New beginning, the blank slate of my new home

New Digs 

This is what you see when you walk into my new place.  The green hillside you see straight out the french doors is actually a beautiful mountain which dominates the view.  This window and the ones in the bedroom face north and I have three more windows on the east side of the apartment.  When you're on the patio you can see farmland in the distance and I can even watch the sunset this time of year.   The rug and the chair you see here are my only furnishings at the moment.  I'm in transition and it will take me a while to get my other things here.

The blank wall is a wonderful negative space I plan to reserve for a rotating display of my artwork.  Whatever I'm not exhibiting or can't bear to part with will go here.  I also have a nice collection of my friends' work and this could be a good space for that.  In the meantime it's a lovely, empty wall of possibilities.  Maybe I should keep it empty.  

Another view

I'm very grateful that they'll let me repaint these walls.  This just doesn't work for me.  I have swatches all over the floor and will get some larger samples to see what might work.  It's hard to tell; these walls are so reflective they are very distracting and affect everything around them.  I'm looking at mid-tone neutrals in grey and brown tones that will continue the look of the floor and make the room look more spacious.  

The place is gorgeous with nine foot ceilings, wood floors and a full size kitchen and bath.  There's even a washer and dryer. The storage is a little cramped but I plan to move in several armoires to use as closets.  One each will go in the bedroom, bath and living room.  There are niches much like the one here in all of those rooms so they will work well.  I think.  They look good on the schematic anyway.  This has been a fun little project figuring out how to set up my new space.  Playing with floor plans and furniture possibilities trying to use only what I have reminds me that I'm really good with design.  Not a bad skill to have.  

BTW, this looks very spacious but is only about 840 square feet.  I'm very impressed with the planning of the community here.  The rest of the of it is just as well laid out.

I also have to brag about my friend and fellow artist Carol Henry.   http://www.carolhenry.com/  She was just visited in her studios by a researcher from the Getty Research Institute who plans to preserve her work.  Cudos!  And she's right across from my studio.  I am one lucky woman.