BIG NEWS

We LOVE Hoboken. Really we do. We are just SO frustrated with the lack of room and the size of the apartments we can afford. We can't live in this apartment much longer as we are all going insane but the alternatives are insane. To pay an additional $600 a month for 300 more feet seems absurd.
From the very start I've gotten wonderful therapists both who work in the Hoboken school system. Annette who does the behavioral therapy with Brian is going to be teaching the 3 year olds next year at the school PJ is in now. His ABA therapist Janice is a Master Teacher with the school system and has been there for 30 plus years and has major influence and amazing contacts. She's pulling every single string she has to see if we can get Brian in Annette's class next year. (This means he would be in a mainstream class and not in special needs)
Both women have assisted me and guided me and supported me through all the tests and meetings and have been there for every form I've had to fill out.
When they know Brian is in the building both seek him out to talk tot he evaluator and give them background on him and help they fill in the gaps.
They have invested time and resources and energy on my little guy and not because they have to but because they are good women who care about my little son and want to see the very best for him.
If we left Hoboken for greener pastures I couldn't ever find this again. I know that. I know something really special is going on here for the benefit of my Lion.
He's got this team of folks who really know him, have seen his rapid and amazing progress and will get him in the best situation. They know who he is and what he can do. Another school system wouldn't. They would see what is on paper and base their decisions on that.
I've decided that we need to sacrifice our space for the well being of my small guys. I can survive this shoebox if it means Brian will continue to grow and flourish and if I can rest easy knowing so many people had a hand in getting him into the right situation.
SO...two weeks ago I saw a for sale sign on the building next to ours. It got me thinking that maybe we should go and look at it.
Long story short it's a clone of our current apartment. Same damn thing just in nicer shape. So we are buying it.
The Realtor measured the rooms for me. Here is what he got

Kitchen: 15x8

Living Room: 7widex11deep

Back Bedroom: 6.75x11

Front Bedroom: 9.5x11

Bathroom: 5x8

Foyer: 3x12
without further adieu I give you my dream decor...
This is the kitchen.

I hate the cabinets. They give me hives. They are so ugly and icky. Our current apartment has the same ones. I'd love to rip them out and put in shelves.
My dream drawers would be something like these:

But in reality I'd need something more like these:
Imagine a BREAD DRAWER...I think I might sell PJ for this fridge:
The Subzero pro 48


YIKES! Turns out I might HAVE to sell PJ for this fridge.
Subzero pro 48 $12,949.00
Okay maybe I'll settle for this one:
Sub-Zero 36" All Refrigerator, 601RG it's only around $6,000

I also love the Smeg fridge and with a sticker price of around $2,000 it seems like a bargain!

It's also a fraction of the size I think of a regular fridge so what if we did the Smeg with an under counter beverage center?

Along the wall they have the table on
I'd want something like this. More counter space is what we are needing here in this place now.
Of course I'd take either of these as well...


I'd put a deep tall cabinet next to the counters for storing items like paper towels, toilet paper, ziploc bags and all the pantry items so it's easy to get to and easy to use.



The lighting in the kitchen is awful
Two of the ugliest fixtures ever created. Tell me they don't look like breasts!


I'd like to see something like these:
and this for the living room rather than a fan:



The entrance "hall" is very narrow and the door is directly across from the bathroom. You open the door and see the bathroom. I'd like to do something like this with the entrance way.


This is the bathroom. Not horrible but not great either. I'd love to do some subway tiles in there with a freestanding pedestal sink.

LOVE this sink from Pottery Barn. I think it would lend itself very well to a bathroom like the above.


HOWEVER I also like this sink:and think it would look amazing in a dramatic bath like these

I want to use a mirror like this one:

Rather than a medicine cabinet I'd love some shelves with these containers:

We are swapping out the two bedrooms. Mike and I are going to take the room we have the kids in now and our king bed is going to slide in there and fit like a built in.
This is sort of the concept of what it will look like:


I'd like to put risers under the legs to jack the bed up so we can put stuff under it.

For the living room:
The Pottery Barn Square Slipcovered Sofa in Espresso. (If we decide to paint the walls the yummy chocolate brown I want to do) According to the dimensions it will just fit in the little sofa nook.
DIMENSIONS

Sofa
Overall: 79" wide x 36" deep x 36" high
Seat: 67" wide x 23" deep x 20" high
Seat Back: 18" high
Arm: 6" wide x 25" high
Leg: 2" diameter x 2" high
Back height: 29" high
Diagonal Depth: 32"
Seat Cushions (3): 22" wide x 26" deep x approximately 8" thick
Outer Back T-Cushions (2): 29" wide x 18" high x approximately 10" thick
Center Back Cushion (1): 23" wide x 18" high x approximately 10" thick
Thickness of Padding on Outer Arm and Outer Back: 1/4"
Thickness of Padding on Inner Arm: 1"
Thickness of Padding on Inner Back: 1"
Weight: 140 pounds
Packaged Weight: 140 pounds
Packaged Dimensions: 81" wide x 41" deep x 39" high

I must have these pillows for the couch at whatever the cost:


Since space is so limited in the apartment we need to make every inch count and get creative with storage.
I think this metal steamer trunk would make a great coffee table while doubling as a place to put papers or items we don't need to get at on a regular basis.

In a simiar fashion to this living room:

Toss some of this fabric over it and we are all good to go:

I would LOVE to put some of the Victoria Ghost Chairs across from the couch:

but I'm not sure how practical they would be.
I think perhaps two of these instead.


Armchair
Overall: 36" wide x 36" deep x 36" high
Seat: 24" wide x 23" deep x 20" high
Seat Back: 18" high
Arm: 6" wide x 25" high
Leg: 5” tapered x 2" high
Back height: 29" high
Diagonal Depth: 32"
Seat Cushion (1): 26" wide x 23" deep x approximately 9" thick
Back T-Cushion: (1): 35" wide x 18" high x approximately 10" thick
Weight: 60 pounds
Packaged Weight: 65 pounds
Packaged Dimensions: 44" wide x 41" deep x 39" high

There is this one corner that I have NO idea what to do with. It's by the entrance to the master bedroom and it's just this little space that nothing seems to work in.
Maybe this:
I just saw this and a very ambitious lightbulb went off in my brain.
What about a custom built in?
We could have a wooden base built. Something similar to a window seat but make it the dimensions of a twin mattress. We could have shelves or cubbies under it for more storage Something similar to this:


but not looking so much like a bed. cover it with lots of fun throw pillows and when we have guests we have a place for them to sleep...
Dunno. Just a silly thought. You will see lots of them in the coming weeks...