My Home Tour on The Everygirl

My Home Tour on The Everygirl

ALi   August 07, 2014   Comment  

I am so excited to announce a secret I've been holding on to for months now. Today, my apartment is being featured on The Everygirl!!! My heart is so overcome with gratitude, happiness and a feeling of accomplishment, I am truly blessed. I hope you will all head over to check out the feature, learn more about me, and see my place looking better than ever thanks to the talented photography of my friend Anna from Anna With Love.

Thank you so much to The Everygirl team for this amazing opportunity and to Anna, whom I could not have done this without.
And to anyone new popping by my blog, hello! I am so happy that you're here and I can't wait to get to know you better!
Click here to see the full tour and learn more about my career journey thus far and my decorating process!

All photos shot by Anna With Love for The Everygirl.

 xox

My Walk In Closet Makeover Reveal

My Walk In Closet Makeover Reveal

ALi   May 12, 2014   Comment  

Well ladies (and gents, if you're out there), my $100 closet makeover is complete! I managed to add organization and some prettiness with some easy and affordable solutions. I scaled back my original plan considerably (like my idea about painting it blush...which I still think would have been beautiful), but the end result is glamorous and most importantly, functional. Mostly I used things I already had around my apartment for decor, like the sheepskin rug, art, chair and decorative touches. The money went to a new hamper, all matching hangers, some storage boxes and a can of gold spray paint.

Let's just take a look at the before...My laundry hamper had broken and the whole thing is generally a disaster. My mother would be ashamed....I'm ashamed!

And now the incomparably better afters:

It really is the closet of my dreams! Tomorrow I will be going over the changes I made in more detail, as well as sharing sources and looking at the other side of my closet which is less glamorous than this side (needs to house cleaning supplies, etc.) but is neat and organized!

I can't wait to hear what you all think!
xox

New Leopard Pillow

New Leopard Pillow

ALi   May 06, 2014   Comment  

Many of you probably already know that I've been eyeing this pillow forever. Every once in a while for the past year and a half, it will come up in one of my posts. The other day, in light of some exciting news (secret for now!) I decided it was time to treat myself! I ended up getting it from this etsy seller, whose price was the best that I could find! I am so happy with it, I think it gives my room the final pattern that it was missing. 

After I posted this photo on instagram, I knew the room needed it, the combination really spoke to me:

Here are some more shots of my living space now!:

Have you treated yourself to anything lately? You deserve it!

xox

My Girly Gallery Wall

My Girly Gallery Wall

ALi   January 13, 2014   Comment  

What bachelorette pad would be complete without a girly gallery wall? Over the past year or so, I've been collecting prints and art pieces without much thought to how they would all coordinate together or how exactly I was going to hang them. I'll admit, I totally wung (winged?) this gallery wall (as evidenced by the MANY nail holes hiding behind each piece as I inched everything up, down, over and back again until I was satisfied...don't tell my landlord!). But now that it's up I have to admit the colours in each piece look perfect together...almost like I planned it!

 I really like how the art is framed by the doors flanking each side of the bookshelf (one leads to my walk in closet and the other to my bathroom) and I kept the highest piece in line with the moulding around the door to emphasize this. I purposely positioned the pictures around the TV to take the eye away from this big, blank, black rectangle.

Like my prints? Shop them below:

YSL Leopard Loafers (I scored the original watercolor, but you can get the print!): The Aestate
Gold T: (Gift from my big bro!) Chapters/Indigo
OUI graphic print: The Aestate
Lips Print: The Aestate (now available on Made by Girl)
Audrey Hepburn: Gift from my mama purchased from a vendor in NYC
Landscape: Flea Market Find!
Small Lamp Watercolor: Painted by yours truly! See it up close here
Butterfly Taxidermy: HomeSense (read about it here!)
Audrey Hepburn Triptych: Gift from my boyfriend, oddly enough also purchased in NYC!

Do you have a gallery wall in your home?
xox

You might also like: Gallery Wall Planning / DIY Large Abstract Canvas

A Look Back at 2013

A Look Back at 2013

ALi   December 30, 2013   Comment  

Can you believe another year has almost come to and end? I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of my favourite moments of 2013. It was quite a year - new job, saying goodbye to old relationships and hello to new ones, new love, and some very exciting moments both academically and professionally.

 ^ My apartment really started to come together with some great scores, including these bamboo chairs off craigslist and this rug from an estate sale. I've been here a year and a half now, and it's really beginning to feel like home! Stay tuned for some more updates in the New Year...I just did a mini-makeover around here and can't wait to show you all!

^ My blog's name went up in lights when my logo was featured on this giant billboard in Times Square in New York City!

^ I never announced this on the blog, but I was very excited when Tia and Tamera pinned a picture of my apartment to Pinterest directly off my blog. I grew up watching these two! It's quite an honor. See the pin here!

I worked on some school projects that I am extremely proud of. I've learned so much as a design student! Learning to render has been especially fun!:

Term 2:

Term 3:

Term 4:

Term 5 (full project coming to the blog next week!):

 And last but certainly not least, I met and began dating a man who makes my heart so happy! He has been my biggest support system the past couple of months and I probably wouldn't have made it through my term five final projects without his encouragement.

 I can't wait to make more memories with him come 2014.

 What is your biggest moment from 2013!?

My Bachelorette Pad: Christmas Decor via Instagram

My Bachelorette Pad: Christmas Decor via Instagram

ALi   December 10, 2013   Comment  

Last year, I didn't decorate my apartment at all for the holidays, but this year, I've been creating pretty little Christmas vignettes all over my bachelorette pad. The more glitter the better!

^Ornaments in a bell jar. So simple, but so pretty!

^ I've always been a fan of tinsel Christmas trees. Some people call them tacky, but my love of vintage and sparkle just can't be contained. I've seen a few in antique shops displaying vintage ornaments, but finally found a mini one of my own at the local dollar store! 

Big thanks to M. for making me decorate this year (and delivering my tree, which I hope to post about soon!). It's finally feeling like home here thanks to you!

To see even more of the holiday festivities going on around here (and to keep up with me while I'm busy with finals...sorry I've been MIA lately!), be sure to check out my instagram!
I hope your holidays have been merry and bright so far!

One Room - Two Palettes: Transitioning your Home Decor for Fall in Five Minutes

One Room - Two Palettes: Transitioning your Home Decor for Fall in Five Minutes

ALi   October 21, 2013   Comment  

We all know that the big trend I am loving for fall is black and white. I say 'trend' because it's a popular look this season, but let's face it, black and white is about as classic and timeless as it comes. While during the spring and summer my space employs a bright, lively and colorful palette, I decided to try on a different look for the colder seasons and went glam with black white and gold.

The changes were simple and only took about five minutes to complete. I didn't buy anything new, just used items I already had around my place.This goes to show you that switching up your decor doesn't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time. Also don't be afraid to improvise! The dalmation dot pillow cover is really a dress from H&M tied around a pillow form. Shh don't tell!

First I switched out the art pieces. Next I traded the colourful throw pillows. Lastly, I changed the items in my tray to fit the scheme.

Decorating Tip: Removing the dustjacket off of your books will often reveal more neutral covers!

I like any excuse to play around and experiment with styling. Do you change the palette of your rooms with the seasons? I hope you all had a great weekend
xox