After getting settled into our new (and my first real adult) minimalistic apartment, we had a few realizations. A white rug + a black dog do not mix. A white marble coffee on which we sometimes eat/drink is dangerous for a klutz like me. Anyway, we ultimately decided on a few updates to our place to make it more dog-friendly and warm. The first thing we did was replace the rug with a salt + pepper version from Rugs USA, which is much more durable and doesn’t show hair at all. Then we added some wooden coffee tables (these are maybe my favourite pieces!) that brought a little bit of warmth back into the room. I do love the minimalistic look, but I don’t want our apartment to feel cold or uninviting. A budget-friendly Barcelona chair (I didn’t realize that an actual Barcelona chair starts at $2000…) brought the living room together.
The office took a little longer to put together and was something that was very important to me because I would be in there every day. I’ve always loved art and knew that I wanted to get some special pieces, but honestly wasn’t really able to afford any. There’s such a big gap between Ikea framed pictures and fine art pieces. We ended up finding Lumas gallery (there’s one in Vancouver, one in Toronto’s Yorkville area + online), which specializes in making fine art accessible and approachable. I was thrilled to see these three original photography prints; I wanted to look up from my desk and connect to and be inspired by these pieces and I am so pleased with the result.
The office chair also took a little longer – do you know how hard it is to find a remotely ergonomic chair that doesn’t look like some kind of a space seat? It’s hard. The one I ended up getting from Sleek Modern furniture, is really comfy, sleek (hah) and it’s also vegan leather!
Ultimately, we applied the very same philosophy I have for my wardrobe to our apartment. A few statement pieces that are worth the investment, amidst a number of staples that places like Ikea do well. It can be tough to graduate from the student lifestyle when paying big-city rent (I feel you Toronto/Van!), but hopefully you can see how a few accent pieces (Barcelona chair, coffee tables, photography prints) make all the difference.
Awesome tour, love how it’s so simple and chic!!
xx,
Areli’s April
Areli’s April on Bloglovin
Author
Thank you love!
xx Jill
No surprise you have a Barcelona chair in your apartment – so classic! I love your little black and white office too 🙂
Hannah
LOVE your apartment posts! The wood coffee tables definitely added some nice warmth to the beautifully simple space. Will you do other posts of your bed/bathroom, kitchen etc. please? 😉
love it!! will you post pics of your kitchen, bedroom, closet, bathroom etc?
JW…What was wrong with eating on the marble coffee table? Why was it bad for you because you’re a klutz? Wouldn’t the marble be more durable than the wood ones because it doesn’t scratch? Would love to hear your feedback on both! Also where is your desk lamp from? thanks!
Author
Oh no, we just moved the marble to another place in our apartment! It’s very durable 🙂 The desk lamp is from Ikea!
xx Jill
I assumed she meant because marble can be prone to staining… I wondered the same thing though! I did a bit of research and apparently you can seal the marble to prevent staining. I love both coffee tables though!
Haha I get you on the dog friendly interiors! Your place looks great, very chic and yet still comfy!
Very nice, is this in NYC?
Looks fantastic!!
Love your apartment and so well put together. It’s a true reflection of your style. And, a very inviting and welcoming space. Enjoy.
how are you liking your white desk? im thinking of getting the same one
Author
Love it! It’s not very deep though, but since I have a laptop, that’s ok for me.
xx Jill