https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:03:44 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-743233 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:22:42 +0000 Kari 743233@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mander, if we were in a pinch we could. However, I'm finding that (now that we've been here over a month) I actually really love having my computer in the living room - it still feels very open and not cluttered, and I like having natural light and fresh air from the doors and windows. This furniture arrangement actually worked out wonderfully! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-742529 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:05:52 +0000 Mander 742529@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Any chance of running an extension cord into the closet by the door and using that as an office? Or is it smaller than it looks? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700433 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 20:07:01 +0000 Kari 700433@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shoot. There are no outlets in the closet area/alcoves in the hall, and I cannot mount a tv on the wall since I'm in a rental. Also, there's a permanent low-hanging lamp in the dining area that would interfere with putting a desk there, so the dining table really has to stay put (anyone over 5 foot tall would risk a head collision.) this is trickier than I thought! My desk has tall but open shelves over it, so id want to be careful to avoid blocking out light. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700354 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:03:14 +0000 shiny 700354@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari, a reading aclove needs a book shelf! Could it go on the wall facing the dining room area? If so, then you would free up space in the hallway for your desk. </p> <p>Regarding the TV: you aren't stuck with it on that wall. You can get this tubing thingie (sorry not sure what it's called) to run the cable cord along the baseboard to any wall you want. If there's a door, you just run the cord around the top of the door trim. That's what we did in our bedroom. That said, I like the floor plan you've chosen. It's always more interesting to have the sofa floating instead of against a wall. Also from a feng shui perspective, it's ideal to have your seating facing the entrance: face opportunity as it enters. </p> <p>If you did move the desk to the hallway, then you could possibly do a similar layout to our place: get a flat screen t.v. and mount it on the wall where you planned to have the desk. You have space under you could put a console (ours is used for purse storage, sunglasses, keys, anything you need before heading out the door, and as a "postal" center with supplies for quick mailing). Then we have a love seat where you have your sofa, and facing it (on the wall where you have the t.v. now) we have another sofa. No room for a chair in our space because we have a fireplace on the other wall. When we need extra seating we have a couple of leather cubes that tuck under the console when not in use. </p> <p>Bedroom: Do you have room for a second, long dresser on the wall facing the bed? Looks like you might! More room for clothes. :-)</p> <p>Plants in the reading aclove? </p> <p>My only other suggestion is to measure everything and map it out again. I think ethan allen has an online program where you can do that for free. The reason is that when a space is empty it often appears much larger than it is. For example my place looked enormous without furniture: once I moved in, I realized it was a trick of the eye. Luckily my existing furniture fit, but thank goodness I didn't buy a new sofa and loveseat -- I'd likely have chosen something way too big for the space. Also we discovered that our den doorway is so narrow, we could fit no sofa through it -- but a futon did work. </p> <p>Curtains: I'm clueless on this topic. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700345 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:58:23 +0000 rachylou 700345@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So neat and tidy, Anne! Good idea.</p> <p>I have one smallish-picture window. Maybe 5' across. I put up a tension curtain rod and did a quick-sew curtain over the blinds. It hangs without folds because I wanted a clean, unobtrusive look. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700319 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:09:11 +0000 Anonymous 700319@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like your floor plan. </p> <p>Just an idea for curtains - I'm a commitment-phobe when it comes to choosing fabric, so I ended up using twin flat sheets as curtains. I'm also not good at hanging up curtain rods, so I opted to use upholstery nails from JoAnn's, clip rings from Walmart and I just folded and pleated until things looked good to my eye. You lightly tap in the nails to the drywall (they make tiny holes that are easy to fill), clip the rings to the fabric and hang. Very inexpensive and very easy. You could use fabric, too, not bedsheets, obviously! </p> <p>I couldn't find a close-up pic of my curtains, but here's a long shot from when I had a blog. If you'd like more details, just PM me and I'd be happy to take some close up shots for you. If not, no problem. Just thought I'd share this way of dressing up windows! Good luck with the move! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700251 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:25:13 +0000 Anonymous 700251@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My husband always likes to lay out a floorplan before we move furniture in. On one hand, it does help determine what will actually fit in a room. However, I find that once we move in, actually being in the space will help you fine tune they furniture position. Lighting, traffic patterns and flow, and other aspects of real life will help you figure out all the wiggly little details. Place stuff....live with it a while....fine tune once you have been there a while. Furniture is moveable!</p> <p>How much of your office supplies and books can go in the large walk-in by the front door? Sometimes seeing closets as extensions of the floorplan will buy you additional square footage. Maybe take the doors off the closets and make it into a mini-office or library. Its one of the tricks we used in this house because the bedrooms were so tiny. We got rid of a lot of "stuff" as well, decreasing the need for storage spaces so the closets could be used in a different way. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700239 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:14:34 +0000 rachylou 700239@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your layout has good feng shui, IMO. Do you have a color scheme or style you emphasize? (I love decorating time!)</p> <p>Do you think you have enough "decompression space" from where you enter the front door? A zone to drop coats, mail, work bag...</p> <p>Other possible options that came to mind:</p> <p>- Putting your desk off the kitchen in the official dining area, scooting the dining area elsewhere (I do this, because I work from home and like to have a clearly dedicated area).</p> <p>- Putting your desk behind the sofa</p> <p>Also, I was thinking you should mark the baseboard heaters on your plan. Those things really get in the way. Two-legged tables make it possible to put furniture on those walls, but the table does have to be partially screwed to the wall. