Welcome to Angela's 375 sq ft space. It's not every day that I get to post a tour of an apartment belonging to someone I know. Angela and I both went to Iowa State University – I met her when I briefly wrote for the student-run fashion magazine Trend, which she went on to become co-editor-in-chief of. Now the blogger behind Tulips & Rain and an editorial associate in Des Moines, she moved into this garden level studio in the Sherman Hill neighborhood in June.
In the 8-ish months of dwelling in her studio, Angela has diy'ed and decorated her way to making the small space functional and beautiful – while expressing her own unique style and sticking to a young professional budget.
Above: Sheer white curtains let the light stream into her combination living room / bedroom, which is cleverly separated by bookcases. One taller, one shorter – the bookcases break up the room without totally blocking out light or completely isolating one space from the other. Splashes of color brighten up the rental's neutral tones while books, patterns, and a mix of vintage plus contemporary fill the room with personality.
Peek around the bookcases and you'll find Angel'a cozy bed nook. (You know how I love nooks.) A mix of patterns, colors, and cutesy "I'd rather stay in bed" pillowcases give the bed area an eclectic feminine feel – along wither diy'ed LOVE letters up above. I love that her bookcase doubles as a nightstand and that a book is never too far out of reach.
Angela doesn't shy away from mixing patterns – a floral scroll design, stripes, and graphic squares come together all in navy and white tones. Raspberry pink pops amid the white and blue. A small side table placed beside an ottoman make for a versatile coffee table that can be separated for extra floor space. The ottoman also offers extra seating and storage.
Speaking of storage, Angela's taken extra care to make her closet as functional and pretty as the rest of her space. Crafty compartments, boxes, and baskets keep clutter at bay while scarves tied onto the closet rod keep an outfit's final touch close at hand.
Behind the living room couch, Angela's charming little dining area is comprised of a simple, rustic dining table (love the natural wood) and blue painted chairs for a cottage chic look. The dining table takes on double duty as a desk and blogging station, too.
A pineapple, vintage recipe box, and pretty bowl holding colorful cooking utensils make up a sweet vignette on Angela's kitchen counter tops.
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| Past: Makeshift Bar |
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| Present: Coffee Bar and Baking Stand |
Lastly, I just had to share the little stand that Angela has re-purposed. In her previous apartment, she outfitted it to serve as a makeshift bar – complete with a metallic gold tray and colorful bar accessories. Today, she uses the stand as an extension of her tiny kitchen. Lacking extra counter and cupboard space, the stand now hosts her mixer, baking bowls, and coffee maker.
These are only a few picture's of Angela's studio! Like me, she's always taking on a nifty diy project or revamping some corner of her space. To see more photos of her space, borrow tasty recipes, and follow her projects, check out Angela's blog Tulips and Rain.
Thanks for sharing your space, Angela! Happy blogging and decorating!
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