Rainy morning.

As you can see, I am upholding the grand NYC rental apartment tradition of painting over wires and cables.

The bed is the now-discontinued green wool GRIMEN from IKEA. Also from IKEA is the enormous-yet-outrageously-well-priced HOVET mirror. The floor lamp is an Asteroid by Koray Ozgen for Innermost.

The long-haired Chihuahua is from Mars.

68 comments
  1. bethJanuary 25, 201010:58 am

    ooooh i have that mirror too and love it. but what i really love is the long-haired huahua from mars. little mars nugget. cute.

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  2. CharlottaJanuary 25, 201011:02 am

    Got anything else from Mars? Adorable…and love the bed…too bad it’s discontinued.
    Char

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  3. DanielleJanuary 25, 201011:17 am

    Ooooo…LOVE the floors, also!! Looks very cozy in there.

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  4. EricJanuary 25, 201011:20 am

    Aargh!!! Visible wires are the bane of my existence!

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  5. LaurJanuary 25, 201011:23 am

    I love that bed!! It has been on my dream list since the first time I saw, but I’m scared of low beds (fat girl + low bed = not so good morning). I’m sorry to hear it was discontinued
    :(

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  6. alexandra kellerJanuary 25, 201011:23 am

    it’s not just a NYC rental apartment tradition – i’ve seen it everywhere i’ve rented – Cincinnati, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Chicago…

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  7. belindaJanuary 25, 201011:31 am

    all the fanciest chihuahuas are from mars!.

    i am considering getting that mirror for our master bedroom. we just got the groland kitchen island and it has saved my sanity. i no longer have a microwave on the dining room floor.

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  8. AnaJanuary 25, 201011:33 am

    I’m going to openly admit that I love living vicariously through you . You have such a wonderful life and you live it in most stylish way. Thank you so much for sharing it.

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  9. AstridJanuary 25, 201011:36 am

    We have that mirror as well – it’s great!

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  10. verhextJanuary 25, 201011:54 am

    ummm, love that lamp. is it still available anywhere?

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  11. Anna at D16January 25, 201012:04 pm

    Tam, you can still get the lamp from Design Public.

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  12. AdamJanuary 25, 201012:27 pm

    I love that mirror!

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  13. FernandaJanuary 25, 20101:07 pm

    Finally one of them appeared!!! Where is Bruno?

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  14. the brick houseJanuary 25, 20101:09 pm

    The hovet mirror is killer, have it in the bedroom as well. doesn’t ikea have a new version of that bed in gray?

    Oh yes! HERE

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  15. laura treveyJanuary 25, 20102:42 pm

    Love IKEA ~~

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  16. Fat CatJanuary 25, 20102:43 pm

    … as long as Bruno isn’t from Venus… Sorry stupid joke !
    I have been meaning to ask for a long time : how is Sylvester doing ?
    As usual, can’t wait to see more of your fabulous place !!!

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  17. FionaJanuary 25, 20102:44 pm

    I’m looking for a bed at the moment and oh look there it is, the most perfect possible bed in my favourite colour… discontinued. Gah. It’s my own fault for not getting into Ikea till they moved to Dublin.

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  18. FionaJanuary 25, 20102:59 pm

    Ooh thanks Morgan. If I can’t have the lovely green, grey is pretty good. The shot on the Ikea website doesn’t do it justice.

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  19. Josh (in Wonderland)January 25, 20103:40 pm

    oh my god i love this. and i love slim-framed mirrors like hovet. i just wished it also came in a slightly-narrower model.

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  20. LoriJanuary 25, 20103:50 pm

    Love the bed and the little dog too…

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  21. call-me-HeidiJanuary 25, 20103:54 pm

    as in the planet?? ;-)

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  22. kristenJanuary 25, 20104:37 pm

    anna, are you going to post a floorplan of the apartment? i’d love to see its layout.

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  23. sharonJanuary 25, 20104:56 pm

    Love the mirror I have it in my walk in closet with fairy lights round it. I also find it makes the space seem much larger too

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  24. Anna at D16January 25, 20105:03 pm

    kristen: Draw a rectangle. Now you have a floor plan of the apartment! ;)

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  25. RoyallJanuary 25, 20105:32 pm

    Love this mirror! I’ve been wanting it for my bedroom. I just can’t understand why it is double the price in Canada!

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  26. the domestic fringeJanuary 25, 20105:33 pm

    Nice mirror. I think your apartment is really cute.
    -FringeGirl

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  27. XOJYJanuary 25, 20105:34 pm

    All the stuff is great but what I LOVE is the photo itself. Beautiful!

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  28. Brett | Design BabylonJanuary 25, 20106:18 pm

    LOVE the mirror! Such a great buy for an NYC apt — mirrors really do work magic. Noticed your beautiful floors too — as a former NYC-er I’ve had my share of HIDEOUS excuses for wood floors!

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  29. MichelleJanuary 25, 20106:21 pm

    Can I get directions to Mars, please?

    I like the mirror. =) I have a thin one that I got from Walmart years ago, and I could definitely get an upgrade..

