Condo!
My husband, Joseph, our dachshund mix Helix, cockatiel Aerial, and I (Natalie) live in a lovely 1100 square foot condo in central Austin, Texas. I am a NICU nurse and Joseph is a process engineer. We fell in love with this space in May 2012 and purchased it that June; our main attractions to it were its ideal location in the city, as well as the recently added laminate “hardwood” floors, skylights, and moulding in the main area. As first-time homebuyers in our mid-twenties, we didn’t have a large budget to work with, so the only real work we’ve done on the place is painting; replacing the bedroom carpets with laminate is next on the agenda. My mother raised me with a love for collected design, and my main goal with our first house was to bring in a few investment pieces and some antiques along with our still usable Ikea furniture so that the house felt eclectic, young, and fresh, but no longer college-aged. Color, pattern, and art are huge inspirations for me, and I feel most comfortable in a cozy, slightly maximalist space.
Our trickiest issues to overcome have been the small size of the condo and the simple fact that we don’t have the time or money to invest in major remodeling. However, we spend most of our time in the living room, which has a great layout with very little wasted space, so I've focused most of the aethestic effort there, especially as we love having people over for dinner and cocktails. I’d love to one day have a home that’s worthy of Elle Decor, but while we’re still making our way in the world, I have to say that I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do with this condo on a fairly strict budget (you should see the before pictures! So much beige-y-peach!). My absolute favorite thing about our house is its mix of pieces: I’ve always said that my dream is for my house to look like I live in an upscale flea market, and I'm slowly getting there. The dining room chandelier is a point of pride for me, as I looked for months for the perfect one that would add sculptural interest as well as functionality. And I have to give a shout-out as well to the gilt mirror behind the couch: it hung in my parents’ bedroom above their fireplace when I was growing up, and my mother gifted it to me when Joseph and I bought the condo. It’s also a huge point of pride for me that Joseph, who didn’t think about interior design a bit before we got together, now regularly tells me that he loves what I’ve done with the space, and even helps me pick out new pieces! Full success, wonderful husband. Full success.
Our trickiest issues to overcome have been the small size of the condo and the simple fact that we don’t have the time or money to invest in major remodeling. However, we spend most of our time in the living room, which has a great layout with very little wasted space, so I've focused most of the aethestic effort there, especially as we love having people over for dinner and cocktails. I’d love to one day have a home that’s worthy of Elle Decor, but while we’re still making our way in the world, I have to say that I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do with this condo on a fairly strict budget (you should see the before pictures! So much beige-y-peach!). My absolute favorite thing about our house is its mix of pieces: I’ve always said that my dream is for my house to look like I live in an upscale flea market, and I'm slowly getting there. The dining room chandelier is a point of pride for me, as I looked for months for the perfect one that would add sculptural interest as well as functionality. And I have to give a shout-out as well to the gilt mirror behind the couch: it hung in my parents’ bedroom above their fireplace when I was growing up, and my mother gifted it to me when Joseph and I bought the condo. It’s also a huge point of pride for me that Joseph, who didn’t think about interior design a bit before we got together, now regularly tells me that he loves what I’ve done with the space, and even helps me pick out new pieces! Full success, wonderful husband. Full success.
Aerial's spotty corner
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