Three years ago, my friend Ali took us on an apartment tour of her colorful, vintage-inspired home. Her family has since grown beyond her and her husband Elijah to include one sweet toddler and one baby on the way. I always feel so inspired after visiting her, so I thought it’d be fun to do an update. Here’s how she’s changing up her one-bedroom apartment to make room for a family of four…
Where does everyone sleep?
The tricky thing about having a small place (and only one bedroom) is that space is so valuable. Right before Oliver was born, the bedroom was a joint master bedroom/nursery. Our family life has since changed so much, and it was time to re-evaluate and accommodate our changing needs. We no longer have a tiny baby who lies still where we place him (let’s be honest, he never did that, but at least he wasn’t born walking). Now we have a very mobile toddler with his own space needs for toys and sleep and play. After a few room arrangements, we landed on our current set-up which involves our bed in the back half of our living room (studio life!) and the bedroom is now just for kids. And we are all loving it!
What do you love most about the kids’ room?
I can’t decide between two: one, that it is SO easy to clean. Twice a day, before sleep, Oliver and I clean up his toys and books and get his room ready for rest. We are a family of minimal toys, so that helps with clean-up, but I love that everything has a place in his room, so clean-up is a breeze!
Secondly, the fact that we’ve created a room fit for a kid that is beautiful and inspiring to my senses is such a plus. I can sit in here all day just looking. And Oliver can play in here all day since it’s set up just for him. All things that he has freedom with are within his reach, including his bed and clothes. This 33-week preggo really likes not having to lift him up and down to help him reach things all day.
How’d you pick the awesome shelving unit?
With the kids’ room, I wrote down a few furniture pieces I wanted that were important to me. But then on a trip to Ikea, everything went out the window. We spontaneously bought this shelving unit, went home and painted the wall green (umm, because look at that green with the color of the wood!) and I couldn’t be happier.
Where do you shop for furniture?
A majority of our house is roadside trash, aka found items. For example, the changing table/dresser was an old tv cabinet with doors, entirely wood. I was looking for something waist-height, with a drawer on the upper half, and space down below for baskets or blankets. Then I copied the two-toned paint job I saw on a similar piece that I fell in love with, and added some whimsical knobs!
How do you make roadside finds fit your home style?
In order to respect my family’s desires and create an enjoyable space, aka sift through the junk, I spend time searching and pinning decor on the internet, and I keep some inspiration pieces in mind when looking. So I try to start with a goal in mind, and when something looks like it’ll fulfill that look, I try it out. I dont like to pass up a deal, and with some paint and right placement, there is always (usually) potential.
Were you nervous about painting your dining room black?
So not. I thought about it for about two days, asked Elijah’s opinion, then did it. I think Rifle Paper Co. has some of the most beautiful floral artwork, and one day the green chest in the dining room just told me it needed to be in a Rifle Paper Co. room, and it sure was right. Now I’m ready to paint our bedroom wall black, the bathroom, maybe even your room! I love it. But I don’t love the painting part, so that’s why we’ve stopped at the dining area. Plus, I don’t want to take the spotlight away from the green chest.
Thanks for sharing, Ali!
I've been liking black walls for a while now. I think in my next apt (whenever/wherever that may be) I will be painting at least one wall or room black!
yes! it will look so dramatic and dreamy 🙂
Wow, I love Ali's space and creativity! Love that shelving unit too!
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