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700211 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:24:48 +0000 cheryl 700211@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great floorplan. Cant wait to see real pics! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700118 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:26:26 +0000 Kari 700118@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Astrid, the bookshelves contain books, DVDs, and decorative items like vases and photos. I have a huge book collection! Office stuff lives out of sight in a little three drawered unit that will go next to my desk. The floor plan to furniture ratio is pretty close to scale-my furniture isn't large but the rooms are enormous! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700115 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:23:34 +0000 Kari 700115@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Dianthus, I wish I could put my desk there. However, that's where the heating unit is-one of those long units running against the lower part of the wall, and furniture needs to be a foot away from it for safety reasons. Also, it wouldnt be good for my desktop pc to get that hot. I can't put my desk on the other wall in that corner because the bookshelves above it would block the window. The alcove where the dining table is has a low ceiling mounted lamp that would get in the way. I wish I could put my desk into one of the hallway alcoves where my bookshelves will go, but there are no outlets there. A dilemma! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700031 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:32:47 +0000 cheryle (Dianthus) 700031@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I did something similar with a fairly long rectangular LR but used a sofa table that was about the height of the back of the sofa and put a large vase on it. It was a way to add a decorative element with color that was visible from the entrance and also provided a clearer definition of the spaces for the LR and the reading nook. I would consider putting your desk on the back wall behind the sofa if it fits. I've learned to pay a lot of attention to traffic flow and it appears that where you have the desk may be a main walkway. With the chair, you may find that your work space is impeding flow. I usually allow about 3' for traffic flow and at least 2' for a chair. </p> <p>It looks really nice and spacious. You should get a lot of natural light from the porch windows too. Very nice. </p> <p>We've been doing a lot of floor planning (but are moving actual walls not furniture) and found a really good program online. It allows you to scan a floorplan and put walls to scale if you know one measurement. You can add furniture and change sizes to fit.</p> <p><a href="http://www.sweethome3d.com/index.jsp" rel="nofollow">http://www.sweethome3d.com/index.jsp</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700012 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:09:58 +0000 Astrid 700012@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your floor plan looks great! Nice apartment too. I also did a plan on millimeter paper for my current flat, because it's fairly small and has a lot of nooks (it's an old building). I only had a car for three days and needed to buy lots of new funiture, so I was glad I could place my existing pieces on the floor plan beforehand to figure out what measurements the new pieces were allowed to have. </p> <p>Are the pieces on your floor plan true to scale? I'll think about it some more, but I think it already looks great the way it is. I'm not sure I'd personally want my bookshelves in the hall though. Do these truly contain books, or are there more office things in them? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-700009 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 08:50:04 +0000 Louise 700009@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm afraid I can't answer any of your questions but I love your floor plan what a great idea for deciding where to put furniture. Your new apartment looks really spacious, what a lovely idea for a reading nook x </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-apartment-planning#post-699967 Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:27:29 +0000 Kari 699967@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So I'm trying to plan out how I would like my new apartment to be laid out, as we're moving furniture and remaining belongings in over the weekend.</p> <p>Last Friday, I actually saw <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/life-in-a-walk-in-closet">our own unit</a> for the first time - new carpet was being put in while we were touring the model unit, so we weren't able to see it until now. For a 2 bed/1 bath unit, it's quite spacious - LOTS of closet space (absolutely enormous walk in closet in the entryway, a slightly smaller walk in that will be mine in one of the bedrooms, and a walk in outdoor storage closet on the patio, along with several sliding door and pantry/linen closets.)</p> <p>Attached is a close-but-not-totally to scale floorplan of our unit and how I'm thinking the furniture should probably be laid out. However, I'm open to suggestions and also ideas for the interior decor. (I've been reading Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, and Maria Killiam's blogs like crazy!)</p> <p>Challenges:<br /> *The TV (which we don't currently have, but B. is shopping for one) needs to stay in the lower right corner of the living room as that's where the only cable jack is.<br /> *There are heaters along the floor in the upper right-hand corner of the living room, and under the windows in both bedrooms, so we can't put furniture too close to those walls.<br /> *All of the windows and doors have those hanging vertical blinds, which means that I don't really have a way to hang a tension rod inside the window frame to hang curtains in. It's a rental, so while I could put in *small* holes with a nail, I really couldn't screw/bolt anything heavy duty into the wall. It sounds like there are valance rod kits that essentially have a curved curtain rod projecting out from the wall, farther out than the vertical blinds; however, I'm not sure how tricky or expensive that would be to install. </p> <p>Ideas:<br /> *The living room is quite long, so I was thinking of using some of the extra space to create a cozy little reading nook facing the patio.<br /> *B. plays video games, and we kind of like having our computer desks in separate spaces. I think we're going to turn the back bedroom into sort of a "man-cave"/guest room, where B's bedroom closet will be. We're adopting a futon that can pull double-duty as a couch or guest bed. As the art posters that I decoupaged onto a canvas turned out pretty well, I'm thinking of getting some quirky posters to decorate B's little hideaway - perhaps some vintage art prints?<br /> *There are two small closets with shelves in them off the kitchen; we're going to use the right-hand one as a pantry, and the left-hand as a linen closet/medicine cabinet.<br /> *Our windows and porch face out to a landscaped courtyard where we see kids and dogs playing. The porch has cute little archway windows, and each one has a hook overhead where I'll hang some plants next Spring. </p>