We got the apartment!

Thanks for your lovely wishes - they must have been granted! In what might be the fastest ever San Francisco rental process, we got the apartment! I am still a little in shock - we had expected (and been warned) that it could take months, so I feel super lucky and excited about the place we got. Above is a picture (with the side street very obviously blanked out!) - ours is the middle floor - we have the whole floor which makes it feel a bit like a house. Built in 1882, it's exactly 130 years old, which makes it both the oldest (and incidentally the biggest!) place in which I've ever lived.

This probably used to be the dining room, with a built-in cabinet for dinnerware, but we're going to use this as a bedroom. When I saw this online, I was so excited to see freshly painted and plastered walls, and such beautiful light coming through.

The original fireplace in the lounge room and front bay window. Can't wait to put a reading nook under the window. And the chandelier - well, it's a bit unfortunate, but it's a Victorian original, too.

A clawfoot bathtub! Pretty excited about this. I haven't lived in a house with a bath for about 5 years, so I plan on using this one frequently.

And this is my closet. Yes - The Pal will get a separate one! This one is off the main bedroom (yes, those are also original drawers with original drawer pulls that you can't see well here). The Pal's is off the dining room/2nd bedroom. I cannot WAIT (maybe I'll be alone on this one) to set up this room :)

Yes - back to the dining room/2nd bedroom mention. That's sort of a weird combination, I know. But we are super keen to both entertain here, and also to have friends come to stay. So we're thinking of making the 2nd bedroom into a dining room for most of the time (where we can eat and do work etc) and then push it to the side and have an AirBed when we have a guest. Not a perfect solution, but likely the most sensible.

I'm going to post photos as we slowly accumulate possessions and furniture over the coming months. Please throw in your suggestions - I'd love to hear them!

To-do list: (I'll be posting this weekly as a personal reminder of where we're up to - please feel free to ignore or to play along). Obviously much of this will cost a lot, so we'll do it over time, starting with the most urgent.

Kitchen
-Get a new plug for the sink
-Line cupboards with non-adhesive mats
-Possibly get an eat-in table and chair or a centre butcher's block/workspace.


Butler's Pantry
-Line shelves with non-adhesive mats
-Maybe get curtain to block the pantry from the kitchen? (or go crazy with a beaded curtain?)

Bathroom
-Put up shower curtain cotton liners
-Think about towel warmer/dryer?


Mudroom
-Buy a sideboard to house linen and to use as more bench space for the bathroom.
-Buy a washing basket
-Buy a clothes rack
-Maybe buy a plant for the sideboard when we have it


Bedroom
-Buy a mattress
-Buy a bed base
-Buy new, darker curtains
-Buy wall hooks for the picture rails


Closet
-Line drawers with paper liners

Dining Room/2nd Bedroom
-Research and buy an airbed and linen and guest towel
-Buy dining table
-Buy dining chairs
-Buy rug (this is a lease condition)


Lounge room
-Buy couch
-Buy coffee table
-Buy rug
-Buy a large plant - maybe a Fiddle Fig?


Study nook/Entraceway
-Buy small desk for this space
-Buy a chair/stool, too
-Buy a little lamp


Hallway
-Buy a rug (runner style) - this is a lease condition

I'm sure there are lots more to-dos - but so, so exciting!

One of my favourite details in the lounge room!