Today I’m giving you views of the bigger picture of where I now live.
I’ve shown you bits and pieces of the living room and kitchen. I haven’t done much in the dining room or bedrooms yet. I’m going to have to rest up a bit I guess.
But I know you’ll want to see how it all pulls together because it’s hard to see areas and not know where they lead.
I’m standing on the other side of the dining room table. Believe me, there are stacks and stacks of things around it that I haven’t gotten to yet. And don’t want you to see it!
Things that will take me a while to find a place for.
Where I’m standing, the kitchen is right behind me.
The table is not angled. But it kind of looks that way from where I’m standing taking the photo.
The Furniture Behind The Couch:
Now you see what piece of furniture we put behind the couch. Ivy has claimed that as her space too.
You can see my recliner where I’m now sitting. It is where I work on this blog.
You can see, on the other side of the chair, a table that holds a lap desk with my laptop on it. When I sit down, I just reach over and pull it into my lap.
As you can see, Ivy makes herself right at home on any piece of furniture.
I need to try to find the paint I used on these green furniture pieces because they got kind of nicked up over the years.
Lowes was where I found “Crushed Oregano” green paint years ago. Maybe I can get a small container of it, I’m hoping.
Gracie doesn’t like to have her picture taken and I tried for some time this morning. Finally, I could only get one of her at her eating bowl in the kitchen by the coffee bar.
The Front Of The Apartment:
One of you asked me to take photos of the front of my apartment, so here it is. There is a wall where the mailboxes are (to the right) and a graveled area on the left.
The window you see is my kitchen window. I don’t have curtains up anywhere yet. I have to order brackets for the patio doors and then I guess I’ll ask the “can-do” man to hang them for me.
I tried the other day to get on the stepladder with my walking boot on and that didn’t work at all. I could only get one foot on it because of how wide it is.
So I just gave up. Which was probably a smart thing to do.
More of the front…
I can see possibly putting pots of plants/flowers here, but it’s pretty shady. There are two trees here in front and trees in back as well.
Here are the stairs for the neighbor who lives above me, who I met last week.
The sidewalk at the base of the stairs leads between more apartments toward the parking lot.
This lower left edge where you see gravel is where the parking spaces begin.
One other thing I like about this complex is that parking is only on the perimeter and away from all the apartments.
This is the view walking from the parking lot toward my apartment. You can see a small section of the sidewalk that leads to my front door in the middle.
I hope these photos helped you get a better idea of where things are in relation to one another.
Little by little I’m meeting the neighbors as I walk to my car or the trash. Everyone seems friendly and the management is very kind and receptive.
I love your new home! The living room looks full of light and happiness. Your recliner is just like mine. The quilt over the couch is beautiful, did you make it? I think you are making great time getting settled. I remember when we moved into our house I had boxes of things stashed and it took months to get everything sorted. It sounds like a wonderful place to live and I’m sure it is exciting meeting new neighbors. Precious kitties. How are they adjusting? I’m sure as long as you and their food bowls are there they are good.
Little by little u will meet all your undoubtedly nice neighbors!
I’m so happy for u Brenda!
Brenda, what a lovely home! You’ve already given it such warmth and personality. I can’t wait to see it evolve under your guidance. You just seem so much more peaceful with attentive management and friendly neighbors… best to you in your new home!
I use Autumn Fern in my shade areas because it stays evergreen even in ice and snow. Same with Leopard Plant,aka Ligularia. Beautiful huge round leaves, great in pots. And now that there is a handyman to help, I’d love for you to try again with an outdoor fountain out front, that is if there is electricity.
The living room looks nice and cozy. I like the couch on an angle. It’s nice to see the “big picture” including the front of your apartment. It really does look like “Home Sweet Home!” As for the shade, you can plant pots of colorful caladium, coleus, and impatiens which do well, co-mingled, in the shade. And great idea from whoever suggested the bird feeder……and maybe a birdbath? I’m sure you’re ten steps ahead of these suggestions!
