Country Girl In The City

Ever since our daughter was born 23 years ago, her style and personality have been tough to pin down.  She loves going for drives in the country, but is equally at home cruising the streets of a major foreign city.   She can throw on shorts and head out in the kayaks, but loves to get dressed up and go to the ballet.

She is able to adapt to her environment, and even though she's not fond of change, she has learned to embrace a place once she is there and take in all that it has to offer.

After graduating from college, she decided she wanted to live by herself and explore the new city she calls home.  But after living on her own for the past year, she decided that having a roommate and moving to a different part of city would be a good change for her.

So a few weeks ago she packed up and headed to her new apartment.  It's in a great location, within walking distance of great shops, wonderful restaurants, and everything a 20 something could want!

When she showed it to us I was amazed at what a 23 year old can get when it comes to housing these days.  Of course it doesn't come cheaply when you live in the DC metro area, but wow, just look at the lobby of her building!

It's stylish, hip, and oh so chic...a far cry from any place Mr. Tide and I ever rented when we were that age!

Of course the hours are long at her job, she has to travel some, and well, working in the big city is always more stressful it seems, but she loves her new place and having someone to come home and talk about her day with, or share a meal together.

These photos were all taken without the benefit of a tripod, which is crucial for good indoor low light shots, but it was so pretty I just had to share it, so I snapped away...

I think it might be fun designing common areas for various apartment buildings.  You could try out all sorts of different styles and if you're anything like me, it would ease your inner design schizophrenia!

When I was little, I wanted a house where every room was done in a different style.  An Asian inspired room, French, Modern, you name it.  I always thought that would be so much fun and then you wouldn't have to settle on just one style!

I think Mr. Tide is happy I outgrew that notion!

By the time I got to my daughter's apartment after a day of running around shopping, it was getting dark.  But I wanted to show you a few things that she has done already with her wonderful new place.

Like these cute British and French inspired prints she found at Target.  She has spent a lot of time in both England and France, and they go perfectly with the black and white toile shower curtain she picked up!

The black and white theme, peppered with pops of red will help wake her up each morning as she prepares to head to her office!

In her bedroom she has filled one wall with a collection of frames and favorite photos.  Some are of her with friends and family, while others are photos she has taken during her many travels.

All the pictures were taken by my daughter, except for the one above.  It was a birthday gift from us recently, and it is the very handsome George, taken by the talented and sweet Kate of Chronicles of a Country Girl. 

Our daughter saw it over at Kate's Etsy store and told me how much she loved it and I have to agree, it is a wonderful picture!  I even picked up a wonderful yellow boat picture from Kate that I have yet to hang in my own home, it's so pretty that I am still searching for the perfect spot to put it!  And if Kate's pictures aren't beautiful enough, she is just as beautiful herself...she gifted me the picture of George and sent me a gorgeous picture of a daisy too...thank you Kate! 

Our daughter is still deciding what sort of bed she wants...she had originally thought about a platform bed, but she's hasn't made up her mind yet.

She did find bedding she loved though, and it was on clearance from Pottery Barn...like mother like daughter, she loves a good bargain.  She already had the pink floral shams and a matching quilt, but added the crisp white monogrammed duvet and shams for a change of pace!  The light came from Ikea and adds a little funkiness to the room.

I tried to take some pictures of the living room, but with the evening light streaming through the french doors, (which lead out to a great balcony) it just wasn't going to happen without my bounce flash which I was too lazy to go get out of the car.

I was able to capture these gorgeous autumn colored tulips that she picked up at the store though!

She truly is my child and loves having fresh flowers in her apartment whenever possible!  These were simply beautiful and so perfect for this time of year!

And check out this kitchen!  It may not be huge, but it's certainly is nice for a rental apartment.  It has absolute black granite counters, stainless steel appliances and opens up onto the living room.

The galley design is compact and efficient but there is plenty of counter space.  And the bi-fold doors lead to a large laundry room which has shelving for even more storage.

Our daughter and her roommate each have their own bedrooms, both of which are en suite...which is so nice for two girls sharing an apartment.  I think the girls have done a great job already of making it home and infusing their own style into the space even though they've only been there for a few weeks.  

I'm sure it will continue to evolve over time, just like the both of them will.  And with its perfect location, it really is a dream place to live when you're 20 something and living the life of a country girl transplanted in the big city!  I can't wait to visit often!