the perfect bedroom + other thoughts on design.

since i’ve been living on my own for almost two years now – i know, it’s so not long at all, but at the same time, it feels like forever – i feel like i’ve evolved in a lot of ways: as a 20-something single girl, as a writer-editor, as a human being. and the evolution is ongoing (otherwise it wouldn’t be an evolution, right?) – i’m not super-afraid of change and i’m excited to see where the second half of my 20s takes me.

one of the most interesting things about living on my own has been coming up with my own design aesthetic. when i first moved to sarasota, my little studio apartment leaned pretty heavily toward the shabby chic (or maybe just shabby) look: wicker furniture i’d had in my bedroom since i was little, a hand-me-down rattan sofa, pops of pink everywhere. rachel ashwell’s shabby chic line for target became my new best friend. and i really liked that style for about the first six months – until i realized i was sick of pink in my home and decided to go for a beachy theme: a palette of blues and greens with “oceanic” accents (a plate of shells i collected from the beach, for example) and modern furniture from ikea, mixed in with some thrift-store finds (a great lamp – thanks, mom) and my parents’ old loveseat, which has a great shape and is covered in a pretty – albeit slightly worn – mint-green fabric. now, for the most part, i feel like my apartment is somewhat cohesive, as opposed to a weird amalgam of stuff.

still, i’m not 100 percent satisfied – and that kind of makes me happy (in life and in work i always want to strive for more, cliché as that sounds), because it allows me the opportunity to constantly scout new things, which i love. in fact, my friend k. just closed on her first home and, when she was giving me the grand tour, i found myself drawing on things i’d seen on decor8, oh joy! and design*sponge, for example, and thinking about how i would decorate each room – from paint color to bedding. (k., if you ever read this, i think your house looks fabulous and i’m so proud of you for buying it.)

but i think if i was in possession of the bedroom above, i would be 100 percent happy. i need new bedding; looks like i’ll be hunting for rich, saturated blue with pops of bright yellow (i am having a yellow moment, as i said, after all).

(styling by carolyn quartermaine; photo via oh joy! )