Anevay's 'wallpaper'

Over the years I've had many people make comments about the art hanging on the walls of my apartment. Amid the few prints and paintings is a smorgasbord of images Anevay and I have cut out from art catalogues, artist books, etc... There are many nudes, including some rather graphic Japanese art prints from the Heian period, a few photos taken by friends (including some very funny ones of me), and a handful of seemingly random pictures that have actually been lovingly adhered to the walls.

Occasionally I grimace when I catch first-time visitors to the loft smiling and whispering what an odd collection it all is.

It's true, we certainly don't live in a West Elm apartment. (said with perhaps a bit of sarcasm?)

Nor do we live in a beautifully designed loft. You won't find a Le Corbusier chaise, nor a single piece of furniture that matches anything in the entire place.

What you will find is a sofa that my parents had when I was a kid, as well as a green couch that once upon a time belonged to some super duper famous person (who remains unknown, as no one seems to be able to remember his or her name).

We live in a functional, lived in space, filled with whimsical images, books and toys. (well, functional only if you don't open any of the closet doors, which threaten to empty their contents on the unlucky person who ignores my advice)

Anevay picked out all the pictures for the walls in her room, and I decorated her loft (and the staircase leading up to it) with flowers and ivy, as well as spraypainted purple stars on her walls and stairs.


Man, I started this post as a way to vent my frustration over not being able to ever buy new furniture, and the fact that I don't have enough bookshelves for the books that have exploded from the shelves in the living room and are not precariously perched everywhere in my room.

But as I write, I'm actually feeling pretty darn lucky... After all, how many kids can say that they're allowed to paint their walls, put up pictures that they like all over the apartment, and in general, are allowed a voice when it comes to decorating? My kid can! I think it's pretty cool...