Outdoor Inspiration

So I obviously have not put blogging on my list of priorities YET. But the habit will come, at some point! Probably because I feel like I'm in the midst of wanting to do 500 apartment projects at once. In the meantime, I had to share this. I will say being out of the working world for the last three years while in grad school made me behind a little bit product-wise, and these are just lovely:

By Kenneth Cobonpue, top: La Luna, bottom: Dragnet

I need to go wipe the drool from my face now...

Bedroom Inspiration

Since Pintererst has taken over the world (my world?), there is no lack of inspiration these days for anything anyone could possibly imagine. It has been a savior and a curse for coming up with ideas for my new apartment. Basically I would need about a 100 room apartment to do/try every idea I have. So it's been challenging to boil it down to just a few looks (even my little faux-room leading to my bedroom and bathroom is going to get something as it will be a great little place to experiment with a bold wall pattern - stay tuned!).

Over the years, I usually have painted my bedrooms very pale colors - sky blue, pale pink, gray, or even kept it white with an accent wall.  And while I think light colors are really calming and give an airiness to a space, my new bedroom just wasn't going to feel light and airy - it's dark. Probably the darkest bedroom I've ever had. So instead of trying to lighten it up, I figured I would embrace the dark side and do something very dramatic - and totally different for me. Pinterest to the rescue:

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Yup. My walls got a coat of navy. I'm loving it. It's incredibly dark and cozy. Pictures to follow shortly - I'm hoping to put up some art this weekend to make it feel more finished - well, for the time being at least...

Mirror Mirror

Considering I just started a new blog, I guess I should be writing in it, huh? Last week was busy - I think I had something after work almost every night which meant my apartment was a bit neglected. I have big plans for this new place, and am really excited about it. I moved in about three weeks ago, and have begun some projects. Mostly I have just painted. Every. Room. Seriously. I even have OCD and painted my off-white living room white so that it matched the trim. Yup, that's the life of an architect*.

I hope to show some progress in each room as the weeks go by, and hopefully it starts coming together. After meeting my dad this morning pre- 7am at the Long Beach Flea Market (which was disappointingly a bust today), I ran a few errands and decided it was high time I put up the hex mirrors I bought weeks ago. So without further ado...

Here's my kitchen when I moved in (and yes that light is U.G.L.Y. but I think it's going to stay for now as otherwise it would entail repainting the ceiling to cover the giant hex mark it left. No thanks...).

And then it got a coat of purple (there are flecks of purple in the granite, so this was pretty much decided for me):

And finally today I put up the 10 hex mirrors I got from IKEA - a combination of smoky gray and bronze glass:

Okay my camera sucks, but if the white balance/metering were better, in this image you'd see that now I can see out my living room windows while doing the dishes, and there is a nice view of some palm trees and the hill on Ocean Park. Much better than a blank wall. 

One project down, 1 million to go...
*aspiring, you know, once I get my ridiculous amount of IDP hours fulfilled and pass the 7 exams.

A New Home

Welcome to my new home. I say this because back in 2009 I began a little blog called Teal Sunshine that tracked my big life move from California to DC as I began graduate school in architecture. It was my first blogging experience, and I was a little nervous at first as I remembered when I applied to a summer writing/literature course I was mortified when one of my Georgetown professors quoted to me part of his recommendation: "Lauren is not a great writer, but she's a good writer." While I would learn later that summer when comparing creative writing samples with my peers that his comment was definitely true, years later I realize, I don't care. I like to write. Even if it's just for my two readers (i.e. my parents) who will probably read this blog.

I wanted to start a new blog as I am similarly beginning a new chapter in my life. The "blonde adventures in the District (of Columbia)" - my Teal Sunshine sub-line - have ended. Moving back out to California and finding a new place literally 4 blocks from my old apartment in Santa Monica is amazing and weird at the same time. Restarting where I left off? Coming home? Everything is the same but different. I hope you will follow me on this journey - it should be fun.

And as for my new title... Inspired by one of my favorite things from Santa Monica:  Jason Bentley's Morning Becomes Eclectic show on KCRW,  and well, for anyone who knows me, I don't think I could find a better way to describe myself. The first comments I received from peers AND teachers when I found out I was going to give a commencement speech at graduation was "oh my gosh, you are going to be standing up there in front of everyone and turn beet red!" So yeah. It's pretty fitting. Mom and Dad, and whoever else who reads this, I hope you guys enjoy!