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If you read my Friday’s Simply Smitten post from last week then you would know that I FINALLY found a new apartment!! I am moving into my new place on November 1st. After about 19 apartment viewings and too many brokers that I cared to deal with, I found my new studio apartment last Monday. The broker that I did work with the most was a real trooper (read on my FSS series on how I got the apartment.. most New York thing you will ever hear). I know what I want and I have been in New York long enough to know that you can get more bang for your buck, you just have to really dig deep and be patient to find these gems. And out of all the apartments I have lived in here– 5 to be exact- I have always gotten big apartments for less. Except for one apartment on E31st, my God that was the worst apartment known to man. Anyway, I would know immediately upon entering an apartment, heck sometimes upon entering the building, whether or not I would like it. It was not that I disliked all of them; there was one I loved on W23rd and 7th that had everything I wanted and more– 3 CLOSETS HELLO! Unfortunately, there were multiple applicants and I lost out on it. C’est la vie.
I was growing extremely tired of viewing apartments and dealing with the anxiety of it all. I wasn’t fully giving much effort into my work, spending most of my time looking up apartments on Streeteasy or other apartment websites. I was skipping workouts and missing meals (so hungry). There were endless nights of anxiety wondering if I was going to have to do a Hail Mary and just pick an apartment at the last minute. I saved my Upper East Side and Brooklyn apartments for such occurrence. Thank God it did not come down to getting an apartment or becoming homeless like the W31st one. I still have PTSD from that apartment. Anyway, my apartment search came down to two wonderful options.
I had my eye on a studio apartment in Gramercy, the only problem was the layout, it felt like Tetris and seemed a little unworkable. I would stay up at night trying to imagine where I would place my furniture, and nothing would fit quite nicely as it should. The one thing it did have that convinced me to get it was my own private patio. Having my own private patio would be a luxury like no other here in New York, and if I were to get a puppy- how easy it would be to let the dog out onto the porch. But at last, I could not get over the Tetris looking layout and once I found the apartment I am moving into, I knew Gramercy (although I love it and lived there for 2 years) was not the place for me. My new apartment is only a few blocks away from where I am currently living. I love my neighborhood and was not ready to leave it. I am really going to miss my current apartment. It really is a gem of a place; rent-stabilized with 3 true bedrooms, full kitchen, kitchen island, live-in super. Everyone in my building is truly the sweetest! I adore this apartment. But at the end of the day I need to move on; to find a place of my own again where I can run my business, have people over, watch whatever I want on TV, and eat whenever I want without having to inconvenience or be inconvenienced by my roommates.
My new place is big enough that I can add a few more furniture items that I will be needing. Unfortunately, my new apartment does not have a kitchen island, but it does have a separate full-kitchen which I like. I am not sure if I have enough room for a table and a desk. I need a desk more than a kitchen table (can use it as both). I need a place to work and act like it is an office, instead of working from my couch or the bed. This is one of the things I loved most about having a kitchen island in my apartment, I used it as my desk. Anyway, I have been eyeing a white desk for many years with a blush velvet chair to go with it. Other items I need would be more about organization; baskets for towels, bathroom etagere, wall shelves, etc. I do want to get a bookcase; currently my books are lined up on my window sill. That is an item I will have to wait and see what I can fit into my studio; whether I should a vertical shelf or a small cubby. We will have to wait and see!
Two items that I desperately need are new plates and a duvet cover. The plates I have now are fine, but I have had them since college and it’s time for new ones… way past due to get new ones. I want these cute dotted ones from West Elm. I am taking the ones I currently have over to my new place until I replaced them–gotta have something to eat on. For my duvet cover, I love my current one that I have from Pottery Barn. I have had it for almost 10 years now, but it has seen better days. Although this one is my top contender, I am still looking around for the right one. It’s like finding love– when you know, you know.
Decorating is my favorite part about moving into a new place. I am over the moon excited to start decorating! I have always leaned towards light pastels like greens and blues with a touch of pink; as well as gold, silver accents, and greys and whites. Never been much for black or dark colors. I like my place to look bright and light, feminine but not girly, classic and modern. I can’t wait to show you pictures of my new studio apartment!
Houzz Madeline Velvet Dining Chair
Target Opalhouse Oslari Painted Desk
West Elm Textured Dinner Plates White Dots
Pottery Barn Asher Medallion Organic Percale Patterned Duvet Cover
Pottery Barn Seagrass Utility Baskets