Studio View

Much awaited pics of the new apartment.  Let me start off by saying that I bought an apartment that was straight up too big for me.  I mean, other people might not think so, but I constantly walk into apartments and go "Oh my god, this place is huge, why do you need this much room?!"  So I toyed around with it for awhile, feeling like I'd never find a way to make it cozy enough for one person.  Finally, I decided to pull the bed out of the bedroom and treat the place like a studio until Abigail gets here.  The only problem with living studio style, is that I am occasionally scared shitless when I hear someone walking in the hallway and find myself thinking "There is only one door between them and my soon-to-be-slumbering body".  How I survived living alone that one semester of college, I don't know.

Anyway, here's the tour:

Let's start at the beginning shall we?  Front door.  With a hand-made dream catcher that nobody has put a fucking hand on or tried to rip down because it is MINE.

Oh Welcome Mat, you're so welcoming.   

My entrance hallway.  A shrine-in-the-making to mine and Abigail's artistic endeavors.  Check out the Green Leafe mugs over-looking the dining area.

Veer into the kitchen.  Notice the WM-themed wall (do they make WM clocks?  Hand towels?  I will do that.  Shamelessly. I will be that person.), and the abundant amount of personality on the fridge.

The dining nook, currently set-up as the living room.  Though without the couch or natural light,  it's currently just decorative.  Even after closing off the bedroom I have extra room.

Bike Nook!  Designed with bikes in mind.

Finally, the bedroom area.  I've started making my bed every morning.  It's weird.  Yes, it's still an air bed.

I like the black and white posters in the bedroom because the quilt is so loud that the room doesn't need anymore color.  Also, check out the Christmas lights mirrored in the Bay Bridge Poster.  BEAST.

Close up of my armchair.  It matches nothing in the apartment right now, but I love it.  Most of my time in the apartment is spent sitting in it with my feet propped on the window sill. (Like, for example, right now).

And here's the closet.  Some might call it the "bedroom", but as you can see the bedroom is out in the main part of the apartment.  

Once Abigail gets here we'll rearrange the apartment, but for now I like the studio set-up.  Honestly, it still feels a little big.  I've been out of the apartment a lot recently; ergo, it's super tidy, which is hella unnerving for me.  There is this big 5' X 9' stretch of floor in front of the bike (purposefully left clear for easy access, mind you) but I always look at it and think "Why is there nothing here, there needs to be something here.  I mean, even dirty clothes or something."  Part of me wants to pull the coffee table over to the window-side of the bed as well because that feels empty, too.  But then the dining nook would be empty!  And this is why I have about 8 different lay-outs of this apartment my mind, and can't wait for Abigail to get here.  Honestly I think it feels so empty because it IS empty.  

While I like the ease of living alone, I don't actually like living alone.  I like noise and life and energy and easy access to companionship.  I'm very lazy like that.  That being said, I LOVE coming home to this apartment.  I didn't realize how much living at my last place was weighing on me.  How tense I was every time I walked up to my stoop.  It's nice to open the door and feel cozy and welcomed, in place, even if you're totally alone.  It's nice to live somewhere that you care for and have pride in.  

My last apartment was so empty, and white, and unloved.  It was dismal living there.  I can't believe I stayed as long as I did. I can't believe I didn't start looking for new places after the first hellish couple of days.  I suppose there was a reason for that, but I won't try to understand it yet.