Friday, August 31
Thursday, August 30
Wednesday, August 29
Ikea Inspiration, Part 8: Let There Be Light!
Years ago I made my first trip to Ikea as an adult and bought this lamp (among many other purchases):
I still use it today as a low-light source when Jeff is asleep in bed or sometimes even as a night light. It's not bright enough to light a room all on it's own but works great for a specific work area. Lighting in general is an issue in our apartment as we never seem to have enough of it. Ironically we've spent most of our summer with the blinds closed to keep out the 100+ degree heat. But we still need light for when we aren't just blocking out the blazing hot sun, and that's where these come in!
They're a bit in the same style as the desk lamp I purchased years ago but are also chic looking at the same time. I think these would look great next to our new couch! While I prefer the off-white shade, there's something about the darker shade that is really appealing to me. I'll have to see how these look in person before making a final decision.
Coming up next: A desk option
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They're a bit in the same style as the desk lamp I purchased years ago but are also chic looking at the same time. I think these would look great next to our new couch! While I prefer the off-white shade, there's something about the darker shade that is really appealing to me. I'll have to see how these look in person before making a final decision.
Coming up next: A desk option
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Tuesday, August 28
Monday, August 27
Virtual Couch Shopping
I'm at my parent's house cat and housesitting for the week, but thanks to the Internet Jeff and I are virtually couch shopping on the Ikea website while talking on the phone. Looks like we'll be picking out our new couch very soon!
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Sunday, August 26
Saturday, August 25
Friday, August 24
Thursday, August 23
Wednesday, August 22
Tuesday, August 21
Monday, August 20
Sunday, August 19
Saturday, August 18
Friday, August 17
Ikea Inspiration, Part 7: Terrace/Kitchen Storage
I wish my terrace looked like this:
Alas, we have about 25% of that amount of space. Space is an issue all around in our apartment (the exception being our enormous walk-in closet) so we're not able to do much on our terrace or in our kitchen/dining area. What little cabinet space we have is reserved for plates, cups and wine glasses, and we have no food pantry whatsoever. Instead, we employ a metal shelving unit we purchased at Target years ago and have embraced the open-view style it necessitates. While it makes grabbing dry and canned food easier, it's a bit of an eyesore.
This shelving unit is a slight step up from our current shelving unit, boasts cleaner lines and a nicer finish, and even looks a bit more organized. We could take our current shelf and put it outside on the terrace for plants and flowers (the grated shelves would be great for draining water!) and utilize this new piece for food and pan storage.
I admit I look forward to one day having a food panty of my very own. In the meantime, this will have to do!
Coming up next: Let there be light!
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Alas, we have about 25% of that amount of space. Space is an issue all around in our apartment (the exception being our enormous walk-in closet) so we're not able to do much on our terrace or in our kitchen/dining area. What little cabinet space we have is reserved for plates, cups and wine glasses, and we have no food pantry whatsoever. Instead, we employ a metal shelving unit we purchased at Target years ago and have embraced the open-view style it necessitates. While it makes grabbing dry and canned food easier, it's a bit of an eyesore.
I admit I look forward to one day having a food panty of my very own. In the meantime, this will have to do!
Coming up next: Let there be light!
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Thursday, August 16
Ikea Inspiration, Part 6: Kitchen Seating & Cooking
We really only use our dining room table for when we have company; otherwise it's relegated to being storage for dishes, dirty and clean alike. While we haven't had anyone over in recent months, when we do it's always a bit embarrassing to have them sit on plastic folding chairs. The table is oak, as are the two dining chairs we have. While I'm not a big fan of oak, the table itself is rather pretty and it's going to be a while before we invest in something better. In the meantime, I'd like to get some seating so that my guests can sit comfortably for hours while eating and talking.
Originally I planned on looking at Pier One because they have very stylish and colorful chairs. That may wait until we have a nicer table in the distant future. In the meantime, I'm looking for something on a budget and these chairs from Ikea seem to fit the bill.
At just $40 a piece we can upgrade our current chairs, which don't look too dissimilar from these, and have enough room for our guests. We could even buy some paint and really customize these to our taste and preference. For added comfort, I would seriously consider buying some pillows to sit on - that flat surface can't be wonderfully comfortable for a dupa to sit on for hours on end.
While we may not have had many guests over so far this summer, we still do a LOT of cooking. This metal grate for hot pans would function nicely on our table, a perfect way to keep hot food in a hot container without compromising the integrity of our oak or fingers.
For a long time I've had my eye on this cast iron panini pan from Giada De Laurentiis for Target. But at $70 it's a bit too expensive for us (not that we haven't seriously considered it a time or two!). This option from Ikea may not be as shiny or of the best quality, but for $14.99 it's hard to not consider it a deal. I'm sure one day we'll have Giada's cast iron panini, but for now we're liking this budget-friendly alternative.
