Posts tagged IKEA
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Mostly Moved In (And Never Ever Leaving)
It’s Day 5 in our new place, and things are finally coming together. Since we’ve moved in, I haven’t left this neighborhood, which feels good but also very strange. I’ve never lived in a place where I literally don’t have to leave a 4-block radius. Grocery store? Check. Biggest mall in London? Check. Post office, amazing live music venue, 3 great pubs and a market? Check, check, check, and check.
In between stints of job searching, I’ve been conceptualizing the look and feel (buzz words, YES!) of our new room, and since the bones of this place are so grand in scale, I’ve decided that the decor is going to be subtle in pattern, understated in color.
CHYEAH right. Since the bones of this place are so grand in scale, I’ve decided that bright and bold patterns, and rich blues, golds, and neutrals are going to make this place feel like an effortlessly shabby-chic palace. I have a few projects up my sleeve that I can’t wait to show you; one is already completed and cost me 3 pounds and about 40 minutes of work! We still have an extra bulky single bed in the room, which is delaying some of my plans, but by the end of this weekend we will hopefully have a fresh palette to work with.
I’m going to share a few mid-way photos with you guys to show you what the room is like. I didn’t stop to take photos before we rearranged the furniture (I did it in like 5 seconds flat because I had been losing sleep over it the night before we moved in!) The furniture is a bit shabby, but I’m on the case! This is the general layout we have now, with a few new pieces added in; spot the round mirror from Ikea that I couldn’t help but put up in order to add some sparkle to the room.
DAY 1:
Everything is everywhere, and for 2 people who moved halfway across the world with only 4 suitcases, it feels like we’ve accumulated a ton of stuff already.
The two huge windows in our room that overlook the street. Don’t let the beautiful rays of light fool you; we’ve barely seen the sun since the day we moved in. (Bitter much?)
DAY 2:
We visited Ikea twice in 2 days, and had every intention of having our new furniture delivered within a couple of days, but lucky for us they delivered us and the furniture directly from the store, which gave us a break from waiting for buses in the rain and a head start on constructing furniture.
Pardon the mess; we just moved in!
My favourite part of our room so far; we bought an inexpensive but large and very chic dining room table to use as a desk, and then splurged on these amazingly comfortable 60s style loungers. Zacharie has already bought a larger-than-life screen that takes up a modest (!) amount of space on the desk.
I’m hoping that by the time I’m done with the room, the desk will be the last place I want to hang out.
As a little teaser for my first DIY project as a Londoner, I thought I would share the before photo of the dresser I hated on sight, thus creating an intense need to alter beyond recognition. Now I can’t stop looking at it and can’t wait to share with all y’all.
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Ikea 2012 sneak peak!
I just stumbed onto this picture and I needed to share it! It’s a sneak peak for Ikea’s 2012 line. I am very excited by these colors and these shapes. A lot of new approches for Ikea. From that gorgeous Corbusier like couch in the front, to that swing arm wall light in the back. And that pick dot rug? Oh my! That might need to come home with me.
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Awesome Apartments: Sarah & Moira’s Americana Music Den
Full disclosure: Sarah and Moira are my best friends and I used to live in this apartment. More news: Moira moved out in December, which makes this apartment pretty interesting because there are remnants of all of us left in this space (though, my mark is just the rainbow sherbert still in the freezer). The place transforms every 2 months, and because the layout is kind of awkward and a bit cramped, there was always something that felt a bit off about it. After Moira moved out, I helped Sarah figure out a way to make the space work, and now I think it’s just right.
Before:
This is how it started out. We’d just moved to Toronto, and bought everything from Ikea. We hated that futon and battled with it regularly. We kind of liked that center wall, but it all felt stark and not totally us yet.
The room went through a ton of stages, from taping records all over the walls in weird patterns, to having gallery-style photos all over it, to nothing. Then Moira moved in and the setup stayed the same, but the feel of the apartment was totally transformed.
After:
Hi Sarah! After Moira moved out, the only thing that changed was the furniture arrangement, the placement of art, and the styling of the futon. We took Moira’s beautiful ruffled quilt and used it to break up the black in the futon cover, and used the pops of red in the pillows and the poster to center the room. The record player and wallpaper-style photos keeps the music all in one spot and becomes its own focal point without competing with the futon.
The mandolin on the wall is such a great addition because it allows for safe instrument storage and also makes the instrument a decor piece in the room - functional design at its finest.
People have been decorating with album inserts forever. You don’t even have to ask - yes, that’s Jenny Lewis, and yes, that lampshade is from Ikea.
This wall was always so tricky since it divided the entire space, but this shelf is a great way to define the room and feature all kinds of collectibles and trinkets.
This probably wouldn’t have happened if I still lived there.
The bathroom is pretty wicked too. Great way to keep cosmetics organized while using them in the room.
Another great nail polish storage solution!
