For an antique cum faux aesthetic, choose dark colors for the walls such as brown and cobalt and allow it to dry. Once dry, apply a coat of milk paint or antique white wash, and complete the wall by distressing the finish with the help of steel ball or sandpaper so that dark color shows in few places.

2) Introduce varied architectural elements that impart the room with vintage aesthetic.  Cathedral or Dormer ceilings with exposed beams and wall posts simply look exuberant. You may also attach light weight medallions, arches and moldings for a palatial effect.

3) Use lighting to highlight vintage design features. A wrong iron chandelier besides providing enough style shall add sculptural style to the room. Wall scones with candles in the hallway, doorway, corridor, above the fireplace shall impart dramatic lighting effect to the room.
4) Decorate your old crockery. Old fashioned tea pots, tea cups, empty wine bottles, feather boas, picture frames, are known to make a room wear vintage aesthetic.

5) Jewelry boxes and hangers are also items that give way to vintage feel. Decorate these boxes and hangers in your living room and display your vintage jewelry. Hunt thrift stores and antique shops for varied vintage items.

6) Make use of vintage containers. These vintage boxes can be used to hold prized possessions and books. Moreover, it is not necessary for all items to wear a clean look. Rusty, ripped off and discolored items are also known to impart vintage vibes to a room.

It's The Little Things

I'm not sure if many people pay a lot of attentions to their bathrooms but I'm very critical of mine. I think toilet paper should be in cute wicker baskets, and the hand-soap should be aroma-therapeutic and in an aesthetically pleasing bottle (or if it's a soap, it should be in a beautiful soap dish). I think the hand towels should be of a high quality and matching, and things shouldn't be cluttered on the edge of the tub. I think the bathroom mat should be soft and the toilet sparkling clean.

I think the lighting and wallpaper\paint should be modern and there should be something attractive on the walls whether it's a mirror, cabinetry or some paintings. I have high expectations for my bathroom. I expect it to deliver =)

Here's some tips for a clean bathroom from www.homedit.com 
1) Irrespective of the size of your bathroom, whether it is big or small, only stock those things in the bathroom which are required on a daily basis.

2) Throw away the empty bottles of shampoo, cream, old toothpastes and old buckets without being attached to them thinking that they may be used someday.
3) Make it a point to flush the commode after every use. If there is no water in the system then throw a bucket of water into the commode.
4) Store a spray bottle with disinfectant cleaner under the sink along with some wipes or a roll of toilet paper. If you desire to be thrifty, vinegar and water also makes a good cleaning solution. With this solution, wipe the toilet seat, under the seat and also around the bowl. Scrub the inside of a toilet weekly.
5) Spray the cleaning solution in the sink also, and a quick wipe with a towel will not allow the dirt to accumulate.
6) Do not allow the soap scum to build up in the shower area. After a bath, rinse the bathtub and the titles with warm water. After the soap residue is rinsed, gently wipe the floor and walls with a soft cloth. Moreover, bar soap is the main culprit behind soap scum. Liquid soap and shower gel cause less soap scum to develop.
7) If there are any leafy faucets, sewage pipes or fault flush systems, rectify them immediately.
8)If there is a window in the bathroom, open it every day in the morning so that sunlight and fresh air can travel in.
9) Do not forget to place a dust bin inside your bathroom and use it for disposing used tampons, condoms, floss, used tissues, etc. Do not allow the trash to pile up and empty the bin every day.

How a bathroom should look

A powerful, chrome shower-head goes a LONG way

A tidy, chic way to store TP

10) Install a bathroom exhaust fan or else place a good room freshener in the bathroom.

Sprucing Up the Kitchen

There isn't much you can do with a tiny apartment kitchen except for large scale renovations or changing the materials. Since we haven't bought the flat, we are not going to do costly renos on it. But there should be small ways to spruce it up and make it look more modern and chic.

I've been brainstorming for days and trying to remember everything in detail about the U-shaped kitchen. I don't like the counter material which is an off-white solid surface polymer-based counter. I would prefer soapstone or ceramic, and ideally granite. I would like to fix the counters somehow or draw attention away from them. One thing I've thought of is to put something on the wall near the counters that is stunningly beautiful like a stainless steel spice rack or a distracting cafe art painting  (I have one).

To modernize the space, I was thinking of taking out the lights and adding something more modern in shape but then I realized we had pretty modern, practical pot lights. Really state of-the-art, stainless steel appliances would be great like a toaster and a fancy coffeemaker. I am staring at the cabinets like hmm...what can I do with it? I was thinking of painting them an even brighter, brilliant and shiny hue of white. Anything darker would be a disaster in a small kitchen.  I also had a friend who put a slab of granite over her hideous counters and it really did look great. I was thinking of doing the same--just buying a thin slab of granite and covering a large area of counter-top. Aesthetic beauty is more important to me that function sometimes lol.

MY KITCHEN *FUTURE*

TINY KITCHEN BUT CHIC

Those are the best ideas I could come up with for now. I'm trying to scour kitchen articles but it's usually for huge model kitchens of mansions. Like I said earlier, I see potential with this apartment.

The Crash Pad Factor

If you're under 35 without mini brats and a spouse you likely will understand what I mean by having your place used as a crash pad. It goes without saying that friends will decide to move in for a weekend and crash at your place after a night on the town. Since a few of our friends live out of town, it only makes sense they stay over. 

But how does an apartment function both as a crash pad and as a cozy, organized and clean environment? Well, you have to have "emergency" stuff. Emergency toothbrushes, extra socks, lots of liquor, wine glasses, shot glasses, beer mugs, martini glasses (and martini shaker for that matter), extra pillows, extra sheets and extra covers are a given. If you're like me and want your guests to feel right at home but don't have a guest-room, invest in a futon/sofa bed. 

This arrangement is cool for snuggling with friends under covers during an all-night movie marathon or letting as many friends as can fit crash. It is a good idea to have breakfasts foods, munchies and different beverages to suit the average crasher. 

  I hope to have nice decor and simple but chic furnishings but I want to leave a good impression on company. Invest in incense, candles, room deodorizers and sprays and an iPod dock with decent speakers. If you go clubbing or to bars a lot, make sure you have tons of good lighting and mirrors so everyone can get dressed and sexy and get all narcissistic as that's what liquor inevitably does. I don't care if someone smokes 420 or has sex at our place but I do have one rule---when we want you out, you better be gone.  

The Tiny Bedroom

I won't complain about having a pea-sized bedroom. New York flats have 500 square feet and look phenomenal, so I'm going to try my best to make do especially with an incredulous partner who has no idea how in any universe I am going to fit a bed that can hold the two of us into this remarkably tiny space. 

I'm relying on luck and precise measurement here but a tall bed with storage underneath and no headboard in a double size should suffice although that is all that will fit in the bed. If this is not the case, we will have to just get a solid wood bed base and a mattress in the style of a platform bed a la Japanese style. The problem is the room. If we put a bed in, will we have to climb over the bed to get to the bathroom each time and will the bathroom door even close?

At worst, I will have to resort to a single bed and use it as a guest room for visitors. At least our friends will have a cozy room to sleep in!

I have decided the room needs to be funky cool so I wanted to go with a canary yellow paint and blue decor such as painted royal blue wall shelves, royal blue bedding and royal blue curtains for the window.