In My Next Apartment: The Perfect Bench

I was perusing a House Beautiful slideshow that was over 100 images of bedrooms (yes, just another day procrastinating at work, dreaming about having a new job, far far away from the bedroom I am currently living in at my parent's house), and noticed that almost every master bedroom had one thing in common: a bench at the end of the bed. Now, I have a bit of a reputation in my family for always having piles of things all over the place, and for being the reason my mom started a "shoe basket" by the front door, and having a bench at the foot of my bed has certainly contributed to this, but looking at these photos, I transported myself into my future life, where my bench will at most have a pile of classic novels artfully arranged on it, with maybe a cashmere throw hanging off of a corner.

The thing that I really love about benches is the variety. Whether your bedroom is modern and simple, has a country feel, or is floral and feminine, there is a bench for you! I currently have a bench in my room that has seen better days, and one of my fall "getting ready for my new life" projects is  to  paint the sad, dinged up legs white, and find new fabric to cover the cushion with. I'm aiming for a "sophisticated country" look, but after looking at these options, well who knows what direction the paint store will send me in!

In My Next Apartment: Leather Arm Chair

Like many people in their 20's, I have spent the last bit of time living with my parents. While my mom's taste is impeccable, and I have plenty of space, I have been dreaming of my next apartment. In  my mind it's a sunny one-bedroom in a walk up in NY, maybe with an exposed brick wall, a ton of closet space. Basically, I have been imagining the apartment of one of my old roommates - and I am also coveting the leather chair that she has in her living room.

This sparked a serious obsession for me, and I am determined to find a chair that is both dream-worthy, but affordable!  I think that they make a space slightly more masculine, and also add a classic cozy library feel to a living room. These are some of my current inspirations.....