Back in February, Bridget wrote us asking for ideas to make her pre-furnished apartment a more pleasing space for her temporary 6-month stay. She's moving out August 1 but did managed to put several of our readers' suggestions to work. We think it looks like tremendous improvement considering time and budget constraints! Follow the jump to see Bridget's list of improvements...
(Include a pic of your query and your question gets posted first! Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to: boston (at) apartmenttherapy (dot) com)
What Bridget Did:
- Relocate the bed against the window
- Invested in colored Naked Binders to bring visual continuity to the desk area. A bit pricey but they look great and will stay with me for a long time!
- Cleared the clutter — I feel so much happier in my space now that things are consolidated and put away.
- Stopped using that fluorescent light, for good!
- Changed the living room layout to accommodate all my new plant life.
She mentioned that due to the short length of her stay she decided to save her money to invest in window treatments, new bedding and artwork at her new apartment this fall. We think it looks like a much cozier space now — great work, Bridget, and best of luck as you graduate up to your own apartment this fall!
(Include a pic of your query and your question gets posted first! Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to: boston (at) apartmenttherapy (dot) com)
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Comments (16)
"Back in February, Bridget wrote us asking for ideas to make her pre-furnished apartment a more pleasing space for her temporary 6-month stay."
This isn't really an apartment...it's a dorm room.
Wow! For a room that looks basically like a dorm room, that is a wonderful change! Congrats, Bridget!
GREAT JOB! Your place looks completely different, and so much better. You've created a really attractive and warm space with minor changes. Obviously you have a great sense of style. Good luck with your new apartment.
Bridget, I think you did a great job of making it far more livable, kudos to you!
Folks, perspective adjustment, it's enormous & lavish compared to many places I stayed in London & Munich while I was a student.
I think it's pretty big for a dorm room, if she can fit a bed, desk and two armchairs in there. Anyway, the desk area especially pleases me. I think I may have to look into those binders.
It looks great and shows that you don't have to live in a displeasing space, even if it's only for a short time. I think people tend to give up on their homes if they consider them to be temporary, which is depressing.
Nice job! And sincere thanks for sending in "after" pictures - so many people never do, and I'm always curious.
Yeah, West Village!
It's like a college suite apartment - more or less a dorm room, but with extras. Considering she could make no changes at all, it barely should have been featured at all.
wow, some of you sound too negative...why waste the effort to make snide comments that contribute nothing? Yeah it looks like a dorm room...it also looks like a studio apartment in a big city with a shared kitchen/bathroom. Having been in a similar temporary position myself in a drab, depressing, closet-sized space, whatever minor change one can make to create a space of one's own makes a big difference in how you feel living in that space. AT should post whatever AT wants to post, it's our choice whether to read it or not...
The colored binders where I wickedly clever and functional way to spruce up the space. Good work on frugal design in a temporary space.
Suzy8Track and ChrisGal, this room is indeed my 136 square foot bedroom, and yes, it looks very much like a dorm room...it is officially a bedroom of a graduate living apartment (a necessary transition step coming from across the country).
But whatever you want to call it, I guarantee there are other college and graduate students looking to make little changes in their lives starting in their pre-furnished rooms - things that are doable on our time and budget. Going through this process encourages the realization of what we need, what we don't, and what makes us happy.
It really isn't the status quo to feature this sort of room on Apartment Therapy, but trying to make do with what is there (or hand-me-down furniture in general) is something most people have to deal with at one time in their life or another.
Thanks again for all of your advice, everyone!
-Bridget
PS - Slowdown - the url for Naked Binders is here:
http://www.nakedbinder.com/
dorm room you say? I don't recall dorm rooms being this big. . . 2 big ol' armchairs would never have fitted in my dorm room.
Ome1, that's the living room - sorry if that isn't clear from the pictures. I have a bed, a desk, an armoire, and a chest of drawers in my actual bedroom...that's all that will fit.
i would recognize a nu west village dorm from anywhere:) glad to see some good changes to a very bare room... congrats!
Looks great! Funny how a simple furniture-rearrangement and some clever organization can really make a space!
You did a great job in making the most out of a really small space. It's cute and functional....