We bought a two-bedroom condo near ASU in August. The Fashionista now lives in it and we hope the second bedroom will soon hold a roommate. It was a foreclosure that had sat empty for 8 months and it had been a rental property before that. So in one word it was: DIRTY!
With a little elbow grease and creative decorating it has turned into a pretty cute casita. When I think about what my own first apartment looked like, (couch pulled from the dumpster, tiny black and white tv set on an overturned milk crate, and movie posters as artwork) this truly is a great first place. The Fashionista’s Wonderland.
It has a nice front porch. The 2 chairs were a dumpster dive find that I repainted and the floral lantern is one of the wicker cloches I talked about in a previous post.
The Fashionista’s Wonderland
Inside are more dumpster chairs, a $5.00 end table and curtains that I made. A cozy fireplace now contains candles that rest on a painted bamboo tray.
The couch is a sleeper sofa that had been in my office. I found the coffee table in the “As Is” section of IKEA for $7.00.
The Fashionista is a great reader. The bookcases and long work table once graced her bedroom but with the addition of some artwork down the road, it will make a nice focal point for the living room.
Most of the accessories came from Goodwill. The orange lamp was a $9.99 Wal Mart find.
Although the dining area is currently empty, never fear, the Fashionista does have a place to sit and enjoy a meal of macaroni and cheese. 🙂 The wall color is “Biscuit” by Sherwin Williams. How appropriate.
Can you say early 80’s kitchen? So what does one do to jazz up vicious vintage when there is no budget? Wall clings on dated cabinetry work wonders. Even the toaster got a few sweet tweets.
The owls are ready for their close up.
The bird theme was continued on the main wall. I will show you how they were created on Wednesday.
Heading down the hallway we see a happy creation by Sweet Boy.
To the right is the bathroom. It was done in an Alice in Wonderland theme.
I rescued some old frames and placed Alice images by John Tenniel within.
I wish I could talk to the person that placed this on the big wall of the bathroom.
So I took a canvas and created this to cover up that mistake.
In the inner shower area, plain towels got jazzed up with a bit of embroidery and a vintage Alice image found at the flea market was hung above.
Of course, there is a white rabbit! You can pull cotton balls out of his tail. 🙂
What did your first place look like?
So very cute! I love the Alice in Wonderland bathroom! I can't even remember my first place…lol.
What a great place! I bet she just loves it!
You've done a wonderful job! We're in the midst of the same kind of project for our youngest daughter. Thank you for the inspiration!! There's nothing more gratifying for recycling and tweaking and coming in under budget with such a pleasing result as this. Pat W.
What a cute place. You have done such a wonderful job of decorating it. I love the owls on the cabinets, just too cute. Everything looks gorgeous. Lucky girl. Hugs, Marty
What a great place. That's for your college student? What a lucky kid!
Looks like a fabulous place to do all that studying and paper writing!
I lived with my parents until I got married, and the first place my husband and I had was a basement one-bedroom apartment. We begged, borrowed, but didn't steal, all our furniture. Wedding gifts were the necessities .. ..toaster, iron, dishes, silverware, sheets, towels. We had no money, but purchased our own things little by little. We appreciated every thing we worked for. Now almost 27 years later, our surroundings and situation have changed, but I'm still just as frugal as ever and love a good bargain as much as the next gal!
I love seeing the creative ways you transform items that others have deemed junk! A good lesson for your daughter too!
MGM
Mine was a dorm room, but I have to admit it was pretty awesome. We decorated with glow in the dark stars/planets all over the ceiling, a crazy plasic beaded curtain for the door. It was cool.
What a fun post topic! Those birds are adorable!
The four Alice images and frames are charming, as is all of the decorating. The owl stencils appeal to me since I am a bird lover.
If this were my first place, I don't think I would ever leave it!
My first place was actually a condo that was pretty nice. One corner of the living room was windows that I filled with plants–it was my favorite spot!