Coming up next: Kitchen/Terrace storage
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Originally I planned on looking at Pier One because they have very stylish and colorful chairs. That may wait until we have a nicer table in the distant future. In the meantime, I'm looking for something on a budget and these chairs from Ikea seem to fit the bill.
While we may not have had many guests over so far this summer, we still do a LOT of cooking. This metal grate for hot pans would function nicely on our table, a perfect way to keep hot food in a hot container without compromising the integrity of our oak or fingers.
For a long time I've had my eye on this cast iron panini pan from Giada De Laurentiis for Target. But at $70 it's a bit too expensive for us (not that we haven't seriously considered it a time or two!). This option from Ikea may not be as shiny or of the best quality, but for $14.99 it's hard to not consider it a deal. I'm sure one day we'll have Giada's cast iron panini, but for now we're liking this budget-friendly alternative.
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Wednesday, August 15
Tuesday, August 14
Ikea Catalog Shopping, Part 5: a great coffee table
Our current coffee table is made of the same uninspired black material as our one bedside table... so naturally I don't like it. Shortly after we moved in and Jeff's parents bought us our much beloved bookshelves from Target, we found a nice little coffee table from the same collection that we would have loved to buy. If only it didn't exceed $100. I've kept that table in the back of my mind for when the times comes we can purchase it, and then I saw this great little option from Ikea.
At less than half the cost of our original dream coffee table, this option would not only match our current decor but would also create a bit of a fun centerpiece. I really like the glass top and the built-in shelf beneath it - great for magazines! We have a really pretty bowl that's currently sitting on top of our ugly table that would like nice on either surface.
Coming up next: Kitchen seating and cooking!
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Monday, August 13
Sunday, August 12
Ikea Catalog Shopping, Part 4: Side Tables
Our apartment is furnished with secondhand purchases and cheap buys, so it is very important to us that anything we buy not only represents our joint style and aesthetic, but also has some meaning to it (and is a great price, of course!) Fortunately, we've received a lot of great gifts from our families that have helped steer the design direction in our apartment and we're taking cues from them. While Ikea furniture is typically not known for superb quality and durability, it is inexpensive and stylish, which means we can pick up things we like now on our grad school budgets and worry about making the bigger, more quality purchases later down the road. We'll be purchasing our very first couch next month (likely the Ektorp from Ikea) and what would a couch be without some great side tables?
Sure, they're advertised as being for kids (or indoor plants) but for people like us who have a lot of little things lying around, these are great! I just love the built-in pocket compartments for all the little items that just don't seem to have a permanent home. Remote controls, extra batteries, pens and pencils, and so much more could fit inside these. Maybe even an indoor plant or two!
If room permits I'd like these by the couch... but they'd be great as bedside tables! Right now we have exactly one side table - an uninspired piece of black table (material unknown) - and it's not exactly a great fit with the design of the room. I'd love to be able to just tuck a few loose items in the beside table pockets, a book or two in the built-in shelving unit, and call it a night!
Coming up next: a great coffee table!
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| Ikea PS 2012 side table, $49.99 |
Sure, they're advertised as being for kids (or indoor plants) but for people like us who have a lot of little things lying around, these are great! I just love the built-in pocket compartments for all the little items that just don't seem to have a permanent home. Remote controls, extra batteries, pens and pencils, and so much more could fit inside these. Maybe even an indoor plant or two!
If room permits I'd like these by the couch... but they'd be great as bedside tables! Right now we have exactly one side table - an uninspired piece of black table (material unknown) - and it's not exactly a great fit with the design of the room. I'd love to be able to just tuck a few loose items in the beside table pockets, a book or two in the built-in shelving unit, and call it a night!
Saturday, August 11
Friday, August 10
Ikea Inspirations
When I first started Apartment 54 it was the Ikea catalog that inspired the first few posts and project ideas. While most of those didn't pan out because we never made it down to Burbank the ideas generated from that catalog have stayed with me, and with a catalog out I have many new ideas and inspirations!
I have a few different ideas and plans I'd like to tell you about, but first let's take a look back at some other great ideas inspired by the Ikea catalog!
---Part 1: Inexpensive pots for terrace gardening
---Part 2: A few kitchen updates
---Part 3: A splash of color in the bathroom
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I have a few different ideas and plans I'd like to tell you about, but first let's take a look back at some other great ideas inspired by the Ikea catalog!
---Part 1: Inexpensive pots for terrace gardening
---Part 2: A few kitchen updates
---Part 3: A splash of color in the bathroom
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Thursday, August 9
Wednesday, August 8
Tuesday, August 7
Monday, August 6
Saturday, August 4
Friday, August 3
Thursday, August 2
Wednesday, August 1
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