3 posts tagged “apartment”

I forgot to put up these pictures when I took them, but a few weeks ago I ordered these prints from this Etsy seller.  I think they look pretty good, but it's true that I'm quite a nerd.  I also got this Life Aquatic one, but haven't framed it yet.

I have been spending WAY too much time on the websites of Amazon, Crate and Barrel, CB2 (which is also Crate and Barrel), and IKEA lately.  It's not so much that I need a lot of things, but more that I really, really want them.  And with my birthday coming up, I figure I can make some wish lists, right?

When my parents moved a couple of years ago, they essentially bought everything new and gave me what they had before, including couches, a kitchen table, a coffee table (which is nice), an end table (which is nice), dishes, glasses, etc.  It was perfect timing, because I was just about to move into a house with three friends and we had a lot of space to fill.  But, seriously, some of it's pretty old.  It's been really great having it, and I'm lucky that my parents decided to get new things, but times have changed and it's not really my taste.  (It's like how you don't see a lot of people sitting on orange floral couches like in the 70s these days—unless you know my grandparents.)  Here are some of the quality pieces I've inherited:

This couch, circa 1987, is a lovely shade of dusty rose (according to my mom).  It has survived as a scratching post for my cat Ariel and three moves between our first house in Renton and my current condo in Seattle.  While my parents had it, it was in the living room where we only convened on Christmas, so perhaps that is why it is still around.

This dresser was bought before I was born in 1985 for the nursery.  The drawers are still lined with wrapping paper from my baby shower, though the pieces are a bit torn here and there.  It's actually fine, and I'll continue keeping it in my closet, but I just think it's funny how long it has stayed exactly the same.

I thought the table and chairs were older than they actually are.  I am assuming we got them in 1987 or so, though I can't find any photographic evidence before 1988.  Some of the support beams on the chairs are loose because I used to put my feet on them when I couldn't reach the floor (okay, even after I could).  The table is actually in quite good condition though, probably because my mom almost always had a table cloth on it.  I probably won't be able to replace it for a while anyway.

This is what I will replace as soon as possible.  It's kind of hard to see, but somewhere in that picture is some dinnerware that my mom bought when she was in high school about 35 years ago.  Somehow, someway, we still have at least four plate settings of it that I inherited, as well as salt and pepper shakers, a butterdish (that is broken), and a sugar jar.  It's amazing that it's lasted this long, but I think I'm ready for something that's not decorated with blue and brown weeds.

So, now that I'm moving into a place where I'll be by myself for the first time, I think I'd like to make a few upgrades of my own.  Here are some things I've been looking at (though I really can't remember the colors of surfaces in the apartment):

Oh, and I'll get a new TiVo with whatever graduation money I happen to get.  I can't live without TiVo, and since my parents took our old unit to Arizona, a new and grander one is my only option.  I can't wait to record two shows at once, which my dad claims is impossible.  Too bad the cable company I'm required to use in my building has some sort of TiVo fee...

After I accepted my job offer from Getty Images, I decided I should probably live in Seattle instead of the Eastside like I was planning (because of gas prices, new bridge tolls going in place, convenience, etc.).  My mom and I drove around to a bunch of apartment buildings around the office, and saw a lot of crappy and/or expensive places.  One apartment we were shown today (in Dexter Lake Union) was street level with freakin' Aurora Avenue.  Now, if you're not from Seattle, you probably don't know what that means, but Aurora is a freeway that runs at street-level.  One time I got stuck on it in Wallingford and couldn't get off until I was in Belltown (remember that great day, Jenny?).  There was also another building in Fremont (Epi Apartments) with one-bedroom apartments being leased for an astonishing $1,700.

We went to one building on Saturday that I really liked, but my dad kept saying it was ridiculous to pay $1,425 a month, and can't I just get a studio?  Well, he was kind of right, but I really liked the building so we went back today to figure out some other options.  After a lot of looking at floorplans (because the two possibilities were both occupied), today I picked a one-bedroom apartment in the great building.  The rent is a little more than I initially hoped for, but it's on the busline so I won't need to drive to work.  Now I just have to move, which I am convinced is one the worst things we all have to do...