Tuesday 5 January 2010

Style Resolutions Revisited: Erin from Apt 34

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas break and New Year.

I am planning to take it easy at Tea for Joy this month, but I have some great interviews lined up. I mentioned before Christmas that we would revisit last year's Style Resolutions. I've seen most of the responses and they are great, so I am sure you will enjoy them. I'm impressed that some people have achieved their resolutions, but also quite relieved that others haven't - and there have been lots of big life changes in the last 12 months! I'm also intrigued to see how their resolutions have changed for 2010 (if at all.)

The first participant in Style Resolutions Revisited is Erin, from Apartment 34.


These were her resolutions last year:

Interior design/renovating:
Simplify, streamline, add only warmth and treasured things.
Invest in more original art.

Change of the mood of rooms by changing accessories (a much smaller investment).

Try an offbeat paint color (like black).
Get rid of all carpeting!

Gifts/Wrapping: Give more and wrap better!

Shopping: Do as little of it as absolutely necessary and when possible buy things handmade, or made by people I know and if you're going to spend some $$, put in an investment piece that you'll love for years to come.

And here's how she did...thanks Erin for taking part, 2010 is definitely going to be your year! If you haven't seen them already, make sure you take a look at Erin's engagement photos.

Wow, an entire year has flown by and what a year it has been! So much has changed in my small little world, from moving into a home with someone else, to getting engaged (!), to now planning a wedding and a whole new life. When Lynne reminded me of my 2009 style resolutions I wondered, sheepishly, if I'd even accomplished a single one!

While I did manage to acquire a bit more original art (all done by friends) and took truckloads of things to Goodwill there is still a lot more purging to take place. We still have carpet and I'm dying to refresh with some new furniture this year. Pillows just didn't take it to the level I'd like. I won't be finished until our house looks more like this:

(image from NY mag spring 2007.)

I did a lot of good gift giving and some excellent wrapping in 2009 and when a wedding fast approaching (we hit the 4-month mark on Christmas eve) I'll be doing a lot more in 2010! I love to mix things up and do something understated and inspired like this:

(by Grey Likes Weddings.)

or out of the box, like this!

(wrap by Darling Clementine.)

As for shopping in the new year, all thought will be towards our wedding for the first half of the year. For me that means flowers, flowers and more flowers. It's something I hope to carry over into my style throughout 2010. Fresh flowers make every day a little more special.

(via here.)

My primary theme for style resolutions this year will focus on embracing new beginnings while staying both timeless and classic. No matter how you reinvent yourself, it never goes out of style.


To read Erin's full interview from last year, click here. And don't forget to visit Apartment 34 for glamorous inspiration (and if you want to follow along with the wedding preparations!)

9 comments:

Helena - A Diary of Lovely said...

How funny, I was reading Erin's last year's style resolutions a couple of hours ago! nice to see what's she's up to this year!
Thanks for sharing and Happy New year!

Anonymous said...

what a fantastic idea -- to follow up resolutions from 2009! it's encouraging to hear people accomplish their goals. thanks for sharing erin's.

Artemis Russell said...

Hello! Great resolutions, mine is to eat less Jaffa Cakes and do more exercise (and learn how to spell excersise!!!).

I just updated my Bucket Tree shop and there is an item on there that you told me to let you know when it was in the shop (it was quite a while ago!) anyway, just letting you know!

Happy New Year, and I love your new look blog too, I'm always reading it even if I dont get time to leave comments...thats another resolution to put on my list!! X

Jessica Nichols said...

I love the white wrapping paper with neutral embellishments. I haven't thought of making style resolutions but now I am going to think up a few.

my spatula said...

found you via ellie over at mint, and erin recently blogged about our wedding at apt34, so this is serendipity at its finest, as tea shops are a love of mine (america does not have nearly enough of them) and now i get to discover more on your beautiful space here. happy new year!

Apt. #34 said...

Thanks so much for posting Lynne! Let's see how well I actually stick to my resolutions this year :)

Jen said...

The woman in the black suit... such class and such beauty! This just proves how amazing and powerful a woman's suit can be!

Jen

www.slumberdesigns.com

Anonymous said...

I am lost in those photos!! Your parcel has arrived, thank you! But it is not with me (it arrived and was taken to friends where I'm staying however due to flu I'm not there). I can't wait!!!

Marte Marie Forsberg said...

Absolutely fantastic wrapping ideas!
I adore the dreamy white and cream presents.