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  30. SueJanuary 25, 20106:23 pm

    I agree with XOJY, the photo is awesome!

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  31. AgnesJanuary 25, 20107:49 pm

    I didn’t know the bed was discontinued. I like it the most of all Ikea beds. Did Ikea issue a statement on the decision to discontinue the bed? I was going to buy it at one point.

    Cute post Anna. Are you going to refinish to wooden floor or not gonna bother?

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  32. Anna at D16January 25, 20107:56 pm

    Agnes: IKEA discontinues stuff all the time. I don’t think they ever issue statements, they just do it (usually with a “last chance” markdown first — we got our bed for 50% off). Check out the comment above from the Brick House, though — it’s only the green that’s discontinued, but the gray is still available. (For now.)

    The floors were refinished about three days before we moved in. They’re 100+ years old, so what you see is just the patina of age! They’re actually in great shape. I just wish they were a little less shiny, but NYC landlords love that high-gloss poly…

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  33. AmyJanuary 25, 20108:21 pm

    Love it all so far. What are the window coverings that you have there?

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  34. Anna at D16January 25, 20108:38 pm

    Amy: Those are ENJE roller shades from IKEA. You can read more about them here and here!

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  35. SeraphJanuary 25, 20109:16 pm

    Does the bed sit directly on the floor? Everything I’ve heard about NYC and bedbugs makes that sound unpleasant, even if it is beautiful.

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  36. AmyJanuary 25, 20109:19 pm

    Anna: I didn’t realize that you also had the ENJE shades in the bedroom as well. Was wondering how you felt about the amount of privacy they offered for a bedroom? Do you have curtains for nighttime as well?

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  37. Anna at D16January 25, 20109:38 pm

    Seraph: The mattress is on slats, not on the floor. It’s a platform bed. I don’t think bed bugs care how far the mattress is from the floor, anyway. It’s the human they want, not the mattress. Unfortunately, much of the information online about bed bugs is misinformed and/or hyperbole.

    Amy: We’re on the 6th floor opposite a large rock formation, so visibility into our apartment is next to nil. The shades are more for psychological reasons than anything — I hate the “big black rectangle” at night! (I’m not really a curtain person, either.)

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  38. AgnesJanuary 25, 20109:59 pm

    Anna, the gloss poly on the floor is meant to protect the floors acc. to landlords I am guessing.
    But what a privilege to live on a hundred years old wood.

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  39. ValeriaJanuary 25, 201010:32 pm

    Oh man, the Asteroid lamp is amazing. The fact that it’s space-themed and a small lamp that simply sits on the floor. I love it and can’t believe nobody has commented about it yet.

    I love Ikea disc stuff. We got our bedroom cabinets for about $100 off the regular price when we did our bedroom makeover, it was like 75% off.

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  40. PauletteJanuary 25, 201011:23 pm

    I love this photo. Though you tell us everything that’s in it, the photo on its own is quite mysterious. And I’m having serious bed envy mostly because the bed is green.

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  41. tracyJanuary 25, 201011:57 pm

    i have two of those mirrors! they make such a statement! and then they also just blend in…
    i used to have three…but a night of sushi & too much sake made me walk RIGHT into one of them. Yikes. Don’t make my mistake.

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  42. satuJanuary 26, 20105:33 am

    I have had the same simple, Ikea mirror for years – goes with everything – a good investment. Your apartment looks wonderfull.

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  43. ruth allisonJanuary 26, 20108:00 am

    Hi Anna, it’s Ruth from Dublin here again. The apartment is really coming along beautifully. You guys do not hang about! Love that Hovet Mirror. I just had my debut visit to Ikea’s first Republic of Ireland shop on Saturday. It is so close to where I live, I bought the lack tv shelf in white and 2 expedit book shelves that were kindly assembled by my brilliant neighbour. But I built the tv shelf myself! Anyway, I love your blog and happy decorating in NYC. Ruth

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  44. AlexandraJanuary 26, 20108:25 am

    ah i love the floors too! i love seeing the progress of your apartment!

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  45. Mary-EllenJanuary 26, 20109:12 am

    Fritz is so cute on that big bed. How does Bruno and Fritz like the new place. Did they make themselves at home immediately?

    Did you get an IKEA mattress? I need a new mattress and was wondering if you use an IKEA mattress, your thoughts on it. Thank you.

    Also, thanks for your caulking advice for the Linoleum, I used the caulk and then what is called a shoe molding over it. Worked beautifully.

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  46. ionaJanuary 26, 20109:49 am

    You are so adorable and talented. It’s amazing what happens when you combine Ikea and artistry. It’s almost like magic or fairy dust.

    Best of luck with your new place Anna.

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  47. jenn skiJanuary 26, 20101:18 pm

    My husband and I have this idea that we are going to make our own platform bed, I wonder when that will happen….

