This is How I Plan Out a New apartment

By curating mockups for months

Makeup Vanity DIY Project

Introducing my new and improved vanity space in all its glory! I'm so pleased with how it turned out, and I love having my own lovely little corner of the world to enjoy the art of makeup.

Total cost: approx $320 for furniture, supplies and accessories

• $100 for vanity and $30 for stool, found separately on Craigslist 

• Paint and supplies from Lowes (the color is Dorian Gray from Sherwin-Williams in semi-gloss)

• Drawer pull hardware – Amazon

• Light-up makeup mirror – Amazon

• Lamps – Amazon

• Perfume bottles – Amazon

• Jewlery organizer – Amazon

Come on the journey with me!

B&A, side by side

With repainted furniture and new hardware

BEFORE | The vanity and stool were Craigslist finds that I mixed and matched.

I was excited that the shape of their feet were so similar! I couldn't wait to paint the wood and replace the hardware.

Ready to get started sanding and priming.

But first, filling in all the little scratches and gouges in the wood

I just used some wall spackling paste. Not pictured after this step: lots and LOTS of sanding (and more sanding).

With DIY, you always have to have at least one crisis moment.

Throwback to the time I nearly wanted to punt a kitty while I was painting. If it were just a few adorable little prints I might have painted them gold and made it a feature...BUT NO, he had to prance about and smear it all over with his litterfeet. It only cost me 2 more rounds of sanding and coating. He's lucky he's cute!

Getting closer...and bonus surprise gold!!!

I actually spray-painted the drawers first, then masked off the rest to paint with a small roller.

goooold! ✨

My favorite feature is definitely the flip up mirror/makeup drawer.

It makes the area feel so clean and minimal when I'm not using it.

BIG fan of the way my makeup can always lay flat (and never slides around) inside this drawer.

Really helps me stay organized and see my options!

Also updated my jewelry storage.

Makes my little corner feel even more glamorous!

"Hi yes I walked in the paint. Not sorry." - Bogie

Baby, it's cold outside

First snow day in quite a while! Perfect opportunity for some cozy calligraphy practice.

Cubs win!

I watercolored a little celebration art for my Chicago friends, after their team won the World Series (for the first time in 108 years)!

I thought last year was exciting, when my hometown Royals won the series for the first time since i was born. I should make some KC art soon :) but for now, go Cubs!

I have no idea how anyone follows sports regularly without having heart issues.

Til Death Do Us Part

Adventures of Halloween face paint in New Orleans!

People of the World, Spice Up Your Life

Fall feelings:

Get it on a mug at Society 6 for the most delicious of lattes 

OR LEGGINGS!!

Painting Ceilings is the Worst

Goodbye dingy ceilings....looks so much better and I have more respect for Michelangelo every day.

Spare Bedroom Progress | Part 1

The new wall color is a rich grey from Valspar called Mark Twain House Ombra Grey:

After

Before

With ugly mirrored shelves that had destroyed much of the three walls

Taking down the mirrors glued to the walls

Sanding, patching, and texturing

Good as new!

Ready for guests

Laundry Room Progress | Part 1

Goodbye green-screen laundry room!

The new wall color is a relaxing bluish-grey from HGTV
Home by Sherwin-Williams called Delicate Delia:

Before & After the walls and cabinets were painted

Also cleaned up that messy sink the best I could

Kitchen Progress | Part 1

We're in the process of updating the kitchen! Here's what we've accomplished so far:

Before & After

Inspirations

Kitchen before

Close-up of that beautiful border

Removed the wallpaper border and started testing paint swatches

Choosing a blue and trying out hardware

Painted the walls light grey

Ready to take down that top right cabinet

Feels so much more open!

Cut and stained shelves

Painted the shelf brackets

Open shelving makes an amazing difference | Before and after

She would rather sleep on sandpaper than obey your request to stay off the counter.

Added modern drawer pulls

Much better with handles

So much sanding

Did you know kitchens have approximately 1 million surfaces?

Ready to paint!

Paint sprayer was a life saver

Aftermath... Everything is changing!

Spray paint that hardware!

Prime everything

Pantry progress

Cabinets back on

Accessories added

Secret sponge storage!

I love features | Bar, pantry, pan storage and bulletin area

I love how the cheerful blue seems to change throughout the day, depending on the lighting

Cabinet color: Tres Blue  |  Wall color: Icy Avalance

Next round of goals for the kitchen:

Smooth

A friend shared this beautiful shirt with its ugly typography, and said "But seriously someone please put this on a tank for me."

Society6 makes generosity so easy:

It's called fashion.

I sincerely hope someone out there purchases it as a duvet cover.

Livingroom / Hallway Progress | Part 1

The previous owners loved bright brick red and sherbet colored walls.

We had a more modern navy and grey palette in mind:

Before & After

Catio Bench Project

I love cats and want to keep ours indoors - but also wanted to be free from the smell and mess that comes with litter boxes in the house. 

We came up with a solution for a subtle outdoor hutch that doubles as a bench on our front porch, accessible via a small cat door in the living room. Harlow and Bogie figured it out in 20 minutes, and love having a small hideaway with some fresh air in their bathroom!