You did a great job again! Do you ever sleep? I think the best part is the kitchen, from 80-ties yuk made into a very clever retro look with 'no budget', Chapeau!! Alice in Wonderland is great too!
Mine (1981) was a dorm room. I used my single bed as a couch too, made a cover out of blueish grey fabric and upholstered white painted chairs (free from an aunt of my mothers' friend ca. 1920) a small table with was given to me by neighbours, was painted white also. A white wicker chair got an blueish grey cushion as well (chair was gift from my parents for my birthday that year). Curtains were already there, color the background of your blog, which did work with the greyish blue. I bought two small lamps to hang above the table at a dutch kind of Wallmart. It was the first time that I wallpapered a room: white with my boyfriend, who is my husband now. I had an antique desk, a birthday present when I was 14 and an antique mirror, bought from my very first little job during the holidays when I was 15, so they did really something for the room. Some shelves with a pick up (yes I lived in the stone age) and some collections. My landlady was so fond of my room that she took every visitor to my room to admire, we still are friends! Thanks for taking me to Memory Lane today! Your son is a very talented artist too, please tell him that!
What did my first place look like? Nothing this beautiful!
I love the living area!
The apartment is very cute. My first apartment was 2 rooms and bath over garage.
Our home was so tiny, I had a sign that said Cubicle Sweet Cubicle, instea of Home Sweet Home!
You and the F. did a fabulous job!! The condo is so colorful. A nice mixing of the young (Alice in Wonderland) and the restless (F. wanting to be on her own!!). Everything is so colorful and you really creatively disguised some odd things. AND, you did it on a budget!!
I wish I had you when I was young and starting out, but you were probably still in high school! lol! I lived in a studio in a trendy area of Chicago a few blocks from the lake. Since it was just one big room, all I needed was my bed and a hand me down dining table & chairs. I survived with a microwave and a few dishes. The funniest memory I have is refusing to hang a shower curtain. Too many memories from the movie Psycho!!
Great post, Laura!
xoxo
Jane
wow..you did a great job
goodwill for such treasures…awsome…
You've done such a wonderful, wonderful job with all of this! It looks fantastic!
I never really had a first place of my own, because I lived at home with my parents until just before my 30th Birthday, when I got married.
The creation of “sweet boy” brought a smile to my face as there's a photo of me somewhere holding up a similar “egg” shaped creation that I made way back in grade school and this reminded me of that.
Thanks for the lovely ideas.
I wish I could live there!
ps – we got the lamps at Ikea!
What an amazing college home. You have decorated it so cute, and in a way that seems like she (and her friends) will really appreciate. What a wonderful gift for her.
Take care,
Alyshia
Mine was a 1 bedroom apartment I shared with a roommate. It didn't have nearly the space of this one, or I would be decorating it like crazy. If you are looking for some decor and interior ideas, just drop me a line at Furniture and Design Ideas. I have a few ideas that I think you're going to love.
Nicolette
http://www.furnitureanddesignideas.com/
You have done a wonderful job with her place. I love the bathroom…just adorable!
Not doing anything special for my birthday next week since my 93 year old father in law will be here so we will celebrate after his visit. I will spend my day waiting on him 🙂
Love,
LuLu~*xoxo
I tell you what, my first place didn't look half this tweet, er, I mean sweet! But it was in college that I was bitten by the thrifty bug…I went to yard sales and thrift stores to dress both myself and my itty bitty shared apartment. Looking back the apartment was a hot mishmash mess!! I've come a long way in my thrifting. 🙂
Looks like Alice has a great starter place. 🙂 My daughter would love the owls in the kitchen!! My first place was a one bedroom apartment at 7th street and Bell rd. We were the first people to live there….. now it is a pretty dangerous complex…. things change…
~Liz
Great job! I'm taking notes – my own fashionista will be on her own next year. sob.
Too cute! Have mercy my first place was a hodge podge of very bad decor!
What a lovely little cosy home you have made their for her. I did up our whole Irish cottage on a really tight and thrifted budget but enjoyed every minute of it! Well done. Pam in Ireland