Apartment Tour: My Living Room

Fridays this summer I will be linking up to do Kelly's Korner's Show Us Your Home series (see schedule at bottom of post). First up: the living room!

I moved into my apartment in March after being suddenly evicted from my last apartment (long story short they wanted to move a manager into a 1 bedroom and I was the lucky one to get kicked out). To see photos of my old living room go here (I kept forgetting to take photos for an actual post and then I moved). For almost 18 months I used a rolling media stand (cart?) from Ikea that I found on craigslist. I didn't want to splurge on something until I was really settled in and could afford something nice. After 16 months in my old apartment I used money from my Christmas bonus to buy a big media center from Crate & Barrel (that took a handyman all day to build). Just weeks later I received an eviction notice. HA! So it goes!

My last apartment was very dark (as in barely any natural light-there were windows but not much sunlight due to the layout and huge building next door). I had a lot of wall space I needed to fill up (with stuff on the walls or furniture against the walls). My current place there is a TON of natural light. I have floor to ceiling window/sliding glass doors in my living room and a huge window in my bedroom. So I don't have the same amount of wall space. The natural light/balcony is worth it of course! My sister helped me rearrange things so almost everything fits in my new place.


I like to have everything by my door. I forgot to get a photo of my "hallo" rug. I found it on ebay. There's a cute little elephant and it says, "Hallo" (not sure if that's a typo or another language?)


I ALWAYS put things in the same place as soon as I walk in the door: my Vineyard Vines tote, laptop (Vera Bradley elephant bag), Blackberry (pink) and ipod (blue) , keys (in that pink and white thing), mail/bills (pink container), shoes (flip flop bucket). The pink and brown bag is my recycling. I haven't figured out a better place for it so it sits there.


The zebra chairs are from my stepmom. I think they are really fun! Framed monogram (decal is from Decal Monograms on Etsy). The star lamp is from HomeGoods. In my current place the entire outer wall is glass/window. It was tough to find a place for the chairs because the TV could only go in one spot (and then the couch had to go in front of the TV). I like having the little seating area behind the couch.


I have two tv trays: one on either side of my couch. I move them around depending on how many people are over, if we are eating while watching tv, etc.


While it was a pain to move this thing I really love it!


I am always changing things around on the shelves. I switch out photos and add different things depending on the season.


The very top is my seasonal display. Those are little seahorse votive/lantern things (I wouldn't put actual candles in but I think they are cute). For Valentine's Day (actually until March) I had little heart candles. Then pastel tulip/flower/egg holders for Easter/spring. For summer I have the seahorses.




The ottoman was the best garage sale find. Perfect size and comfortable for your feet!


To the left is my dining area/kitchen. Bedroom and bathroom are down the hallway

Here's the schedule for the link up:
June 8 - Show us your kitchens
June 15 - Show us your bedrooms
June 22 - Show us your dining rooms
June 29 - Show us kids rooms
July 6 - Show us your bathrooms