Since we are renting, I have been working hard to get things done first that make the apartment feel like the space is really ours.   Hanging art, pictures, mirrors etc. helps to give a space purpose and clarity – which in turn helps make your home feel settled into.

A great way to add personality and function to a space is by adding wall shelving. They are functional, interchangeable and look really polished when done right.

While there are many great options to purchase, these DIY shelfs were an afternoon project (for my dad) and I was able to get exactly the look I had in mind.

I found these decorative l brackets originally here on amazon but they weren’t on Prime at the time so I couldn’t guarantee I’d get them in the time. So after some searching around I found the same style here at Home Depot. I love that they are a matte black finish and have a clean and simple look.  Home Depot also had options for pre-made shelves to match these brackets but I decided to use raw wood so I could customize style and size to what i wanted.

The renter friendly side also likes that the L brackets go directly into studs in the wall, but the screws aren’t deep enough to cause any damage that could affect my security deposit. Each bracket has two screws, leaving only 4 holes to fill in once we move out.

My favorite part of using shelving like these is how interchangeable they can be. I can mix the displays up with the seasons, holidays, or just when we get bored. They are both decorative and functional – which in design – is a win win.

How just working on getting some decor unpacked and purchased to style them up.   Also, stay tuned on the blog next week for a different way to use the same shelf.

There are a few bigger ticket items I want to get now that we’ve moved into our new home. The area rug in our living room was first on my list and in case you missed why – check out all the things I love about area rugs here.

Here’s the before shot with the former area rug. It’s a great rug that will be used again but it wasn’t active enough for the living space – too beige to make the cut here.

Since the walls bring a huge about of blank white space to the room, I wanted to use an area rug as a way to add color and pattern. Area rugs take up a large amount of surface area so it’s a great way to break up all of the beige blotches here and add some further interest. Also, since our kitchen, dining and living room are all one larger room, I wanted an area rug pronounced enough that it would give a clear separation of space.

The area rug we had when we moved in was slightly larger than I wanted it to be, but it made for an easy template in searching for its replacement. In order to best define the living space from the kitchen, I wanted it a bit more tailored and centered around the sofa. After measuring and taping off some initial shapes and sizes we ended up with a 8×6 final size – a fairly standard size.

Here are some great options, all in my manageable price point – affordability comes first:

1. – 2. – 3. – 4. – 5. – 6.

Once I had a collection of various styles, we settled on the winner together.

This plaid number from CB2 arrived this week and I couldn’t be happier. It adds color, texture, and visual excitement while still being a neutral. Reducing the size from our original beige rug really helped define this seating area and gives it a centered feel. It was also within our $250 goal – which for area rugs is harder than it seems.

I love how changing one item in this space has transformed it in a great way. There’s lots more work to be done – but for now – I’m just standing here admiring our newest design purchase.

As a renter, rugs can be a really important aspect of your space. Though sometimes pricey, their overall mark on a room can be really transformative. Here are some of the reasons (or arguments if you need those) to consider area rugs in your space.

1. Use Area Rugs for their Size

Since area rugs take up such a large amount of surface space, their potential to transform a space is ten fold. Think of it as an opportunity to add color, texture and pattern to your room when choosing the one for your space. While there is a time and place for the single note area rugs, step outside the box and don’t shy away from pattern. Neutral furnishings feel fresh when paired with a bold statement on the floor.

Studio Mcgee

     2. Use Area Rugs as Visual Guides

Open floor plans are all the rage these days – and for good reasons! BUT open plans can be hard to style if you need space to perform lots of different functions. Where older homes use walls to identify different spaces, think of using area rugs in the same way. They can anchor a dining table or seating area while still feeling open to whatever function is happening beside it.

Inspired by Charm

3. Invest in Area Rugs as a Renter

As a renter, it’s not always easy to commit to investing in design. The space isn’t really yours and the ever ominous security deposit is always standing between dreams and reality. To get around this, try investing in things that can grow with you. While area rugs give you the homey and designed feel you’re looking for, they also move with you when its time to leave your rental. Plus: they don’t damage the space and won’t violate your rentals rules.

