Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Decor: From This to That

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to be on the house call section of the Apartment Therapy website showing how we live in a small space with our large dogs. This prompted me to look back at our old photos to see how much our place has changed. It has only been a few years since A and Ms. M moved in and the transformation of our place from a bachelor pad to a home has been quite dramatic. This beautiful green paisley couch that Ms. M is sitting on was originally one of my prized possessions.That couch had been with me everywhere: from my first college apartment to my first condo. From the looks of Ms. M, it was one of her prized possessions as well. When A and I first started dating, Ms. M and I would share the couch and watch TV. She actually moved in long before A did.
When A moved in, she already had a couch she had bought on Craigslist. We actually got rid of the TV and added the second white couch, another Craigslist find, to make it more of a social area. We quickly learned our bullies needed limits and they were restricted from the couches, which was made easier when we got a bunch of huge floor pillows so they knew where to lay:
We realized you don't need traditional dog beds for the dogs to be happy. Even our foster dog was quick to realize the best place to lay.And we picked up a bunch of sheepskin rugs from Ikea for the pooches to hang out on.
During my bachelor days, I would throw epic b-boy battles in my living room, but
that space has been taken up by flowers, sofas, a rug,
and several upholstered cube ottomans, which Mr. B could use to separate himself from Ms. M.
Despite all the empty space that I had in my living room back then, I would horde everything in my bedroom. It was cluttered with everything from workout equipment to a desk and bookshelf. I used to live in my bedroom, even though I had a second bedroom and an empty living room.
To make the bedroom a restful place, A moved everything that wasn't conducive to resting out of the bedroom. We replaced the carpeting with hardwood floors, painted the room pigeon gray and changed all the bedding to just black and white.
I used to have a completely empty deck that I would barely use. Now during the spring, summer and fall, we pretty much live on our patio. We use the patio to do work, cook, eat, watch movies and even to take a nap.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the picture of Miss M sitting on the couch! How fabulous is that. I've always felt that dogs can adapt to different spaces as long as plenty of exercise was provided. Walking, sniffing, people watching is one of Quizz's favorite forms of recreation.

Road Dog Tales said...

Mom loves how your apartment has evolved into quite a showplace! We just like all those comfy places to lay around :)
PeeS - We've given you guys a strange award today. Check out our blog post today to read all about it. Strange = good :)
The Road Dogs

Unknown said...

Your condo has definitely changed a bit! I always admire how clean it is! Miss M probably misses her couch though! :)

Pip said...

I was awfully surprised to see those familiar smiling pooches on AT yesterday (though given how great your place looks, I shouldn't have been). I think it's extra cool because, not only are you showing people it's possible to have large dogs in a smaller space, you're showing off your pitties in a great light (as if those two could ever seem other than great)!

Maggie said...

Your apartment is gorgeous! I love that decor can be both dog-friendly and pretty! I may have to steal your idea of the large pillows in the living room....

Liz said...

Wow, congrats on the Apartment Therapy showcase! Your place is looking awesome. I love the grey in the bedroom. I am certainly overdue for a visit.

Liz

Kate said...

I'm glad to see the pups match the bedroom decor, I'd hate to see them clash ;) I've always admired the style of your place, especially having two big dogs. It really looks great.

I also love that Mr. B's teepee made it into the apartment therapy feature. Think you guys will start a trend of living room teepees now? :)

Kari in Alaska said...

Oh paisley green sofa... anyways I like it looks great with the additional womens touch :)

jen said...

That is so great! Everything looks so crisp and fresh! What a nice pad!

I love the pic of you showing your stylish moves! That rocks:)

Jennie said...

I loooove your apartment. We're moving to a new, larger apartment in a couple weeks and I am definitely borrowing some ideas from you (the chalkboard wall for one). Dog friendly city decor at it's finest!

Anonymous said...

Gosh! Are you sure that's the same place? A sure does have "the touch," doesn't she? The place you live is Most Beautiful! (Are your doggies allowed on your bed? Mom can't imagine having a white comforter with the two of us!)

Wiggles & Wags,
Mayzie

Backcountry Brodie said...

There do be one thing missing from your decor - tumbleweeds of shepherd floof... Oh, that's rite, you dussn't has that kind of furs. We is more than happy to share our floof with you.

brooke said...

