Industrial Shelving Displays

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Almost a year ago, we found a set of 3 metal, industrial-looking shelves at a thrift store in Holland. It was one of those love-at-first-sight kind of relationships from the get go. I was immediately smitten. And proceeded to impulsively purchase. I know, you want proof. Here I am, four-score-and... well, just one year ago, standing in the middle of the thrift store with my new found love. How excited do I look?

For $12, we swiped the set and put them up in the kitchen of the Wicker Park apartment. It was a wonderful kitchen addition, because the kitchen in that apartment was horrifically small, boring, colorless, and lacking in shelving. The shelves were a kitchen-saver.

But then, we... you know... moved. And our new kitchen is not so boring. In fact, it's much larger... has more than enough cabinets for us (seriously, I think there are still one or two EMPTY cabinets, it's just got that much storage)... and is very fun and colorful. See, here's a picture of it, bare naked:

Now, that kitchen doesn't need a set of silver shelves. For a while, we considered putting them up in the entryway, but ultimately we decided we'd prefer for them to be placed somewhere that is visible from as many points in the apartment as possible. If we hung them in the entryway, they'd only be fun as you came or went.

So they ended up next to the window in the Living Room. We centered them and then hung them at equal intervals.

But really, this is not about shelves. It's about the things you can put on shelves. It's like a miniature museum of your home's most beautiful objects.

What'd we try to include? We focused on incorporating a variety of subtle and bold colors, all of which pull from the Unwithered painting (over the brown couch).

• First, a brown vase that's left over from last year's "Alternative Christmas Tree" project (which you should check out if you're looking for a more modern way to decorate this year... shameless Christmas plug).
• Also included is the wonderful vintage camera I purchased during that same Holland Thrift Trip.
• A pair of cute blue and white wooden Dutch shoes (bf is Dutch and bought them for me in Holland when we first started dating).
• A ceramic owl that has the same blue and white painting style as the wooden shoes. It's a tribute to my sorority, Chi Omega (hoot hoot).
• An orange-dipped water glass from Crate and Barrel outlet (for only #6? Hello, momma!).
• A small cactus from Home Depot, topped with two tiny pink flowers.
• A bright green watering can (though I shouldn't call it a "can" because it's plastic!).

Anyone else have a good story about displaying your tiny trinkets? Share it with me! 

Your Very Own Mad Men Drink Cart

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...because everyone needs one. Especially if you've committed to decorating your apartment in Mid Century Modern decor. And especially if you don't have a liquor cabinet because you've filled all the reachable cabinets with food (and you can't put the liquor higher than your arms can reach). 

When we went on a Craigslist spree (in which we netted the MCM Credenza in the Living Room, dresser in the Bedroom, desk in the Living Room and this drink cart), we came away with this. It's not as tall as it should be, but it fits the style and has a cute little wing that pops out -- just in case you're making many, many drinks at once.

Things you need:

Small table/drink cart:
I would have loved to get a real vintage drink cart (I wanted the kind that also looks like a surgical side table). Unfortunately, from the looks of it, unless you totally luck out and find one for a total steal, it's going to run you upwards of $200. Instead, we opted for this small MCM table on Craigslist. It's from the same set that our desk is from, so it matches nicely.
Pictured above: Jill Bar Cart, $349, Serving Cart in Cherry, $39.55

Coasters:
Okay, this is kind of up to you. But if you're fancy enough to have a drink cart, use some damn coasters. That said, I got a set of HUGE (see how large they are compared to the drink?) coasters from Ikea for $6 bucks. That way, when someone is pouring, it's alright if it slightly overflows - the cork will soak it up (and reek of alcohol until the end of time, horrah!).
Pictured Above: Fox Run Brands Cork Coasters, Set of 6 for $5.99, True Fabrications Slate Coasters, Set of 4, $13.19

Short tumblers: 
Because it's what they use in MadMen and it's what they use in Boardwalk Empire so it must be the real thing, right?! Another great thing about the shorter tumblers is that they are easily stacked. I grabbed two sets of 4 from T.J. Maxx for only $3.99/set.
Pictured Above: Bormioli Rocco Galassia Tumbler Rocks Glasses, Set of 6, Leonardo Tumblers, Set of 6 for $36.05

Crystal/glass liquor bottles: 
We initially bought a few of these off of Etsy, but I also lucked out at none other than T.J. Maxx. The large bottle on the left comes from T.J. for only $6.99.
Pictured: Godinger Dublin 6-Piece Crystal Whiskey Decanter Set, $69.99, Bormioli Rocco dedalo 7 Piece Crystal Cut Glass Liquor Decanter, $12.99

Liquor:

• Whiskey
• Gin
• Vodka
• Tequila
• Vermouth
• Bitters

Let's Talk About Desks, Baby

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I'm a desk person.

I spend an obscene amount of time doing the following activities: Writing Blog Posts, Writing an 80k Word Novel, Editing an 80k Word Novel, and Facebook Stalking My Friends... (kidding). 

