In my past rental homes, I’ve changed out the renter-special items (you know, the cheap, bulk-purchased fixtures and hardware) piecemeal, or just tried (in vain) to live with them. But I operated with hate in my heart for the boob lamps on the ceiling and cringed every time I grasped the caked-with-rust doorknobs. This time, in my new apartment, I made a commitment to doing the straightforward things first (doorknobs, cabinet pulls, light fixtures), so that when I painted and started to decorate, everything really felt like a cohesive and well thought-out home.
Our apartment is pretty standard-issue for the New York metropolitan area. Parquet wood floors, low-end appliances, an all-white bathroom. We’re lucky in that the unit has been well maintained, and the usual landlord-style shortcuts—e.g., painting over hinges or shoddy repair jobs—actually seem to be in short supply. My biggest gripe with the apartment is that it’s lacking in character. That’s the trade-off, though, when you choose a newer high-rise over the classic brownstone. With that said, I wanted to infuse a bit of personality into the space, as well as tone down all the stainless steel and nickel at the same time.
Comments
Post a Comment