Photography and City Living Decor!

I'm a recent implant to Cincinnati urban living, and I love it!

Not too long ago, I moved into a two bedroom apartment in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Cincinnati.  It was almost a miracle! Well maybe it was...to find an apartment that brought together my love of nature, I found from my twenty plus years of suburban living and the liveliness of city life with it's upscale stores, arts and music events, artsy feel and diverse neighbors that I long for in this time of my life! I love my new place, yet I brought a few things with me from my past so, here's where you come in... I need some help with decorating my new place! Feel free to chime in with ideas! So go with me on a tour!

This place fell in my lap in the exact neighborhood I was looking in. Literally minutes before the leasing agent took me on tour of another apartment in the same complex, he described an apartment that just became available. Ahhh...let's not waste time...let's go to 'my' new apartment I thought. After a short tour, a talk with my boyfriend who thought I was rushing it ( he agreed later after seeing it);  I rented the place snatching it up before it had time to hit the market! Thank you, God! Hopefully, after the tour you will understand why I moved in so quickly!

Above, is my double balcony that looks outside to guess what...the beautiful greenery, I'm accustomed to in the suburbs. As I stood, on the lawn (see above pic): I knew I was at home minutes before the agent pointed out my apartment on the upper level. Really...that long balcony...is a part of my new two bedroom apartment. I'm gushing with glee! I couldn't wait to go inside to see more of this urban treat tucked away on a major, busy street.  I love it, right on the strip, yet tucked away like the suburbs! As the Melissa from Housewives of New Jersey says in her Jersey accent! Thank you, Jesus! :)

 A day after looking at the place, I took my boyfriend and showed him the apartment from the lawn. He didn't believe me when I pointed out my balcony to him. How quickly things change, when we went inside and looked out my sliding door...he was in shock to see how long it actually was. I could tell he loved it just as I did. Even his friends who moved me in fell in love with balcony and still ask me about it today.
From the picture below, you can see that the balcony stretches the length of my apartment (my living room, my second bedroom and ending at the master bedroom which also has a sliding door!) The view is beautiful for inner city living along with privacy in the spring-summer with trees, bushes and flowers in bloom. The view is also magnificent in the winter looking out at the bright red setting sun to the night sky with its bright stars and awesome looking moon! I feel like Sex in the City! :) The balcony and the view was a major plus for me.

This picture was taken in late winter, the sun is shining bright, but the trees are bare. You can also see I haven't decorated it yet, and it's almost summer and I still haven't. So please help me! I would love to do some kind of covering on the dry brown plank floors. Something that is durable in all kinds of weather. Something that can stay outside all year around. Please don't suggest that green fake grass...ugh that is so suburban-country. I hate it. I want something chic, yet durable! Any suggestions on this or furniture, etc! 

Now, lets go inside my apartment. No, lol...this isn't my place. But, I found these barstools on Nicole's SoHaute's http://www.sohautestyle.com/ I loved these stools; they are so chic. Of course, with my new move and budget I figured I couldn't afford them for my new apartment. But low and behold... my barstools! And yes inside my place.

I just love Bed, Bath and Beyond! You can always find some great looking things for a reasonable price. Remember, I've downsized from a fairly large house with a full dining room and kitchen to working with a smaller dining and kitchen space. But whoever designed these apartments has great taste! I love the bar window that opens up the kitchen to the dining area. It is great social idea! You can cook in the kitchen while your friends and family can sit at the counter, and drink a little Merlot or your favorite cocktail while talking to the cook! Totally fabulous!

The hardwood floors...oh, so nice and shiny! They are flawless! Don't they just remind you of urban living. I love the deep, rich browns from the floor, the camel color from the walls to the barstools. It is a photographer and artist's dream! I purchased these multi-color sunflowers, actually for my balcony. I was going to buy a big, colorful flower pot and somehow place them in the pot because while I love flowers, I'm not interested in taking care of them. I'm too busy, plus they attract bugs! I'm so pass planting and cutting grass from suburban life. Not interested!! Any suggestions for balcony and the counter-top?

