Posts tagged SmallSpaceSolutions

Hello Vogue Renters!

First, let me apologize for the lack of posts on my end – I haven’t made the kind of progress with my condo that I had hoped for. That being said, I think I’ve done pretty good for only being three months in and having limited expendable income. 

Here’s what I’ve managed so far!

It’s easy to have sweet dreams in bedding like this! I splurged a little on this darling looking birdie sheet set (sunbird sheet set) at Anthropologie, but was able to offset the cost by scooping up Anthropologie’s last season Oh to Dream quilt on eBay. I was hoping to create a really dreamy feel to my room with this bedding. I wanted to go really bright with my room; I’m planning on sticking with very neutral solid colours with the rest of the apartment – so this was my chance to have a little fun. I can’t wait to get some art on the walls and find the perfect lamp for my personal brand of adult whimsy (a term coined by my beautiful friend Katie Richard). 

I’m trying my hardest to bring everything together in the open space that is my living room / kitchen – my favourite item purchased to date is the nautical lamp I bought on sale at Anthropologie (at this point, you are noticing a trend). I am going to try and build the rest of my decor around this lamp. I am also starting my very own DIY project and attempting to make a second rope lamp for my living room. 

What do you think?

I’m heading to the hardware store to buy the base of my lamp and the rope to decorate it with this weekend, so I’d love a little feedback on what you all think! I have found websites like Houzz.com to be extremely helpful in giving me inspiration for décor. 

For the art in my living room, I have decided not to stick to any particular theme. I have so many wonderful pieces that it would break my heart to see them discounted because they aren’t exactly uniform. That being said, I plan to use similar framing for all my pieces to create some form of continuity. Hoping it works!

Along with my DIY lamp, the next projects I’ll be tackling will be decorating my bathroom, putting in a shelving unit under the t.v. (and figuring out how to hide all those cords!), finding fabric to make some couch accent cushions, and investing in some bookshelves. It’s going to be a busy summer!

Ashley’s Columns

I have been a resident of my new condo for 3 weeks now, and in that time I have gone through just as many furniture sets. I’m beginning to feel as if I’m either a) fickle, or b) goldilocks. 

It must be said, that at the beginning of this decorating venture I decided to tackle buying furniture the same way I buy everything else – online. This was a mistake. Despite the fact that I am an avid online shopper, furniture is one of those things that you really need to take a look at before buying. 

The first set of furniture that was purchased never actually made it into my unit. I ordered it online, measured the space where it would reside in my living-room, and looked forward to its arrival. What I did not anticipate was that I was in for a giant fail. The couch didn’t even come close to making it through the door. Yes, I had carefully measured the area where the couch would reside inside my home. No, I did not take into account that despite the fact my ceilings are 9 ft, the hallway ceilings were not. 

At this point I’d learned that condo-sized furniture is not a suggestion, it’s a requirement. Unfortunately this first order did not discourage me from taking the online route once again. The second couch and chair I ordered looked like a dream; charcoal grey, modern design, and most importantly – condo-sized. This set even made it through the door. The only problem was that once I saw it in person I absolutely hated it. And just as a side note here: furniture companies will not tell you this, but if you return furniture they charge you a 20% restocking fee. 

To avoid losing money on my purchase I decided to go down to the furniture store and pick out a replacement in person (you will not be charged restocking on exchanges). This brings us to the third, and definitely last, set of furniture I will purchase for my condo.

I hope you all like it – it gets delivered this weekend, so if there is any issue with it I will be raffling it off on this site. 

Ashley’s Columns

In making the move to downtown Toronto, I have successfully doubled my rent and cut my square footage in half. When it comes to décor and DIY I must admit that I am more than a bit of a novice. This is the first time I have attempted to decorate anything larger than my high-school locker. That being said, I’m hoping that my enthusiasm makes up for this.

My tastes are simple. When it comes to décor, I am predominantly a student of two schools; nautical is always better, and put a bird on it.

I love rustic, industrial, handcrafted items and hate clutter. I do not believe that more = better. I like the idea of making the most of what you have. 

In contributing to this blog I am hoping for a give-and-take relationship. The idea is for me to inspire you while I attempt to transform 480 sq ft of blank canvas into my home— but I am also looking forward to hearing your suggestions, getting your seasoned DIY advice, and having a group of people to share ideas with. 

So join me for all of my downsizing design exploits. I’m sure there will be more than a few bottles of wine involved. 

Here’s the before; stay tuned for the after!

My bedroom - small but great closet!

Great fixtures and a massive tub.

The view of my apartment from the balcony

View of the apartment from the front door. All-new kitchen.

My balcony. The glass door on the left leads to the bedroom.

Ashley’s Columns