Following up on yesterday afternoon’s post, part (a big part) of why I’ve had such a stressful few months is because of some housing drama. We had planned to buy our apartment we’re in, but due to some, ahem, shady activity on the part of the owner we can’t. After some major hissy fits on my part, we started looking for another condo. And if you live in Boston’s South End/ Back Bay you know that having less than a million bucks to spend makes it difficult, which is RIDICULOUS and so frustrating. So I randomly did a suburban house search and fell head over heels for an antique house 15 minutes outside the city. We put in an offer, and were outbid. By two other people. Apparently the real estate crisis has not hit Boston whatsoever. While I was upset to lose it (more crying) I was happy to realize that I might be okay in the (close to city) burbs. Having my own four walls and roof sounded really nice after years of city living. So we found another house we loved. And found out it was a lemon. And then we found ANOTHER we liked, and that one was an even worse lemon (the kind with black mold). Loving old homes is a tricky affair, but thank goodness for my father who can do just as good of an inspection as an actual inspector! The clock began ticking louder towards our Jan 1 move date and my anxiety grew palpable, so we resigned to rent for another year while we looked for a house. But finding an apartment that is dog friendly and CUTE in the South End of Boston ain’t easy and bears it’s own load of stress. After seeing some icky ones and missing out on some others (renting is almost harder than buying right now) I finally, last week, saw a very cute apartment on the cutest street. And even though it was a little outside our price range I just needed to KNOW I had somewhere to live because the crying and anxiety was getting to be too much for Andrew (and me) to bear. Sometimes you have to calculate what peace of mind is worth, and this time I felt it was worth more that the extra couple hundred bucks a month. Should we not find a great house in the spring, we could stay here another year and be happy. But of course, in true Erin style, the relief lasted all of 10 minutes before I freaked out about spending too much on it. Andrew deserves a friggin’ Nobel Peace Prize. For reals.
What made this whole drama extra tough is doing what I do for a living. Spending your days picking out beautiful furniture and paint and lighting for other people’s homes when you have no idea where you are going to live in 60 days is emotionally tough. I am DYING to nest somewhere permanent where I can WALLPAPER! :) But for now I have to accept that it will be at least 8 months until that can happen and enjoy this great little place on a street I have always wanted to live. Crossing things off my bucket list left and right! And I think that it might be great to show you all how to not only decorate a small space, but also a temporary, rented one. I’ll need to spend my money smartly on things that can work in any space, and spend less on things specifically for this space (while being super, duper stylish). So readers, meet my new apartment:
A pretty historic street…
The kitchen is redonk- Wolf range, people! I will probably never have one again so I will be cooking!
The french doors to the patio make this underground space brighter….
The living area with wood burning fireplace where bax and ollie can snuggle up…
The reason I really rented it… I DIE.
Roses in the spring right outside my living room!
A built in desk and exposed brick on the stairs to the bedrooms…
Master bedroom with window overlooking the patio…
The cute first bath in between the bedroooms (second downstairs) and the guest bedroom with GORGEOUS marble mantle.
The guest bedroom…
So as you can imagine my mind is already planning the decor….it’ll be a great thing to show you the process!
This is AMAZEBALLS!!! Congrats!!! xx
Gorgeous place! So looking forward to your decoration play-by-play! Please keep us posted as you decorate.
Aw, girl! I couldn’t believe you were having ANOTHER “where to live for now” problem! I’m so glad you found something, and excited to see how you’ll decorate that cutie (seriously exposed brick? Wolf range? OMG!!!) The perfect house will be there when the time is right.
Congrats on where you’ve landed! It’s already gorgeous but I know will be insane when you get your hands on it.
It’s absolutely darling! I can’t wait to see your features about styling a temporary home, as it’s my predicament: living in a Gov’t-pool house in a foreign country.
It’s beautiful! 8 months will fly by and I am sure the perfect home to buy will pop up in the meantime! I know what you mean about not knowing where you are going to live is a MAJOR stress inducer! I am in the same boat while our new house is being built and it’s enough to make me become an alcoholic!!
Gorgeous space! Kitchen is totally redonk! You all will be super happy there and once you put the Erin touch on the space, you probably won’t want to leave. Gorg!
I love I love I love! It looks so cozy! The kitchen is adorbs… Can’t wait to see the progress!
Congrats! You will love living on that street – I definitely miss it. And your place is about a zillion times better than our (still comfortable and fine) “penthouse” across from the (very convenient and friendly) convenience store.