In short, I spend a good amount of time at a desk - when I have one. Since graduating from college, however, I haven't had a proper desk in my room. So, when I moved into this new apartment, I was determined to make the whole desk thing happen. Put it on the NEED list instead of the WANT list, if you know what I'm saying.

We went on a craigslisting spree about a month ago, and this desk caught my attention big time. It used to belong to some railroading company (choo choo!). What's good: It's the right size, very simple and doesn't take up much visual space (important since it's going smack dab in the middle of a large living room - not in a den). The clean lines mesh perfectly with the rest of the Mid Century Modern furniture in the room.

The perfect desk set up item # 1: A comfortable chair. Seriously. This is very important, especially if you're like me and intend to spend a lot of time there! We've currently got one of the Setu Lounge chairs there, with a blue pillow, just in case your butt gets cold.

   
The perfect desk set up item # 2: Natural light. Some of us work at offices all day with artificial lighting beaming down from above. On a Sunday afternoon, as you sit in your chair with a big cup of tea, you want natural light. If you live in a city, you want to be able to look out the window and see your neighbor's cute red door and the vines growing up the side of the old brick building. Such is the romance of a good desk set up.

The perfect desk set up item # 4: An Orchid. I wanted some symbol of life to be sitting out. Something fresh and green. But, I'm not so good at watering things daily, and I desperately do not want to be stuck picking up dead flowers all the time. So, we opted for an Orchid. Actually, I mentioned it once and then Justin had it sent to me at work. 

Answer to the "Are there really blue orchids?" question (because I've been asked so many times already): No, there are not blue orchids by birth, so to speak. BUT, a certain type of nutrients can turn a white orchid blue. So it's a combination of being the right color to begin with (white) and having a certain reaction to the nutrients the florist feeds it. Boom, roasted.



The perfect desk set up item # 5: Candles. Because, natural light or not, candles are always there for you. Even when the power is out. They make everything smell good and I find candles to be surprisingly comforting. 

I gathered 4 or 5 candles of varying heights (only one of which is scented - beware of completing scents!) and placed them on a cute silver serving tray I snatched at a garage sale. That way, if I ever need more room on the desk, it's easy to move all the candles at once. Plus, just in case the candles spill, the desk is protected.

I also enjoy the notion that I can write a book or a letter by candlelight and connect in some odd way to those who wrote books and letters by candlelight before me. Earth to Ernest Hemingway, are you there? Come in, Ernest?

I'm sure you're wondering, "But what can you see from the desk, Carly?" Because you know I've thought about it, since this desk has become my oasis of sorts.

Well, part of the magic of this desk is that you can also see the T.V. Because it sits at an angle in the corner, facing the room, it has a pretty open view of the television. Once we mount the TV to the wall, it should be able to tilt and swivel, meaning the angle at which you watch can be adjusted. What does this mean for my desk oasis? That I can turn the TV so it's perfectly viewable from my seat. Meaning I can watch Nikita or Alias or Homeland (I'm a serious spy/CIA nerd, just read my book...).

Also "viewable" from my desk oasis is the wonderful, the fabulous, the infamous... color coded bookshelf. Roy G. Biv called. He said he wants his shelves back.

So what do you think? Does it look serene? Could you sit here sipping tea (or coffee) on a Sunday afternoon, typing away?

Where is your oasis in your home?

The Place Where Magic Happens

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Come into my bedroom...

Welcome to today's edition of Decorate Your Apartment In Ten Days! We've got a swell show in store for you today, so don't forget to buckle up for safety. Because only you can prevent forest fires.

Um. But seriously. It's been about 10 days since moving in. Here were my grand plans for this apartment, and here were some nudie shots (OF THE APARTMENT! NO NUDE HUMANS WERE INVOLVED IN THE MAKING OF THAT POST).  The first "done" room (sort of - working on an update post) was the Living Room, which you can find here.

Anyway, when it came to the bedroom, I had to change my plan a bit. This was the original plan:

But there was an issue. Remember how I said I'm part Type A, part Type B? Well, the Type A Carly insisted on making that diagram, but the Type B Carly refused to get accurate measurements because just "eyeballing" should be good enough, right?

Eeeeeht. WRONG. So, initially, I thought this room had a lot more space from Left to Right when you walk in. I planned to have more walking space across from the bed. Ultimately, the room ended up being more rectangular than square.

And here's where we are now. Furniture and all. Hallelujah.

Remember when we made our own headboard? It works even better in this room because there's a small 2 inch ledge on that side of the room, so we put the headboard on top of that, which makes it more visible behind the bed.

We snatched these bedside tables for $40 from the same warehouse we grabbed the Living Room couch from. They're triangular, but rounded (so no evil cuts from bumping them).