Now my kitchen...again whoever designed this apartment did a bang up job with the kitchen! Love the Brazilian counter-top. I have a small space, but I have incorporated a little new with a little old reminders from my past. Now in most decor photos everything is cleaned up and spotless in the rooms that are photographed, but my pictures are from real life. My new life! And my dishes are clean, and drained using the camel color Micro-fiber mat, which I love! Taken from my past suburban life, you can see my grandmother's silver sugar and creamer set! I brought this with me. I could do a little better  on this counter. Maybe you can suggest something else for me?

My sunflowers again!

 My bathroom. A lot of people love those toilet tank covers and rugs! I don't...for me they are so passe'! I love the stark white color of the bathroom, and adding color here and there to decorate around it. I'm kind of eclectic as you can see. That little red, copper and black lamp on the sink counter is a candle holder. I don't know why,  I just like it! I brought it with me during the move. I love these blue shower curtains with its repeated square designs, and the same kind of designs are on the silver shower curtain hooks.

 I started out putting one of my works on the bathroom wall. And I like it! You think...I should like my work! :)The first photograph is called 'Mello Yellow', a macro shot of a water lily. Below you can see the water droplets on the almost transparent petals. I love the varying shades of yellow petals that surround the bright yellow inside.  Do you see anything else that needs decorating? What about that space on the wall above the light switch? There is another wall facing the mirror and the pictures. What do you think?

I decided to add another one of my photos to the wall. Why not it's free for me! Well not quite. The second photo is called 'Red Prickly'. The contrast of red bulb and turquoise leaves is rich against the smokey blue background. A great shot from my Canon Power Shot and photoshop. Believe me, you can never get the same exact shot twice. I took this picture in Glenwood Gardens in Woodlawn, Ohio. You can enhance one of your rooms with my photograph just email me at ourspiritandsoul@gmail.com or go to my website athttp://ourspiritandsoul.com/

 My abode is my living room and bedroom, but for this blog, we will just tour my living room. Sorry. But, I just know you would love my large bedroom with its half bath with a separate vanity room and a separate walk-in, room size closet. Yes, room size! A ladies dream!

Back to my living room.. it's no surprise that my furniture is vibrant with color and diversity just like my photography and card designs http://ourspiritandsoul.com/ Again, you also get an idea of real living from my apartment photos (hint took this picture after using furniture polish).  I could have cropped it or photoshopped it. Real life, remember! I was getting ready for company and wanted to make sure everything was spruced up!  But my walls are bare! Help, I need suggestions. My taste runs from African American art to abstract. I think I'm leaning toward some kind of abstract art.

My favorite part in my living room, besides my hard wood floors, of course is my sliding door that leads to my balcony view!  But my walls are bare here too! Help! Remember, I like contrasting color that both pop and complement the area!

Looks like red, burnt orangish-red is a continuing color theme! Below is one of two work spaces I use. I have a separate bedroom that I turned into my office. But, I use the work space in my dining area so I can be near the balcony sliding door with its bright natural light. Also, to be near nature, plus I can hear kids playing below or music playing from outside, but the music never plays too late. I like the sounds of life in my apartment complex!
In this picture above, I have an African art piece on the wall. I brought this with me during my move from the suburbs. I love this art work. Surprisingly, I ordered it from a catalogue and crossed my fingers! I was pleasantly surprised. It is a painted metal piece with beautiful colors! Each person is doing something different in the wall scene. The piece is well crafted. But I still need more on my walls. Help!

 Another view of my work space and those flowers that should be on the balcony unless you come up with something different. I love designs: lines, angles, squares, etc. If you look closely, you can see how I incorporate these designs in my workspace. This is also my style for photography.

Vibrant green leaves against the black wrought iron bannister is the view from inside my bedroom and where we end our tour. We end where I started off with my love of nature and urban living. Here you get a small, but beautiful glimpse of what I see from my bedroom balcony door each morning that God blesses me with another day. Two mornings ago when I woke up, I grabbed my camera and took this picture. I posted it on Facebook with the status: " Outside my bedroom window, God is still there!" I think this is the perfect ending to this blog post! God is still here with us! Hope you enjoyed the tour of my new adventure in city living. Let me know what you think and please share your ideas!