How stressful Erin! But I love your new home. I know you will make it “yours” and make it gorgeous. I can’t wait to see what you do!
Congrats! Good choice too – it will definitely be well worth the extra bucks :). I can’t wait to see how you decorate it!!!
That is STUNNING! Having lived in Boston for years I understand and sympathize with you over the cost because I know that’s not cheap!! But the KITCHEN! Congrats!
Incredible! If it makes you feel better, after my husband and I bought our first house, I cried every night for two weeks. (I also would return late at night to our cute studio that we were paying rent on.) I HATED the house, but after really making it my own, I couldn’t imagine not living there! Good luck!
The apartment is gorgeous, and I totally know the feeling of just wanting to be settled down in something I love. After moving from bad space to worse every year for 5 years here in DC (what in the world was I thinking), I finally bought two years ago, and although it wasn’t the perfect condo by any means, it was a space in Georgetown I could actually afford, and I’m finally making the improvements it needs. One month until my kitchen is brand spanking new, and I took a bit of influence from your single-girl condo you did, so thank you for that! You’re not crazy at all…being able to live in a home to your comfort and liking is so important and also so stressful…but it’ll all work out!
Beautiful apartment, and you’re in the perfect position for this market with nothing to sell. I really hope that you feel comfortably (though temporarily) settled enough to enjoy realestalking in earnest.
Erin your new home looks GREAT! Replete with patio , roses, fireplace, the built -in desk and yes the “Wolf stove”. To me this looks more like a “real home” rather than a rental. Think of it this way….someone, somewhere took time to make this place look like a REAL home for possibly, someone like you, that really needed it to be in” a home” right now.
I absolutely feel your pain and understand your anxiety when you are so full of passion to express “you” in your home, your work, and your life. It is going to cause you a great deal of stress when you can’t do right now…. get started today. Believe me I understand…. we got transferred 5 times in 2 years with my husband’s company and I felt like a total vagabond!
I have become a firm believer that things will happen the way they are supposed to. If it is meant to be, it will be,
and stangely things will find their way to you. My suggestion in order for you to find some peace (and to keep your sanity in the process) is to just step back, listen, and let things happen naturally. Afterall you are not planning on being here for a long time and this is not your forever home. Enjoy this time here and relax a little while you have a lot more time to look for that new home that will really be yours one day soon!
What a beautiful home. I’m really looking forward to seeing how you decorate it. It has great bones. Good luck and keep us up to date.
Ugh, I can see why you were so stressed. I’ve been dying for a space of my own, where I too can wallpaper if I so please. The new space looks amazing. That kitchen is beyond words, but everything else looks great too! So excited for you!
Looks beautiful! Can’t wait to see how you decorate it.
whitney
seeshopeatdo.com
Congrats it’s stunning and cozy.
the apartment is lovely in everyway!! congrats on finding such a beauty :)
ah, the silver lining. can’t WAIT to see you decorate that patio!
Your new place is beautiful!! I hear you on the house hunting stress….after buying our current house I said I’m never moving again. It’s so draining!! I definitely cried and freaked out several times :)
I so know what you’re going through. We moved this past summer and I experienced my first ever real panic attack. I thought I was going into cardiac arrest at 32! Real estate is not for the faint of heart, especially in a major city (I live in LA). The new place looks great (funnily enough your new kitchen is almost identical to my new kitchen!!). Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
What a gorgeous place!! Buying a home in this market is so stressful. My husband and I looked for 2 years in CA–all the homes were short sales with tons of offers. We were supposed to live with my parents for 1.5 months while our offer went through and then we lost it due to a shady realtor and that 1.5 months turned into 1.5 years before we finally found and got the short sale home we wanted! You are lucky to have a place of your own :)
Your new place is beautiful! Finding liveable apartments in Boston is like searching for a needle in a haystack, looks like you have struck gold :) Have fun decorating!
we are in the process of selling/buying {both antique homes} and the process has been far from easy! we are at the tail end so I am finally seeing light at the end of our tunnel ;) ironically, I was just on Nancy Neil’s blog and she posted this quote which I thought would resonate with you too! “Home is any four walls that enclose the right person” – Rowland OH – and your new apartment – totally beautiful…cheers.
This new apartment is absolutely GORGEOUS! Congrats, Erin! I think a house like this is worth a little bit of stress, it all works out!
I would learn to cook!Congrats!
