I don’t think I will ever be done decorating our bedroom. It’s constantly evolving. But in the spirit of being more open, I’m sharing just about as personal a space as it gets in all its imperfect glory.
We have lived in an apartment, which has been an adjustment, for the past two years. We previously lived in a condo that we still own, so we could do whatever we wanted to it. Sadly, we don’t own this place we live in now and can’t change things we’re not entirely pleased with. But we make it work. I think of our bedroom as a relaxing place, and that’s ultimately the goal.
If you’re curious, here’s how our bedroom room is set up:
Some background: This bedroom is not in what was designed to be the master bedroom. We made this room our bedroom because it has a gas fireplace and we knew Victoria would be joining us. We didn’t want to have a fireplace in a toddler’s room for safety reasons.
The room has two sets of French doors. Our bed has storage underneath, which we use for spare bedding and pillows. (It is on an angle because behind it is a radiator and because it gives us more room than other configurations.) Above the bed is a canvas of a photo we took at Arches National Park. We typically search Groupon for canvas print deals like this.
Before Victoria came to live with us, my workspace was in the second bedroom. Now that she has taken over that bedroom, my desk is in our bedroom because we lack a better place to put it. There’s simply not enough room to put it in the living room or the hallway. But it’s actually working out well.
On the small sliver of wall next to my desk is a postcard/photo/trinket display I found on Marshalls. It holds special postcards, souvenirs and stamps. On my simple white desk I typically keep both my work and personal laptops, a box full of mementos, a couple of photos, my planner, a notebook and “The 52 Lists Project” book that I’m currently working through.
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| Race medal holder is from Etsy. |
Above my desk is my race medal holder, which I found on Etsy. Next to my desk is a printer stand that can hold two printers: one for work and one for photos.
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| I added this small rug to protect the wood floors from my chair’s wheels. I plan to get a better one. This also doubles as a photo backdrop |
In the opposite corner we have our white Ikea dresser, 80 percent of which holds Graham’s clothing.
Next to it is a lamp with shelves that hold our router (hidden behind a photo), our home phone (which we need for the apartment gate) and my work phone. Unfortunately these are things we need and can’t store elsewhere because a quirk of our 100-year-old building is that the outlets and plugs are only in specific places. The opposite side of the room is all windows, where I like to place plants and photo frames. We don’t have nightstands because we have no need for them. I do have a small stool that was given to me by my in laws that I place my phone on when I sleep.
On top of the dresser we have tiny turtles we collect on our travels. We also have two Homesick candles that were given to us by my best friend. They smell like Arizona and Kentucky! We also have a sketch of our dog Taylor, who died in January. This was a gift from a friend. We don’t have the perfect frame for it yet, but when we do this precious image will have a new home. In front of that is a paw print that was included in the package when we had Taylor cremated. Behind that Taylor sketch is a jewelry holder we bought in Costa Rica. (We were assured it was sustainably sourced wood.) Above that is a canvas of a photo I took in Hawaii.
To the left of the trinkets is my accessory holder. I also hold my rings and earrings in one of the turtles. As you can see, I don’t wear earrings often. I do like necklaces, though. I also have an amethyst given to me by one of my yoga teachers at our teacher-training graduation.
In the next corner we have our small closet. Luckily, Graham and I don’t have a ton of clothing. I am constantly donating and selling clothes. Inside, I hang hats on these hooks to save space.
That same corner has a print by Anastasia Mak Art. We bought this print at a local arts fest, but you can also find Anastasia Mak prints on Etsy. I want to get more prints to hang above and below this one.
In between my desk area and the bed is a fireplace. On top of it I have a diffuser given to me by my in-laws. Above it hangs a canvas of us with Taylor. This is a recent addition, because we miss her so much.
And that’s about it! A small wall space next to the closet holds Graham’s diploma, but I’m not showing that. (My diploma is at my mom’s house.)
Thanks for stopping by our humble abode. Let me know if you’d like to see tours of other rooms in our apartment. Also, any tips for living in a small space are appreciated!
