The Postage Stamp of Love.

Since I've been on spring break this week, I've had plenty of time to FINALLY get our little "postage stamp of love" in order. In July, the hubs and I moved into a condo in this building:

(Photo taken with my iPhone. It also styles my hair, applies my make-up and works out for me.)

The buildings opened in 1962, and while vintage is certainly making a comeback, we needed to put our own spin on the place and update the decor. After several days of stripping wallpaper (which is super gross, btw - I hate all of the peeling!) and painting (where I hired someone to take my place after one day) - and several months of shopping around for the right decor, our home is finally livable.

So, join me on this virtual blogosphere tour. While there are no 360 views on this tour, please know that this is a big step for me. I am showing you my home. I feel like you've just seen me in my pajamas with no make-up.

First up, the living room. Since the unit is wedge-shaped, we have a very long, awkward wall. After painting it "asparagus" (which I love, but is a bit brighter than I would have preferred), we've started filling it with these little treasures:

This print is from IKEA. It's random and bold and open to so many interpretations. I love to ask my friends what they see when they look at it. They usually look at me and ask, "Where's the wine?"

This is our "ode to Chicago". The top left photo is from Etsy seller HolgaJen. My hubby took the bottom left photo, and I am embarrassed to say that I am not sure where the other two come from. I'll have to ask the hubs. It sits above our wine cabinet, my most prized possession:)

This is the living room. Perhaps you noticed the entire mirror wall in the background. We toyed with a lot of different ideas as to how to cover it, and we finally settled on the bookshelves. I am a gigantic book nerd, so this was a perfect way to store all of the books AND cover the disco wall, as I affectionately call it:)

Here is a close-up. Isn't that owl print so adorable? You may also notice some Harry Potter. Don't be a hater.

Our couch. We agonized over this purchase FOREVER. We were all set to buy one from Crate & Barrel until we found this gem at IKEA. It also contains hidden storage (it's where our vampire friends sleep) and a pull-out foot rest.

Sorry for the glare in the back - that's our balcony. As you can see, we get excellent natural light.

This is our kitchen. The cabinets are not exactly our style (but not horrible!), so we decided to try and distract from them by filling the countertops with hubby's prized possessions, such as the KitchenAid mixer and indoor grill. He cooks, I polish the stainless steel:)

The lighting is a little off, but these prints are hanging in our bedroom, above my desk. The top left photo actually came with the frame and we loved it so much that we decided to keep it. And the bottom right? I TOOK IT! Huzzah! The other two I bought so long ago that I don't remember:(

And before you make a crack about this being the place where the magic happens, just know that the bedding is Pottery Barn, the pillows are Target, and the print is once again IKEA.

So yeah. That's our little love nest. We like it. We hope that it's warm and inviting when friends and family come visit. Thanks for joining me!