Project 303 - a home improvement project

Hubby is on his way to work and I'll be left all alone for the night again. I don't really like that he's leaving when I'm just coming home from work, but that's just the way it is... at least for now.

So anyhoo, I am really psyched about this home improvement project of mine. Work is already on its way, starting off with these designs from an interior designer friend of mine named Mike. It pays to have talented friends who'll do things for free. Haha! I also work with Mike for TV commercials and TV shows so there is no doubt about his taste level and excellent quality of work. 

The main goal is how to transform our studio-type unit into one functional space by dividing it into specific areas. The dilemma in a studio unit is really how to avoid making the whole house your bedroom, when really, the whole house is your bedroom! You know what I'm saying?

This is how our little abode will be spruced up:

Top shot of layout

Bedroom

So Mike's plan is to put a wall around the bed and transform this into a 1-bedroom. It's going to be a tight squeeze but I see the potential in that it keeps away the kitchen fumes from sticking to the beddings and allows an area (finally!) for receiving guests!

Living room

I want to make this living room ultra-comfy by adding pillows that you can just plop on the floor for extra seating and a couch for watching TV. I have never had a couch in all my 3 years in this house so this is really something that I can't wait to have. I am on a very limited budget so the hunt for  the perfect couch that's up to my aesthetics and sensibilities still continues. This will also be the area for salah (prayer) so the furniture must be lightweight and easy to move around.

Another problematic area in our home is the lack of storage space. Mike solves that by adding a shelving unit to keep all our belongings like clothes, shoes, and other items neatly concealed by a curtain.   That way, we can hide unwanted things lying around when unexpected guests arrive, and they can't see all the clutter behind it. 

One more thing that I'm excited about is having my own desk! At present, there's a wooden vanity dresser right at the same spot, but with some DIY magic, I shall transform it into something pretty and modern and use it as my study/work table. Some inspirations I will take from colormecarla and centsationalgirl.

I dream about the finished product day and night. Oh, if only we can start tomorrow...

2012 projects

Hello Blog, I missed you. Haven't written anything for over a month. Everyday seems never-ending. There are so many things to be done, both at work and at home. I feel like 7 days in a week is not enough when you spend 5 days or 45 hours at the office each week. When I get home, the only thing I can think about is sleeping. Why am I so tired lately? Sigh...

To put an end to such monotony, I decided to rekindle my love for crafts and DIY projects. It's been a while since I got creative and maybe it's the missing element in my life right now. So over the holidays, I invested time and did some research on what possible projects I can get into to keep my mind off work and liven up my spirits. And here are some things that I'm eyeing for 2012.

1) Home improvement

I've been living in this shoebox house for almost 4 years now and never really thought about remodeling or improving the current state of my home because I never did consider this a real house. It was more like a temporary settlement and a convenient location in close proximity to my work. But after all these years, I guess I should embrace the reality that I may have to stay here far longer than expected and must then improve my surroundings to make it more visitor-friendly. So here are some design inspirations that I plan to integrate in my home:

The biggest dilemma, as is in any cramped studio-type apartment, is the delineation between the kitchen, bedroom, living and dining. Functionality and multi-purpose furniture is key in making the house conducive for living, and that is the challenge ahead.


2) Furniture restoration

I am in awe when a shabby furniture is returned to its old glory. I envy people who can transform trash into treasure and wish that I had the knack for it. Just imagine the satisfaction when you can turn a drab chair or old-fashioned dresser into a pretty piece of art. Check out these amazing projects from centsationalgirl. I think it would be fun to be her friend!

before

after

before

after

not from centsational girl blog, but what a great idea

3) Crochet 

There's something about crocheting that makes me nostalgic. I think that it's a relaxing and therapeutic activity to help you zone out. So during the holiday break, I sought the help of my mom to teach me how it's done and with the aid of internet, I am building up my skills little by little. I try to practice daily (if I have the energy and time for it) so that I can work on some projects right away and have enough personalized crocheted items to give away during Ramadhan. Here are some cute projects to inspire me:

headphone covers

beanie

shoes

iphone cover

hat with beard

There you go. I hope that this year will be more productive, insha Allah. I will be back, blog, hopefully with a more positive lease on life and more to talk about.