So happy for you.
You have your home looking so beautiful already, Brenda! You, Ivy, and Gracie will do a lot of living here! So happy for you.
Everything looks like it is coming together beautifully! I love the green paint and was able to get a pint of it mixed for me at Home. Depot for a project I was working on a few years back. Love visiting your blog and looking forward to seeing the pictures when you get finished setting up the new apartment.
Brenda, the more I see of your new place, the more I like it. I love the green piece. Great color. Even its name sounds yummy!
Brenda, Everything is looking so cozy. I’m loving it. How about some potted ferns or hostas or elephant ear plants in pots under the stairs. It will be an oasis. Can’t wait to see more. Sandra
Ok Brenda, stay off the stepladder! If need be, we will all converge on your apartment for an intervention! Lol! Seriously, patience my dear. I know t is hard, but wait for some help. Hurting yourself with a fall will make matters a ton worse. All in good time. You’ve done so much already in such a short time and it is all beautiful. Thanks for the photos of the fur babies. I just love those pink pads on Ivy’s feet. Just want to kiss them. Have been sick this week (non covid, usual autoimmune crap but a severe flare up with fever, chills and red, painful, swollen joints) and going from bed, to recliner, to couches like Goldilocks trying to find a place I can get comfortable. Zoey, a little peek-a-poo pooch ,is my companion dog and is always near my side. For some reason, with me being so sick, it is as if she is guarding or protecting me and won’t let the cats snuggle with me or the hubster near for long. So, no kitty hugs or purrs for me this week. Just curious, outside is there any kind of hose hook up or would you have to lug water outside in a watering can for plants?
There are hose hook ups.
Everything is so pretty and I love seeing pictures of your sweet cats! They look like they have settled right in! I can’t wait to see what you pot on the outside…you have such a green thumb! I am so happy for you!!!!
Beautiful fireplace! You could think about matching bookshelves on each side for your many books and some pretties. Love that wooden chair & Quilt! We have a leather recliner that is a must have, also and I live with it. You’re right about real living. I , also, have ceiling fans in
every room ( I live at the beach) and many decorators say that’s a no no but when I’m sleeping I need the air circulating and when it’s humid, the same. Love how you have the couch. My daughter said the same when I moved mine out from the wall on a slant. Haha! I just felt like all our furniture was “at attention “ lined up and now it feels cozy. You’ve done a lot in a short period of time & with that ankle pain. Take a few days to rest & live with what you ve done to
see if it works for you. You deserve 🧁
🍷💐for all that hard work!! Enjoy
your beautiful, new home.
Brenda I can see some lovely hostas in your entrance they love the shade and here in NC they’re perennials. Enjoy the process
So if the front is shady then the evening sun will be on the back.
I love your couch on an angle! The whole room is beautiful!!!
Thanks for showing us your entire living room; it’s all coming together now. I love how you have everything arranged. There’s no hurry to get everything done; just do little bits as you feel able and eventually all the rooms will get done. Taking care of yourself is first priority.
I love the photo of Ivy lounging on the furniture. She is so pretty! Shy little Gracie needs to show us her sweet face. 🙂
Oh Brenda, I am beyond thrilled and excited about your new “home”. Decorating it and putting things where you want them (for now) is such a wonderful journey for you and the kitties.
It was me that asked for a picture of the front of your apartment. I wanted to see how it looked when someone approached your front door. I agree with others – it’s a perfect spot for some potted plants and such. In fact even a simple chair to the right in front of the kitchen window with a plant or two on it would look adorable. Thank you for sharing those pictures!
You’ve inspired me to do more work on my home. Changing some things and adding some things. I finally found something to use in my entry so I can start hanging things on the walls in that area.
Again, I’m very excited for you and can’t wait to see more. Enjoy this journey, Brenda, it was meant to be.
I went to Hobby Lobby, but only found the bicycle art piece, I think you gave them some business! But I’m thankful for what I was able to find! I’m happy about your new place, I think you’ll be much happier there. I’m sure you’ll get some plants growing around you when you get settled.
