So this has been a long time coming, but I wanted to wait to show you all my apartment until after my parents had come and dropped off a few items. It’s definitely not done: I still need some throw pillows for the couch and to frame a few of my drawings to hang on the larger wall. However, I thought it was about time!
I moved after the Bar Exam because I really felt like I needed a change. I’m used to moving to a whole new part of the country when I finish school (from Kansas City to Charleston, then from Charleston to Chicago) so I think it’s a natural instinct. Since I wasn’t ready to move cities, I decided to move apartments and I’m so glad that I did. I think mentally I needed to leave the place that I associated with law school and the bar exam and choose somewhere that I felt was a little more “grown up.” Still a studio… but a more spacious one where I could actually buy furniture other than a bed.
Since I always find pictures of a room a little confusing without knowing the layout ahead of time, here is the floor plan:
Please note that by “room” I usualy mean “space…”
Alright, here you go! The photos move from coming in the front door, walking around to the kitchen, turning around and then looking into the closet.
And in case you want a better tour, here is a video I took right before my birthday party on Saturday night. Also, I realize I should probably turn my phone the other way when taking videos from now on… Hmmm.
If you can’t see the video, just click on the black box and it will take you to the video on my youtube page.
There you have it! I’m incredibily happy with my move. I LOVE that I can actually have people over now, especially since I love hosting. Small groups, but still more people. I also love that I have a couch. You have no idea what it’s like to go for over 4 years (didn’t have one in our house senior year) without a couch. You wouldn’t think so, but you really miss having somewhere other than your bed or desk to sit.
And have I mentioned the view? Haha that and the light that I get are the #1 reasons I got this apartment and pay what I do (a lot more than my old place…) but it’s 100% worth it.
What is your apartment/house like?
What are your highest priorites when looking for somewhere to live?
awesome! looks pretty spacious for a chicago apartment! in st. louis, location is everything. i love our location as we are central to major highways, close to work, and our family 🙂
Location is pretty big for me too, but more in that 1) I don’t want to be too far from the loop and 2) I want a neighborhood that I really like. The neighborhoods here feel so different to me, I know there are some I wouldn’t like living in!
You made that apartment look so cute! It looks like it gets a lot of natural light, which I love. I especially love the little table area.
Yes, that was my number one requirement: natural light!
Congrats on your new place! I bet it feels amazing to get into a new apartment and feel settled. One of the things I look for most is a HUGE closet 😉
Haha I definitely have that!
SO cute! I love all of the windows! We live in the main floor of an old, but cute house. We lucked out with the size of it, having two bedrooms, a big living room and a big kitchen, all for a decent price. As much as it’s charming, I’m ready to start looking for our own place to buy in January!
Oh how fun, I love watching House Hunters so I love hearing about house hunting!
Oh I”m sure I’ll be writing some posts about my frustrations once we start! It is super exciting though! 🙂
For a studio it seems huge!!! I like how you have it spaced out. I totally understand the desire to move.
it’s really big for a studio in Chicago, actually!
Reminds me of Carrie Bradshaw’s apt on SATC! Love it!
OMG I LOVE HER APARTMENT! That’s what I imagined when I thought of apartments I would want!
I love your place! Most studios are so cramped, but you did an awesome job with the space!
Thanks, Kelsey! It has a lot more square footage than most studios in the city, which I was pretty adamant about!
omg katie it’s adorable! i love it. so many windows! you did a great job decorating. i really want to live on my own so i’m incredibly jealous.
Living alone definitely has it’s perks, but it has a lot of downsides too! I can go way too long without seeing people I know…
So cute! I’m really impressed on how huge the studio looks! Great decorating 🙂
Thanks, Hannah!
Wow! Your new apartment looks awesome and the view is so nice too! Love the decorating!
Thank you, Holly!
Congrats on the new place! I’m definitely a mover and while I look forward to the day when I feel like I can get comfortable in a place I want to stay for the long haul, I do find I get that itch to move almost every year at the end of my lease. While I have a roommate in the burbs right now so we have more space, your photos definitely make me miss the days of having a studio and figuring out how to best make it feel like more than one giant room. 😉
Haha don’t miss the studio!
That’s fun! Very nice job working with the space you have. I’ve lived in plenty of apartments in my life but never a studio. I would never have it as well organized as you do if I ever had! Very cute!
It’s not easy to do the studio thing, you do have less stuff but it’s hard to have people over!
Very cute! You’ve done a nice job with it! It looks like you have some amazing views too!
Thanks, Ash!
It’s definitely a cute apartment! I’d definitely pay a little extra for that view, it’s gorgeous!
Thank you, Sam!
I LOVE all of your windows! That is an amazing space. I’ve been in my newest apartment since July and haven’t made very much progress on decorating… this is a great motivation 🙂
Having my parents come, and then wanting to host people was really great motivation for me! I did a lot in the last week before then!
Whoa!! I LOVE it. Congrats on the new place!
And yes, LOVE the view!
Thanks, Annette!
That’s a huge studio!!! How many square feet is it? You did an amazing job with your space and I love the decorations and arrangement. And of course, the windows and the views are to die for!! Lovely job, Katie. I love it. Just curious, what is on the shower curtain? LOL.
Oh, haha, the shower curtain has a bunch of Peanuts cartoons on it! My mom loves the Peanuts and she got that for me when I moved to Chicago.
It looks so cute! The closet into bathroom is definitely unique!
My old apartment had that as well! I think it’s kind of common in older buildings here
Your view is to die for!!
I LOVE it! Thanks, Hannah!
Looks adorable! Love the light. I live in a condo my husband bought while we were first dating. It’s nice but not what I would have chosen if we had been more serious at the time and I had a say. Light and the kitchen are my #1s to look at. And my house doesn’t meet my requirements. Haha
Well I’ve been watching a lot of Selling New York (real estate show on HGTV) and I think you should sell! Haha the show makes it look so easy…
I love all the windows! When I lived in an apartment in university, I missed having lots of windows.
that’s all I wanted – windows and light!
oh the joy of a new space. Congrats!
I agree – I love having a new space!
You have a beautiful apartment! I personally love open floor plans and too many doors seems stifling to me.
I really like your shower curtains! They’re Peanuts cartoons, right?
Haha yes! My mom loves the Peanuts and got me the shower curtain when I moved to Chicago
I absolutely LOVE your apartment. So cute. I’ve always dreamed of living in a big city like Chicago! I know you don’t have a ton of space but you’ve done a great job with the space you have. And it actually is much bigger than a lot of the apartments I’ve seen! 🙂