Real Estate Envy: Edinburgh, Scotland

Just this.

Best House Guest Ever

So, my friend Bob stayed with us over the weekend. He might be the best house guest in the history of house guests.

Progress Report: Paint Job

Slowly but surely the living room is being pulled together. The fact that we decided on a decorative paint job, over lots of years and lots of layers of old paint is not helping it get finished any faster...  but I think it will really be worth the wait!

Progress Report: Painting the Living Room

Our landlord had some work he wanted to do in the living room - so we decided to hold back on painting it until he was done. He took a while to get around to it, but it's done and we took advantage of being rained in to get started on the paint job. More photos to come, as we put the finishing touches on this week!

Progress Report: Plaster

 newly plastered box over previously exposed copper pipes

(and yes, we will need to re-paint that part of the brown wall)

Our landlord finally sent the plaster guy to finish up the work in the living room. This means we can (finally!!!) paint! I'm so excited to get this project completed - paint job done, stuff hung on the walls. I think it will really make our apartment feel more like home.

Progress Report: Eggs

Even the eggs joined in when Boyfriend touched up the paint in the kitchen last weekend!

Progress: Dining Nook

In our living room, gentle readers, your MatchGirl and Boyfriend have a little recessed area which we have deemed our dining nook. As we make slow progress in painting and settling into our little home, this is the third "room" to be finished.

Progress: Office

Remember that hideous "strawberry milkshake" office your MatchGirl shared previously?

Well, progress is being made in that office, gentle readers.

Your MatchGirl and Boyfriend have finished painting the room - a soft grey trimmed with a vibrant orange.

It will look amazing once we've got the walk-in closet (yes, that's right, we're building a walk-in closet into our office) finished and the furniture shifted into place.

But since you're all so very impatient, here are a few pictures to tide you over till that day comes...

Inspiration: Chalkboard Paint

I saw a chalkboard fridge food diary a year or so ago and have been thinking about it ever since. As Boyfriend and your MatchGirl rent (and the refrigerator came with the place) we won't be turning our fridge into a chalkboard any time soon. I love chalkboard paint though (and have since it came on the market when I was an art major at University) and we're definitely planning on utilizing it in our little blue kitchen.

Where would you use chalkboard paint in your home?

Progress: The First Four Days

Boyfriend and your MatchGirl moved into our new Greenpoint space on Friday of last week. There is still so very much to do, but I thought I'd share some picks of the apartment and the progress we've made, and the mess that still exists.

Above is the view from the front door of the apartment. To the left is the dining area. Right now it's home to Boyfriend's bike and a whole bunch of plants, as well as my vintage breakfast table, inherited, long ago, from the Great-Aunt Jessie. To the right is the living room area. We still haven't purchase a sofa, so right now it's where the yet-to-be-unpacked-boxes are stacked.

In the distance you can see the kitchen, where we've made the most progress - paint job complete and some shelving installed.