Congrats on the find! It is GORG!!! The patio…I can’t even and the black and white flooring in the bathroom??? LOVE LOVE LOVE! We are in the midst of family planning and home expansion… it seems the recession hasn’t hit DC either. The prices for homes here are redic!
Gorgeous kitchen, I could live in it. Love all the lights and the backyard is fabulous. You should move to NYC and buy a house. I live in Brooklyn, the same area where your favorite J Crew woman lives. She just left her husband for a woman so she should fit in nicely ;) It’s not cheap either here but convenient to Manhattan. Looking forward to your designs.
You basically summed up my life right now, except that after leaving our South End apartment on West Concord near Orinnocco we are currently commuting from a beach house in Saunderstown (near Jamestown & Newport), Rhode Island and trying to find an apartment in Beacon Hill for November or December 1, latest. Stress and crying and being ridiculous and new husband not really understanding why and definitely deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize – right there with you and Andrew.
Erin: What a gorgeous place! This amateur gourmet is dying over your Wolf- filled kitchen! My family and I also need to move out of our rental (by the end of this month) and we have yet to find our next place. Budget and space are the main driving forces. I’m pretty sure your new pad would exceed my budget here in San Diego. I can’t wait to see your stamp on the rental!
Such an amazing space! I can’t wait to see how you decorate!
AAAAAHHHH – huge sigh of relief!
CONGRATS!
And cannot Wait to see your touch on the place!
Absolutely adore the roses and patio – grand choice!
(and kudos to your honey, the rock ;)
You’ll get there! Our Boston search sounds much like yours — outbid on 2 places we loved, lost another because of a shady realtor, but we finally found our place. And — punchline — this is 100% a photo of our street. Welcome!
Congrats! I was just in Brookline this past weekend and I LOOOVVEEED it! Can’t wait to see what you do with the place!
Nicole
congrats! that place looks so so beautiful.
and just a lil FYI about mold (i inspect for mold for a living) “black” mold isnt any worse than any other kind of mold. it all can be treated and taken care of. so dont let that scare you from a beautiful home. there are so many misconceptions and wrong information out there about mold.
Nice place. Love the South End myself. Lived there for 7+ years.
Erin, honestly, the nagging question I have is: Why don’t you and Andrew buy land in the burbs and ask your super-talented Dad to architect the perfect home. After all, who knows (and loves) you better?
I am almost positive this is my street :) Welcome!
Erin,
This place is sooooooooooo ahhhhhmazing! Loves it!
Love it, Erin! The kitchen is perfect too! Love the Wolf!
Teresa
xoxo
Girl that space is beautiful! I know you will do absolutely mind-blowing things with an already great spot! And when you find the right house, that victory will be all the more sweet!
I love this place. So it all works out in the end. You will also have time to look at other places with no rush. I truly feel everything happens for a reason it just might not be apparent until much later.
I understand about your stress. I stress about my stress. I can’t sleep if I have something to do before 12 pm because I stress that I will oversleep (I have never once in my life over-sleeped). I stress if my gas tank is not more than 3/4 full, what if I am stuck on the highway for so many hours that I then run out of gas (I almost never go on highways). If I find something I like I stress that I might ruin it so I go out and buy 2 more because if I ruin the first backup then I am only left with one so maybe I should buy another. I could go on and on and on.
I hope you get some relief ow that this drama is behind you and best of luck with the new place.
I understand your frustration and anxiety. Moving is already stressful enough without the added stress of not finding a place that you love in the timeframe that you have. I went through a similar situation 2 years ago only we were “houseless” (staying with friends) for 2 weeks in between the two homes! It will all work out in the end and I’m sure you will find the perfect house in the burbs! We have :)
I’m pretty sure that you’ve found my dream home. Can’t wait to see how you furnish it!
SHF
thechroniclesofs.blogspot.com
Erin,
So glad to hear you found a home that makes you happy to ease your stress. Sometimes it takes things going wrong (or not the way we planned) to happen, to help us see that there is something better out there. While I know it doesn’t always make sense, or feel all that great, generally it all works out for the better.
With that said, I can see why you ‘Die’ for the patio. It is beautiful. And to be honest, I cannot wait to see your designs, because I think they are fabulous. Enjoy your new home!
~K
That looks like a FABULOUS place. Enjoy and be happy! No worries.
This place is gorgeous! Can’t wait to see what you do with it.
if it helps your stress levels and disappointment, i LOVE your new street and new place and have extreme burning jealousy, wanting to live there myself.