Jeeze, Julia!

♥

We do a lot of little updates to our apartment.

To me, a home is more than just where you hang your hat. It should be a place where you feel comfortable, happy, and for creative individuals like Ryan + I  – it should be a place where you become inspired. Although our flat is not our dream home yet, we find that living in a space that is well thought out and beautiful helps to enhance our creativity throughout the day. When our apartment is messy, we feel messy. When it is clean and pretty, we feel ready for anything! We don’t plan on living here forever, but while we’re here we want to make the very best of it. If you, too, want to turn your current quarters into a more inspiring space, here are 5 tips on how to do just that:

Make a list of the things that you already love. This could include anything from the hardwood floor to the throw pillows on your couch, or even a certain colour scheme that you already have going. I love the little decor items that we have scattered about our apartment like this vintage breakfast tray, our handmade cloth napkins, and little rustic touches like a pinecone + feathers.

Study your list for similarities and prominent features. Are there recurring colours, shapes, or styles? Is there anything on this list that has obvious accessories? For example: I love the modern shape of our coffee table so I might try to reflect this in future purchases by choosing side tables, lamps, or chairs that have a similar form or are from the mid-century era.

Make a pinboard on Pinterest of images that inspire you. This could include everything from photos of other peoples’ homes that you would love to live in to colour palettes that tickle your fancy. Work from your “likes” list in collecting similar images, but pin anything that gives you that excited design feeling! I have several pinboards going for specific rooms so that when I decide to make some changes to that space I already have visuals of what I like and what works, to inspire me.

Make a second list, but this time include all of the things you dislike about your space. Be specific. I often say that I hate our entire bathroom, but that’s not exactly true. I like the wall colour and the layout alright, but I dislike the tiles, the cabinet under the sink, the fixtures, and the unprofessional little “fixes” that have been done to our very old building over the years, many of which are visible in the bathroom. Try to pinpoint details in this list so you’ll have a more realistic idea of what you want to change.

Brainstorm ways to update the dislikes list to be more like the loves list. You are looking for fluidity here and melding the changes you make with your established tastes will help you match your changes to reflect the style in the rest of the space. Make sure you write down all of the ideas you have for updates, but only pick one task at a time to tackle. Making small progress will give you the confidence to keep going and seeing each little task completed will empower you as well!

Most of all, have fun getting creative!

xx.

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