Monday, October 8, 2012

OUR NEW PLACE!

We found our new home here in Norfolk! On our first day of looking at places we saw a for rent sign outside of a great old apartment building right in the area of town we wanted. The next day, without knowing anything about the place we were walking into, we looked at the apartment, loved it, and spent the rest of the day thinking about it. We decided to take it later that day and signed the least the next day, October 3 (my birthday!). It had a lot of the big things that we were looking for, feels so cozy and safe, and is within walking distance to so much stuff. I have so many favorite things about it, but mostly I love that it's a place I can't wait to settle into with Douglas. 
We love all the details that come with an older building. I love the glass doorknobs, gorgeous wooden floors, and the super wide moulding around the windows. There's always these things about getting to know a new place, like what patterns the light will make on the floors during different parts of the day.
Two of our rooms have beautiful exposed brick walls on one side. It's a detail we loved about the first apartment we looked at - but that was about its strongest point. So we were really excited when it showed up in two rooms here - and we like these older looking bricks better! 
We have a cute, little black and white bathroom. I'm forever obsessed with black and white, so I love it. 
One of our favorite details - a beautiful stained glass window in our hallway looking into our bedroom...well there's not much stained glass here since it's mostly clear with light blues and greys. But it's an unexpected detail and the textures are really pretty. 
We have a huge balcony. It's the first apartment we've had where our outdoor space is somewhere we'd want to spend time. I can't wait to maybe grow some herbs and get some new covers for my parents' old butterfly chairs. 
This is what it looks like out of our back door. I love the white brick with the natural bricks. I think I just love everything about this place. 
Our living room has these columns in the big doorway. These lights here aren't permanent but we had to have them here for our first night in the new place. These lights are always in our bedroom, so I couldn't have our first night without them. 
We even have a cute, little non-functioning doorbell. 
All these pictures were taken with the original wall colors - dull, darker neutrals...not our thing. Or at least my thing. Luckily, Douglas is the best and had no problem with painting the walls. We started this weekend, and slowly but surely our walls are becoming bright and white. So excited to see the change it makes in the whole place. But let's get real. Picking out white paint is tough stuff. 
Okay and let's get real with this. I love our new place so much, but this is the air mattress, no furniture, minimal belongings situation that exists in here right now. The moving truck is supposed to arrive with our stuff sometime this week, so until then we are living like this. Luckily that gives us time to paint and not ruin all our furniture with our many paint splatters. I like having my things organized and living in some sort of order, so this, along with the stresses of a new place, gets to me more than I'd like. But I know that in no time we'll be all settled, and I'll be worrying about how to decorate the walls. So for now I'm trying to enjoy this exciting, scary, stressful time we are sharing together. We are lucky.

17 comments:

  1. The new place looks so cute, I can't wait to se it all done up

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  2. it looks like the perfect space! v.jealous of your balcony. glad you've found somewhere great to call home :)

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  3. This is SO cute. I really hope we can find a place as adorable when my boyfriend and I move out of our current place.

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  4. I love it so much! It's so perfect and charming. I'm excited to see what you decide to do with the place. The white walls will brighten everything up nicely.

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  5. Your new place looks so amazing! That's exactly the type of place I'd love to live in. So many cute little details that really give it such nice character! Have fun getting all settled and moved in, and hopefully it won't be too stressful!
    --Halie

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  6. Congratulations! This place looks so amazing, I love all the beautiful details! It's so dreamy and I'm looking forward to seeing future photos when you get it set up and are all settled. So happy for you!

    xomando

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  7. Wow. this is the prettiest place I've ever seen. Literally. what a dream! Congrats on the new place, can't wait to see what it looks like all furnished.

    p.s. and happy belated birthday!!

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  8. that place is awesome! you so lucked out! so happy for you!

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  9. your new place is lovely. and who wouldn't love a huuge balcony?

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  10. I love the exposed brick! What a cute place. Can't wait to see how you decorate!

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  11. Happy belated birthday, Jesse!
    I love love love your place :)
    It's so adorable!
    Please invite me soon :)
    Happy Monday!

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  12. I'm so glad you found somewhere, it looks absolutely lovely xo

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  13. Oh, yay, so happy that you found such a cool place!! :) that brick wall is PERFECT. ah, I wish I had wood floors! excited to see it all lived-in and decorated!

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  14. Gosh! That is such an awesome apartment. Such amazing details.

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  15. First off, Happy Belated Birthday fellow Libra (mine is on the 7th).

    This place looks too good to be true and I too am obsessed with black and white. That bathroom is adorable from what I can tell.

    Can't what to see what you do with it!

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  16. Prrreeeetty sure you have the cutest apartment on the planet. What a birthday gift for you, haha! And how lucky that you can actually paint in your rented space!

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  17. Whoa, it seems you were given a gift of a lifetime on your birthday! How fitting! The stained glass absolutely stunned me. It’s just beautiful! I’ve always wanted to have stained glass windows in our house, and with that picture, I’ve finally decided to have ours fitted with some as well! :)

    Regards,
    Calvin

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