Look at Sarah, just enjoying this luscious-looking futon. There’s no doubt in my mind that this apartment will change again in the next few months, but it keeps getting better and better, so no complaints here.
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Beep’s Place, Part 2
A couple of weeks ago, we wrote a piece about Corey’s apartment entitled “Making Space for Collections, Hobbies, and Work Areas”, but the pictures were a little blurry. Since he’s also a wicked photographer, he took some pictures of his place in the light of day for you to check out how cool his space really is.
Also, he has an awesome storage tip for your workspace: use a napkin holder to store your laptop. We’re unsure whether this is ok for your computer, but it sure looks cool.
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Making Space for Collections, Hobbies and Work Areas
My friend Corey lives in the north end of Toronto, and spends a lot of time on collecting records, books, graphic design and writing. He just moved into his place in September, and created what I think is an awesome multi-functional set-up to incorporate his collections, hobbies and work space.
A couple of things I want to point out. You see the shelves that house the records? Those are two of those incredible Ikea shelves on top of each other that I mentioned earlier. We’ve discovered yet another way to use them.
Also, the large unit in front on the window is actually 2 desks beside each other, which proves that if you’re just a little bit creative, you can find smaller pieces that function the same way as a larger, all-in-one unit, which would probably cost tons more. I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Corey got both of those desks for under $150. He’s also making use of the dead space underneath the desk by housing more collectibles and stereo equipment.
And yes, those are turntables.
Check out Corey’s portfolio - he’s an awesome graphic designer.
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Small-Space Solution for Students/Anyone Who Can Deal with a Small Bed
This was my room set-up for the first year and a half that I lived in Toronto. Straight up, beds can get expensive, and I had more important things to spend my money on (like frames and liquor). This was another Ikea buy for under $200 - the frame was $89 and the mattress was $99. My room was a decent size, but it felt huge when I used it in this daybed/lounging area kind of way. Not only did I sleep here, but I ate here, watched movies here, did my homework here, and socialized here at parties. I loved my room this way, and then I went and got a bigger bed and I could never get it right again.
Lesson learned: when you’re renting, be realistic about furniture size and function of a room. If there’s not a ton of space, make sure you have areas and spaces that can serve a few functions and look good doing it. Here’s another really great idea.
This certainly isn’t the best solution for a couple, but if you’re single and looking, having this size bed will make it less obvious if you invite someone into the boudoir since it’s kind of set up like a place to socialize. It will also provide an excuse to be really close once you get them under the covers. (I don’t know, did I just cross boundaries? Did I go too far?)
Alternatively, if you’re in a situation where you have a spare room that needs to serve as an office area and a guest bedroom, this set-up would work well too since it’s just another place to hang out by day, and an extra bed for a friend or a family member by night.
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The Best-Looking, Most Portable Shelving for Renters
Ikea needs no introduction. They are the stakeholders in affordable furniture that still looks good.
When I moved to Ontario from New Brunswick, I furnished my entire first apartment in Ikea for under $600, but this piece is by far my favourite because it can act as so many things.
Things You Should Know:
- It’s $49, is like 20 pounds in the box, and takes 5 minutes to put together
- The slots fit records perfectly
- The surface wipes clean really easily and is wide enough for a record player or a small to medium-sized TV
- It also fits those handy boxes perfectly, which means that you can fill ‘em up with all your junk.
I’m really cheap when it comes to furniture (only because of necessity since I have no extra money to spend), and I think that anyone who is hurting for a dresser has just found the best solution. Little dinky dressers that don’t hold anything cost at least $70. I bought a large damaged discount dresser a few years back for $200 and the drawers were shallow and the drawer beds collapsed on me. If you buy one of these shelves ($49) and 4 drawers for $7/each, you will be spending just under $80.
Then, once you make more money and buy a home and you have enough money to invest in a good-quality dresser, you will have a new shelf for books and trinkets, and cloth bins to store things under the bed.
Just so you know, I moved this shelf with 4 drawers still in it, and it was easy.
Check out more options from the Expedit collection.
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This is a great storage solution for jewelry because it’s easy to hang, pack, or rest on a dresser or bookcase. There’s a ton of dimension and layering going on with this piece - the decoupage in each box is what makes it so interesting.
The smartest way to decorate your place is to style things you already have. Put your things out on display - you’ll appreciate them more and you’ll feel more at home when the things you love are visible.
I’m not sure if this was store-bought, but if you’re more interested in doing this yourself, I’ve seen this type of project done with kitchen cutlery drawer organizers. You would just need to figure out your color scheme, the lining in the back, and some screw-in hooks from the hardware store (super easy to install, trust.)
Because this piece is relatively small, it would look great in an enclosed doorway or on those little bits of wall beside a closet. I’ve been meaning to put this project together for my own jewelry collection - it would look fantastic in rows from floor to ceiling, or a geometric pattern on a wall as the focal point of a room you’re stuck on.
(Source: craftsoncrafts)
