Archive for January, 2010
Studio reveal – Update
Hi guys! Sorry for the lack of interesting posts. I’ve been busy and all. I know I promised a few pictures of my new office, but you’ll have to wait a few more days because there’s a new twist.
I found the most amazingly gorgeous desk I’ve ever seen: white, sexy lacquered finish, clean lines, clever storage. It was love at first sight, and since I’m an advocate of the “never settle/surround yourself only with things you love” philosophy, I decided to buy the desk. So yes, it was a splurge. It’s the most expensive thing I own (excluding my computer as well as the house and the car that the boyfriend and I own together). I’m not going to say how much it costs because I don’t want to launch a debate on frugality (which shouldn’t be confused with minimalism) but let’s just say it’s not from Ikea. See how insanely gorgeous it is?
Now I have to rethink the office decor a bit. The desk will be delivered next Wednesday, so I promise I’ll post pictures of the final office by the end of the week.
Good advice
Etsy crush: Moon buns by Moon’s Creations
I love bunnies. They’re furry and soft and just plain cute. I had a bunny when I was a kid. He gnawed everything he could get his teeth on, from books to wiring to furniture, which drove my parents crazy. He was my little rebel bunny. I guess I loved him so much because he was like a smaller version of me haha.
Anyways, a few days ago, I came accross the Etsy store of Moon’s Creations. Cute, yes?
Images: Moon’s Creations
Studio reno – Part 2
** This is a summary of my old French blog where I talked about our renovation adventures.**
(If you want to read Part 1, click here. You can also check out the Home category to read all previous home-related posts.)
I’ve got plenty of shortcomings that make me a difficult person to live with, but there are two qualities I like to think I have: I know potential when I see it, and I never go by appearances.
Case in point:
Yes, that’s what the room that would become my studio looked like when we first visited the house almost three years ago. It’s safe to say they didn’t hire a home stager, and home decor and house cleaning weren’t their forte.
There were enough negatives to scare away the average buyer: clutter, weird smell, fake wood paneling and worn out forest green wall-to-wall carpeting (complete with pee stains). Me? I was instantly drawn to the layout: the room had a “separate” entry (not a different front door, but you don’t have to go through the whole house to get there) and was independant from the rest of the home, which was perfect for my (future) business. I’m pretty sure the boyfriend was horrified when he first saw the room but we decided that the potential was there. So we negotiated a great deal, signed the papers, and started planning the reno.
We painted the whole house and had the floor refinished before moving in. That’s me in the picture (living room), taking a break from all the craziness.
Anyways, back to the office. With a full time corporate job and a house to renovate, I had to put the business project on hold, so for a long time the room was used as a storage/DIY projects room.
After a while, I wanted to get back on track business-wise, and resigned from my corporate job to focus on my business project and tackle the studio reno (while doing freelance gigs). The following pictures are a good representation of the next few months inside…
… and outside…
We had an electrician friend wire the room (with plugs/outlets/recessed lighting, etc.), then we put new insulation and installed new drywalls on the walls and the ceiling to replace the gypsum boards that were beyond repair. As explained in my previous post, we also removed the partition “wall” and increased the size of the small closet shown on the 1st picture above. The new walk-in closet alone deserves a separate post so I’ll talk about it later.
I’m not going to lie. It wasn’t easy, and there were times I wondered if we were ever going to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you plan on buying a fixer-upper (especially with a life partner), be sure you’re the kind of person who’s willing to learn and compromise, and doesn’t give up easily. Because it won’t be easy. Your patience and perseverance will be challenged. Your mental health and your relationship may be jeopardized too in the process. You’ll see your partner’s shortcomings in action. And you’ll realize he/she isn’t perfect (shocking, I know!). There will be fights and tears and break-up threats. Anyone who says the contrary is a) lying, b) in denial, c) passive-aggressive, d) all of the above. (I’m kidding – but not really).
One fine day, we realized we made it through the hard times, and what was once a disaster could now be called a room. Oh the joy of checking off something on my to-do list and starting to see my vision become reality!
(Last post on the studio reno saga with pictures of my new studio sometime next week)
Cute aprons for domestic divas
I love Jessica Steele’s aprons (Anthropologie). The Lady’s Apron is both sexy and cute, and definitely on my wishlist. If I had one, I wouldn’t mind spending all my time in the kitchen to work on my domestic divaness. Heck, who am I kidding? I’d still leave the cooking chores to the boyfriend, but at least I’d look good roaming around the kitchen.
The Lady’s Apron is around 35 Canadian dollars on Anthropologie’s website, which is a relatively good price.
Photos: Anthropologie.com
(Design: Me)