Cat door

Plans

Lumber acquired

Let's do this!

Eliot is a master with the power tools

Clip and staple the wire mesh to cover the windows

One wall is ready!

Supplies for the bench upholstery

Cutting the foam down to size

Just use a bread knife

Cut down the batting

Fabric is ready

Decided we wanted two bench lids instead of one long one

Luckily I had left enough extra room in the fabric and batting, it was fine just cutting everthing in half.

Ready to upholster

Lids are looking good!

Now the scary part: cut a hole in the house!

Cat door installed (front porch view)

Interior cat door, in livingroom corner

Frame is built

Stained + carpet and lid supports added

Carpet so nobody tracks litter bits inside!

Finished catio in place!

Locks added, so nobody lets them out by mistake

Easy to open for litter box cleaning

And they have a nice little window!

View of their window from the other side

Harlow loves it!

My Kitchen Vision

So my fiancé can see what I'm talking about:

View fullsize

Choosing Chips and Picking Paint

Paint chip selection is a whole thing, but I love it!

Colors always look look a bit different (bolder/darker) on the walls than on the chip.

Before looking at paint chips:

- Look for inspiration online. Once I had a collection of interiors that I was drawn to, I could start to identify themes and make a mood board. 

- Consider the feeling you're after. I wanted a darker blue (dark enough that the black appliances would visually disappear) but something that wasn't too bright or overwhelming. Something that felt cheerful while also relaxing and elegant.

- Obviously take your chips home and compare under your actual room's lighting.  Check out the colors at different times of day.

- Select a few favorites and get samples to paint swatches on your wall - it's worth it. I liked trying our two favorites + one darker. I think people can be too fearful of dark paint...some visual contrast is good!

- Live with the colors until a clear winner emerges (or if you think you need to go back to get another sample). You can consult with friends, but I think you'll know in your heart which color is the right one.

My Top 10 Travel Must-Haves

1. Solid Shampoo/Face/Body Wash Bar - Gone are the days of worrying about air travel spills or your liquid allotment. I've been loving Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Co. and their organic Neem & Tea Tree Body & Hair Shampoo ($8.65).

2. A Good Travel Pillow - My REI Self-Inflating Travel Pillow ($19.50) is soft and velvety, rolls up small for easy packing, and has silicone strips on the back to keep it from slipping down (great for window-seat leaning)! It's nice that you can adjust how inflated it is, so your neck doesn't get stiff.

3. BB Cream/Sunscreen Under 3oz - It's handy to have double-duty beauty products for packing light, getting ready in a hostel, and having fewer liquid products to be hassled about. Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C BB Cream ($13) doubles as SPF 20 sunscreen and a nice light foundation. 

4. A Good Travel Purse - Nobody has dared to try to pickpocket or mug me, possibly because they are aware of the security that comes with my Travelon Crossbody Shoulder Bag ($40). It has 3 locking compartments, slash-proof construction, cut-proof shoulder strap, and RFID-blocking card and passport slots. Plus it's water-resistant (perfect for my time in London), has a good amount of pockets to stay organized, and looks pretty chic for a travel purse!

5. Trusted Traveler Memberships - If you travel frequently, these programs are well worth looking into. Basically, you can be pre-approved for clearance to get through border control faster (as an American, being able to use the UK/EU ePassport gates is a dream come true). All it takes is an application, an interview, and a fee. I have memberships with the US ($100, good for 5 years) and UK (£70, good for 1 year).

6. Selfie Stick - Don't judge, it's an incredibly helpful accessory for solo travel! I have short T-rex arms, and don't like handing my iPhone to strangers that may not speak English in touristy areas. I also don't have faith in their photography skills. A sturdy bluetooth Selfie Stick ($13) is a more reliable solution.

7. A Good Hat - Dry shampoo is great, but I think hats are better. They make you look accessorized and styled with even less effort. Enjoy a bit more sleep, or more time out enjoying your destination (and looking foxy in your photos). A simple Wool Hat ($22) makes you feel like Carmen SanDiego while you tour the world.

8. Kindle - I'm a big fan of packing lots of books while keeping my purse light with my Kindle Paperwhite ($119). It has great battery life and the adjustable back light is brilliant for any lighting situation, from bright beaches to dark hostel bunks. I'm also a fan of syncing my Kindle with my home library account to "check out" e-books for free, from anywhere!

9. Eye Mask & Ear Plugs - I love to sleep. I don't love when travel noises keep me from getting a few extra hours of precious rest – you need maximum energy for adventures! Drown out crying babies and let your neighbors know that you don't feel like chatting by going to your quiet dark place! I love my Sloth Sleep Mask ($24) from Appendage Accessories on Etsy.

10. Universal Outlet Adapter - With two USB charging ports, 1 standard plug outlet, and the ability to plug in throughout the US, EU, UK, and Australia my FosPower FUSE WorldWide International Adapter ($11.95) is one of my favorite and most essential travel gadgets. I've used it in 8 countries with no issues, and love the peace of mind that I won't find myself lost in the world with a dead phone.

Happy Travels!

xox - Erin

Prague, Czech Republic