The top is glass,with a smaller wooden triangle below. We loved them because they're useful while not taking up too much visual space. Ultimately, we realized, we didn't need the typical bedside table with drawers. I mean, what do you put in there, anyway? With our last bedside table, we just crammed it full with random crap. Candles. Socks. Watches. Etc. And it ended up being a catch all, like a Mary Poppins Bedside Table.  So, instead of giving ourselves yet another place to hide crap, we decided to opt for something more open and minimal. So far, we're loving it.

Let's talk about art, baby. First, we've got two of the pieces I gave bf for Valentines Day. There were initially four, but this time we decided to cut it down to two and use the other two frames for other art projects (coming soon).

Also some black and whites from bf's mom. These are up in Wicker Park near the Damen stop, I believe. 

The pale blue color of the wall lends itself nicely to these black and whites (though I loved them on white walls in the last place too). 

BUT... with a pale blue wall and black and white photography, I felt the urge to add a bit of color. Thank God for these hooks Justin installed, so that I can keep my Rosie the Riveter headband (left) and Victory 70's purse (right) out for some color amusement. Roy G. Biv must be proud

This is the view from the "driver's" side of the bed (you know, like if it were a car, am I the only one who pretends my bed is a magic carpet?). I love it. Can I wake up every morning with the lights on and this bizarre yet wonderful view? Simplicity = key for me.

Dresser top. Still pretty sparse up in here. I will say, I'm in love with that blue vase in the center. We grabbed it at a Good Will almost a year ago, and since then, I've dried flowers a few times when Justin's surprised me with a bouquet. I just think the look of a beautiful glass vase with dried flowers inside is so... well, I can't say hipster, but...

Note: If you dry flowers by taking them out of the vase and hanging them upside down for a few days, they won't get all moldy like they otherwise do.

I've been using that picture frame on the dresser (with a hilarious article inside it that was written about the female lawyer who worked on the Watergate case - it's called "A Lawyer In Miniskirts") as a place to hang my necklaces. Works for now, eh?

This dresser was another find from Department Chicago. It's a Mid Century Modern Stanley (I think?). The clean lines are good for my brain. Simplicity, yet again. At first, I was worried I'd trash it with dirty fingers - after all, it's white as snow - but the finish has a shine to it that makes it easy to wipe, though it doesn't seem like finger marks are showing up on it anyway.

That tall dresser on the left is something we're still working with. It doesn't fit the style we want, but it's a leftover. Thinking a knob makeover could fancy it up just enough so that it no longer sticks out and screams "Look, I'm from Pottery Barn and I belong in the suburbs!"

Any other ideas on that, folks?

PROgress for the sake of Living Room PROgress

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Does anyone remember the scene in Harry Potter 5 when EVIL Dolores Umbridge says "PROgress for the sake of PROgress MUST be discouraged?" Well, ever since then, the word PROgress has been pronounced with a very dominant "PRO" in my household. And by that, I mean just me.

Anyway, I'm sorry to break the spell yesterday's naked apartment tour cast on you (I know, you're in love. It shouldn't have taken its clothes off on the first date. Bad apartment. Bad). But, the apartment decided to get a little more dressed up. Well, some of it, at least.

Disclaimer: This is by no means finished. It's PROGRESS. So keep posted for the decor - because I just spent my life savings on Etsy. And by life savings I mean not really. But still a lot. The mail room delivery people are starting to hate me, I can feel it.

<--- Enter the Living Room!

As anyone who's ever moved can tell you (so... almost everyone?), the simple act of adding furniture can make an apartment feel much less nude. We brought in our new couch (in gray, on the left), which I'm sort of obsessed with still. 

I'll take more images to highlight why exactly I'm in love with a couch. But in short: Clean lines, retro feel, and those legs! Ha.

Sidenote: Yes, that would be me watching Avatar on my first night in the new apartment. It's just so pretty!

You may also notice the black futon from the old apartment. It seems to play well with the new couch, too. They both have tufting in the seats and a similar era feel with clean lines.

By the morning after furniture placement, we were semi cleaned up. We decided to swap the gray pillows from the couch to the futon to tie the corner together a bit better.

This retro side table was already at Justin's old place. It wasn't getting much glory there, because there wasn't a purpose for it, but here, it fits purrrrfectly.

To top it off? For now, a few funny comic books, A Book of Luminous Things (Poetry from my Uncle Toby on my birthday), and a random stick I painted bright colors.

See that TV? Yea, it's special. That was my first big girl purchase after getting my first big girl job. It's been sitting in my bedroom at my parents' house ever since (because the Wicker Park apartment was so small that an oversized TV would have made it impossible to breathe).

And this wonderful credenza is also a wonderfully special piece. It was my first huge furniture purchase. After perusing Craigslist for weeks, I finally stumbled upon Department Chicago. It's run by a young couple that finds old pieces (mostly mid century modern from what I've seen on their site) and fixes them up (cleans them and makes sure they're in working order) to sell. So, this is a true 1950s piece of furniture. Most 1950s credenzas are going online for $1,000-2,000, but we snagged this for the upper $400s. Thanks to Department Chicago for getting us such a great value.

Stay tuned for the rest of the apartment!