If you’re looking for the best design bang for your buck, area rugs are always a great place to start – and if you’re willing to shop around, you can find a deal worth the splurge.

Well, we finally made it.  I say finally, because it seems like this has been the ultimate countdown that’s just now expired.  We moved into our favorite part of the city in the most unique and funky building and it’s been a wonderful change.  The ceilings are tall (I mean TALL) and the floors are original and the windows are what dreams are made of.  I have such a love for this place and I can’t wait to start making the bare bones of it more our own. 

Here are a few “before shots.” I use ‘before’ with caution as I do not yet have any “afters,” these are more like “current”.  This is the very first steps of making this space our home – so we have a place to go back to and admire or learn from where it started.  It’s to discuss a bit more fully where I want it to go, where we’ve been and a way to follow along this journey fully.  

The thing about design is that the possibilities are endless.  While on one hand I walk around these new walls and see what I want it to become, on the other I wonder about what my ideas will be if I just wait until tomorrow.  Will they be better, cool, easier, cheaper? Will they be more inspired or become more us? Will I make a mistake I can’t come back from or will I make something so amazing, even I can’t yet fathom what that is? 

Lately I have been listening to a lot of Elizabeth Gilbert’s speeches and podcasts.  The author of Big Magic, and Eat, Pray, Love; she motivates me in such an unbelievable way.  She talks about fear as being this thing that you address, and welcome, but you also tell it step aside to make way for what you are capable for creating.  That it’s always there, you’ll always be fearful, but the worst thing to do is play it safe and listen to your fear over your creativity. 

So here it is, the promise I am making now as I start on this design whirlwind and blog process.  I promise to make without fear and share without reservation.  I will honor this insane and gritty passion I have for making and find a way to just do it. 

So for Elizabeth Gilbert, for myself, and for my creative side; let’s make, remake and follow this journey wherever it goes. 

Cheers to the future “after” photos and the things waiting to be made. 

Moving is a process, and that’s taking it lightly. Whether you’re buying or renting it takes a lot of work to get to the anticipated moving day. A lot of the work can be done before you reach that one exciting and frightful day and the more of it you do the better!

They say failing to plan is planning to fail right? That goes for moving times 10! In order to make this process easier for you, here are some simple tips and tricks to make moving day better for you:

1. Account for all costs before committing – There tend to be a lot of hidden or unexpected costs when it comes to actually moving out of one space and into another. Maybe it’s a moving truck, dollies, movers; maybe its boxes and packing peanuts, whatever you’re needing, it adds up.   Even a weekend of pizza and paper plates while unpacking can be an unexpected cost that inevitably happens. Instead of watching your bank account slowly fade away, plan for these costs the same way you plan for a down payment or first and last months rent. It’s all costs you can’t really avoid, so be ready and set those funds aside early in your search process so your funds stay in check.
2. Use your current home as a tool – Once you’ve committed to moving, it’s fun to start visualizing how great it will be to get there. Instead of jumping to your new home, use your current home and how you use it to your advantage. Do you have that closet full of ‘who knows what,’ or that shelf of kitchen tools with parts mismatched? Yeah, me too! Use how you use your current home as a guide to declutter; there’s no use bringing old junk to your new digs.

3. Pack yourself, move with others – The most frustrating part of moving can be losing track of where things are. In order to avoid that extra headache of searching later, pack yourself. Let your friends, family or movers help physically move instead of packing to move. That way you’ll have a better idea of which box the coffee pot ended up in – you’ll need to unpack that first anyway.

4. Delegate where you can – Hiring movers is the best way to delegate and its worth every penny. They won’t have other ideas or overstep their boundaries with opinions that loved ones may; use this to your advantage so your stress level moving day is slightly lower.
5. Start today – Once you’ve committed to your moving date, there’s work to be done! Start with out of season clothing or your bookshelves and work backwards in usage. Getting your non-daily items done early will make everything orderly and manageable.

Your moving day will be here before you know it and the less work you have the night before the better. So plan ahead, and use these tips as soon as you’re able so moving day is easier to celebrate.