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  48. hallieJanuary 26, 20105:20 pm

    Hi Anna!
    Coming down from Hudson to look at teensie studio apartments tomorrow, I’m looking way uptown and in parts of Brooklyn. Wondered: how do you feel about your neighborhood? Feel free to be vague about actual location, I understand that you don’t want people to know exactly where you’re living:)
    But – did you opt for E side or W side, and how high uptown?
    I’m still trying to figure out how high is too high (i’ll be working on Soho). Also most of my friends are in Brooklyn, so I have a few pangs about that. Wanted to hear how you are liking it.
    Thanks!

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  49. puckJanuary 26, 20106:08 pm

    Living vicariously through Anna….

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  50. NicolaJanuary 26, 20106:31 pm

    Must be lovely having an apartment in the city! After being a commuter for 1.5 years I understand how it feels to spend so much time travelling! Love your dog so cute! Does he like the new place too :)?

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  51. Christina DiazJanuary 26, 20106:37 pm

    I love that bed, don’t recall ever seeing that at IKEA. Great find!

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  52. Raspberry SwirlyJanuary 26, 20106:49 pm

    Your dog is so adorable. And that lamp could be an alien in a low-budget horror flick.

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  53. jeannetteJanuary 26, 20108:39 pm

    just noticed that you and suki share a motif. and are also possibly SEPARATED AT BIRTH!!!!
    http://pikkuvarpunen.blogspot.com/2010/01/pisaratyynyt.html

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  54. katJanuary 26, 20109:03 pm

    Completely off-topic, but thought you might like to see this (if you haven’t already):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKtdTJP_GUI

    PS Completely loving the apartment transformation. :)

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  55. Donna @ dh-designsJanuary 26, 20109:16 pm

    Love the little Mars puppy! And exposed wires —- don’t get me started. Our new (old) house has them everywhere — drive me crazy!!!

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  56. Anna at D16January 26, 20109:53 pm

    Mary-Ellen: Yes, F&B were immediately at home in the apartment! They’re pretty good at adapting to change — particularly Bruno, who has moved many times (with us) in his 7 years.

    And yes, we did get an IKEA mattress. We also have one at our house. I can’t speak to the new one since it’s only been used a few times, but the one in the house is three years old, and it’s GREAT. Very comfortable. The more expensive IKEA mattresses are quite good. (The cheap ones…not so much.)

    hallie: The apartment is in the Washington Heights/Inwood area (far, FAR uptown on the west side). It’s about 30 minutes to midtown from here, which is perfect for us. We are on a VERY quiet, fully residential street. We’ve only had the apt for a few weeks, but so far…so good. We definitely wouldn’t have picked this neighborhood if we didn’t like it. :)

    Nicola: Yes, both our dogs are very happy with the house and the apartment! The car ride is another story, though.

    kat: Yes, I did see that! Great, yeah? Travis is a pretty cool guy for doing that. :)

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  57. Ashley H.January 27, 20108:28 am

    I absolutely love your use of empty space and restraint. That’s something I’m not so good at. I see a square foot of empty space in my house and I’m off trying to find something to fit it.

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  58. michelleJanuary 27, 20109:57 am

    Love the image, and I agree with you about rental units, paint the hell out of those sconses! They look great! I always left a rental unit looking a million times better than I found it, I always thought I should get a thank you, but there you have it.

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  59. elisabethJanuary 27, 20102:23 pm

    Funny, I would have guessed that you guys were going to put some kind of futon/pullout couch kind of thing in there. What are the plans for the seating area, if any?

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  60. Anna at D16January 27, 20102:25 pm

    elisabeth: I’m not a fan of anything that folds out or has multiple purposes, because often one thing can’t do two things very well (e.g. toaster ovens). We have a bed and a sofa, but no sofabed. :)

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  61. heatherJanuary 27, 20103:53 pm

    That’s my favorite mirror. The movers cracked the top corner of mine when I moved out of my apt – we didn’t notice it until it was upstairs in the house and in place. I’ve been too lazy to drag another one home so I’ve been using it crack and all.
    I have exposed wires in my living room – even after drilling into the floor and running them through the basement. I’ll be painting those too.

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  62. BrandyJanuary 29, 201011:42 am

    I love the light too! And I know where to find others equally cool…

    Great Photo – may we use it?

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  63. Anna at D16January 29, 201011:45 am

    Brandy: Absolutely! I’ll email you the high-res.

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  64. Laura DurrerFebruary 9, 20102:07 pm

    I love that bed. If it had been the time and place in my life to purchase a bed, it would have been mine. I’m sad to hear it is discontinued. Perhaps Craigslist will someday deliver my lost opportunity.

    Laura

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  65. shineFebruary 24, 20101:12 am

    great apt! was considering the Grimen bed and noticed Ikea’s dimension for a queen are quite large – 91″x71″. Given that the mattress dimension are 80×60, do you find that there are 5-6 inches on either side of the mattress?

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  66. Anna at D16February 24, 20108:13 am

    shine: Those measurements (91″x71″) are for the ENTIRE bed, including upholstery. The area inside where the mattress sits is standard size.

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  67. AlyssaFebruary 27, 20102:56 pm

    Does that bed attract dog hair? If so, how do you clean it?

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  68. ireneMarch 30, 20108:23 am

    Hi Anna, i truly enjoy how much you love IKEA.

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