Epic B boy battles! hahahaha!
Love the way the place looks now... do you think your home style changed with A moving in? Or do you think you would've made a lot of those changes on your own?
I love the way Miss M sits! So cute!

Shauna (Fido and Wino) said...

So, basically what you are saying is thank GOD for A.

:)

I can read between the lines... ;)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful home and great dogs. What more can anyone ask for?

Those Elgin Pugs said...

Congrats on yous being on apartment therapy website!!!
Our Mommy is so big into decorating!! Mommy and Daddy go on 'da historic house tours in Elgin and Mommy gets decorating ideas!!
Daddy tries to add his cents in too, butt Mommy limits his inputs to 'da basements..SNORTS!!

Yous place is beautEEfuls!!

Mommy buys pet beds for us and we's don't use ours eithers.. we's use "her" couch pillows too!! hee hee.. silly Mommy..

'da Josie already misses Miss M and Mr. B!!

Mommy can't let Daddy see 'da Break Dancing moves cause Daddy be all wanting to move room for his guitar hero stuffs/band sessions..
golly..

Anyways.. super cute way yous sit Miss M on 'da couch!

Hugs!!
'da Josie

Two French Bulldogs said...

You guys sure did make your place into an awesome house. We love your space. Could we borrow that white fuzzy rug? It sure looks comfy cozy. Does Paw still spin on his head?
Benny & Lily

Two French Bulldogs said...

You guys sure did make your place into an awesome house. We love your space. Could we borrow that white fuzzy rug? It sure looks comfy cozy. Does Paw still spin on his head?
Benny & Lily

pibble said...

A lady's touch has made your bachelor's pad a home, hasn't it. And a beautiful one at that. Has A ever considered decorating? She certainly has a calling!

Liz said...

You guys have great decorating style. I love that white tepee.

houndstooth said...

I always love how the dogs fit into your apartment, although I'm glad I have our house to spread out in. They look pretty darned comfy there!

Granite State Pet Sitting said...

I love your place, it is so Awesome
Looking! I love the idea of using big floor pillows as the dog beds such a wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing all the pictures>

Dexter said...

See? You can have dogs and a stylish home as well, right? Your place looks fantastic and it also looks color coordinated with Mr. B and Miss M

Slobbers,
Mango

The Daily Pip said...

Green paisley suits Miss M. quite well!

Your pal, Pip

Laura and Hans said...

I love looking at pictures of your condo, and then I look at our apartment...and try to convince myself that it's so awful because it's supposed to be temporary (yes I'm delusional)! But really, you guys have done a such a fantastic job.

the booker man said...

you've done a great job with your condo. i love your style. i'm a big fan of gray walls, too, so i especially like the color in your bedroom.

Lucy-Fur, as typed by Dr. Liz said...

Mom has totally failed in the home decorating department. Dad owned the house before Mom moved in, and other than slowly removing carpets (it's a big house) and replacing them with hardwood floors, putting up lots of framed pictures (mostly of us and the Siblings Who Came Before), and filling the bookshelves, Mom hasn't done a lot to make the house a showplace like yours.... At least she insisted on a king-sized (dog) bed so that she and Dad have SOME place to sleep! Anyway, I think Mom needs to study these photos and see if she can learn something, because your home is beautiful!

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

Wyatt said...

Love your apartment! It's fun to see how it has adapted with your growing family!

Wyatt and Stanzie

Anonymous said...

Quite the transformation! Definitely looks like a home :)

The pillows and flowers are my favorites :)
Roo

Mary said...

I'm cracking up at epic b-boy battles. That looks dangerous! And those pictures of Ms. M. sitting on the couch have to be some of my favorites of her. Not just on the couch, but on the pillow on the couch because she needs the extra cushioning, right?

I love the decor in your condo. We slowly transformed our condo and it looked awesome before we put it on the market. There's just no way to make it look nice with birds and bird cages. Their little food pellets get everywhere and Monty's bottle caps and bell balls are all over the floor. And Lola is very dusty (it's a cockatiel thing). Luckily Levi helps us clean by eating the food pellets. It's like we starve him or something.

Anonymous said...

You guys have a gorgeous and very functional space. Ms. M obviously thinks so also - that photo of her on the sofa is hilarious! I'm sure she wishes she was still able to lie on it all the time :)

A Confessed Pit Bull Addict said...

So glad we're not the only ones who strive to have a dog-friendly home that doesn't also look like a dog daycare! I love the evolution!

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