we are home

we have two chairs, a coffee table, a tv and a bed, but we are HOME. after living in 5 strangers' spaces filled with what had to amount to 500 strangers' crap. in each apartment. over 12 months.

when we left ny for la, we were ready to get the hell out of our apartment, not to mention ny. we were this close to selling it. we rented it out instead. found a tree house in la, where i learned to sew. plans changed, and brought us back to ny without a home. we'd peek in occasionally to grab something we needed, and leave in horror at the sight of our subletters cluttered life. we boxed and bagged and moved our things so much, things became things and started to get left behind. we took care of other people's spaces better than they took care of them themselves.

the same cannot be said for our tenants. our place was demolished. they are the reason i'm writing this from a chair in the middle of a bare living room.

but no matter! let's make some lemonade! IT'S REDECORATING TIME! here, for your before and after pleasure (well, really for my pleasure, as my blogger slacking has deservedly lost me all of my readers. did i mention i've moved six times in one year? come baaaack!) are the before shots...

the living room. yes, that is ben-moore-watermelon-red and martha-stewart-cornstalk-yellow living together. martha would not be happy with this bastard child. picture it instead with magical white walls that shift color as the light of day changes (seriously, r's sister hepped us to some awesome paint at farrow and ball) the two chairs and the table, and you have our current situation.

the living - dining - loft - kitchen room. it is new york living, after all. table, chairs, clutter, chartruese, orange, yellow and gold gone. i'm adding some color back, that would be one serious cold turkey of a quit. luckily r loves everything i paint and wants my art to be the color on our walls. luckily? i think? isn't it kind of pretentious to have only your art hanging? etsy to the rescue...

the bedroom, currently in a state of shock from severe water damage that happened the day we moved back. yep. it's actually been happening for years, but the old super never really solved the problem. what's left: torn walls, bed on floor (because, natch, the renters broke our bedframe), and that funny little squat thing under the stairs. that, my friends, is a wine refrigerator. full of wine. that ain't goin' NOWHERE.

even in its current spartan state, i could kiss the ground. the months of moving have really made us appreciate our home, and our building filled with people who own and care for their own homes. i think you call those people neighbors. we haven't seen that life form in a loooooong time. our home is going to rock. and i'm going to give you proof. assuming there are any witnesses out there.

(SIX. TIMES.)