As I do each year, I am working on ways to keep the Apartment 46 boutique fresh and updated. I’ve been repainting trim, re-arranging (which you know I am obsessed with), and I’ve finally decided that yes, friends, I will be painting words on the awning outside the store – finally!
I’ll take a picture when it’s finished, but until then you’ll have to live with the anticipation! In addition to keeping the blog better updated and creating the Interiors and Gardens sections to make it easy to see what we do, I took the plunge and registered on Elle Decor’s Design Registry. You can search for us under San Mateo or San Francisco. It’ll be a couple days until all the portfolio images I submitted are approved but I’m super excited! Who knows what kind of magic may happen?
As I get asked quite a lot what my house looks like (it’s a rental) I decided to upload a few pictures (that’s mine above). It’s not the fairy wonderland you might expect. I actually prefer more of an eclectic minimalism. However, I have the shop, which is most certainly a fairy wonderland, so maybe I do get to have my cake and eat it too! Mmmm, cake!
I was watching that show, Sell This House and while I understand that the show’s designers are trying to work with real people using tiny budgets and the people’s own furniture (for the most part), I always find myself getting agitated at how awful the rooms look. For instance, on the episode I saw today, they “re-purposed” the owner’s taxidermy deer head collection and spread that funk out over several rooms as opposed to making just one room disgusting. I also couldn’t get past the fact that they purchased sheets to use as curtains (which can be done, sure) but they didn’t even iron the sheets (or the bedding or the pillow cases) and left it all ghetto and wrinkled. Details matter! I never leave a client’s house without having ironed the shams, folded the blankets or cleaned off whatever surface I’ve just staged. It’s common sense – leave it looking amazing! I just don’t think I can watch it anymore, it gives me heartburn. However, I do really love everything on HGTV so at least I’ll always have that.
I’ve been doing a lot more art lately and you’ll see evidence of it throughout the shop. I go in creative bursts, making pillows, doing collage art, building bird boxes from antique clock boxes (above) and making my little succulent gardens. I’m always open to custom orders (thanks for loving them Jenny and Celia!) It’s my way of giving my clients a little bit more of myself.
As the warm weather gives way to some kind of winter, you may be thinking about spending more time in your nest. Take stock of what you have, how you want to feel in your space, and what the words “comfort” and “warmth” mean to you. I’m always here for you!
Melisa