Gracie must be an introvert. 😸 Glad we got a little glimpse of that pretty little kitty. Your home really looks nice. Love all the touches you’ve added. And that apartment complex is so lovely. Perfect for retired folks, except that some have to deal with stairs. Please stay off that step ladder. Would not want you to accidentally fall. Hard as it is to wait, you’re better off not taking chances and letting someone else install the rods. I love that furniture color you mentioned (Crushed Oregano). Might look into that for our front door. Take care.
What a lovely home! I can see a bench and potted hostas, impatiens and you should ask if you can hang plants from the stairs in such a way that the upstairs neighbor doesn’t have any issues walking down the steps. I live in an apartment so I know to ask first so there are no ruffled feelings or it’s against the rules. If you can, you will have a little piece of heaven there.
The babies seem to be adjusting very well. How wonderful!!!
Ah Brenda, sure sounds like you found a jewel!! SO HAPPY for you!! It all looks so lovely. I was thinking on your shaded area by the door there…in one town we lived a decade in, in NC, it was very shaded all around the Post Office, and I so enjoyed going there because the little impatiens that they had in the shaded areas always looked so fine and inviting!! That might be a plant you could put in the shade, tho they really seem to spread!!
I like the furniture arrangement. Did you get new kitchen chairs – I missed that somehow. Your front door area – wow. That is going to be Grand Central Station for three other units going to and from their mail boxes that are near your front door. I see a path of round stones from the other downstairs unit door on the other side of the staircase that leads right to your sidewalk and the mail boxes, plus you’ll have the tenants in the 2 upstairs units going up and down the stairs in and out. Sprucing up the area around your front door will present something of a challenge, but I’m sure you’re up to it.
It’s such a lovely space, Brenda, and I’m so glad you are happy there! You could do some impatiens and hostas at the front – impatiens love the shade and give you so much bang for your buck! And I agree with Brooks Ann – it would be lovely to watch the birds from your kitchen window!
LOVE everything!
Just curious where you’ll be watching TV because I know you like some of the series you find on your different platforms!
I like to get reviews of series to watch from you!
Marcia
I guess you can’t see that. The TV, like before, is on the rolling fireplace. It’s directly across from my recliner at an angle. It’s just to the left of the end of the couch where the little table is, across the area I walk through to get into the living room. Close to the patio door. Will try to take a pic of it later.
I love your new apartment! I agree with the others that it looks much lighter and brighter than your other place. I can just see pots of green plants and shade loving bloomers nestled under the steps with maybe a bird bath and bird feeder. I know it’s going to so cozy and comfortable. Looking forward to following your decorating adventure.
Your apartment looks so warm and inviting! I’m glad you have found a good place to be. I love the boho and cottage decor!
Sooo much room!! I think the front is a perfect place for potted plants. I think you made the perfect choice to move. You sound so….uplifted😊
Your living room looks so much bigger. This is just the nicest place! Is there a window in your living room?
Yes, there’s a window behind my recliner, and then there are the patio doors.
Your new place seems so much lighter and brighter than the old one ~ And I’m glad you a) a keeping the boot on and b) realizing it would be folly to get up on the step-stool!
I have to sometimes catch myself before I do something really stupid. That’s unfortunately part of how I got to this point in the first place. Not thinking before I jump in and doing stuff.
Your place has the same warm vibe as your previous one did, only there’s a more open feeling. Everything beautifully balanced and cozy. No wonder the cats look so content!
I appreciate how you hang your pictures. Right at comfortable eye level, related to the furniture they compliment. I just cringe inwardly when I’m in a home with them hung sky high….floating by themselves! One of my daughters does this in her otherwise lovely home. Of course I don’t say a word, but sometimes I wanna scream! Lol…I know, I sound like a crazy woman!
That drives me crazy too. You’re right. They’re supposed to be hung at eye level.