One of my goals for this year is to improve our living space, and I realized I haven’t even posted apartment pics for over a year. The little black rug above is one of my faves – Area rugs are an easy way to break up space and make the ground more baby-friendly. Decorating for a home with a baby on a budget is a challenge but after over a year living here, it’s finally feeling like a home. (I think the baby does a lot for the hominess!) Below are my favorite little things in the apartment.

Bookshelf in the family room – Mama’s reads on top and Baby’s reads on the bottom. He loves to pull all of his books out onto floor and look at the covers.

Sebastian’s baby piano is a family heirloom and he loves to play Mary Had a Little Lamb with Grandma. We got our first land line telephone about a month ago and it makes me feel like such a grown-up!

Kitchen window sill: Tranquility fountain, lucky bamboo, Lucky Cat style dog figurines ♥♥, bamboo steamer, cookbooks.

My husband was born in South Korea and this flag hangs in our stairwell.

This canvas is at the top of the stairs and is one of my very favorite things in the apartment. The photo is from one of our very first breastfeeding sessions, taken while we were still in the hospital. (Bless them, I’m pretty sure they airbrushed out a dark hair on my nipple.) I received this canvas from Bags of Love (visit their site for canvases and other Personalised Gifts) and I will definitely be ordering more from them – I am very impressed with the quality. I can see this portrait from my bed and it always makes me smile.

This tea tray on the kitchen counter doesn’t get nearly enough use. The tin is from an antique shop at the coast and contains random tea bags, including Primula Blossoming tea, and sugar packets. My favorite teas are by Yogi (I love their detox teas especially, but can’t drink them while breastfeeding) and Traditional Medicinals.

This is our bedroom – I am so in love with this bed frame and somewhat heartbroken that we have to get rid of it. Sebastian can move around well enough that I can’t turn my back on him in the big bed and he can pull up on the side of his co-sleeper. We have our eye on some cute low-to-the-ground beds from IKEA and will probably just keep mattresses (ours + a twin for Zebby) on the ground in the meantime.

Close up of Sebastian’s bed, an Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper. I highly recommend this bed for Baby’s first 6 months or so. Sometimes Sebastian sleeps in our big bed, sometimes in his own area. It’s easy to move him in and out and the bottom can drop down like a Pack ‘N Play. The co-sleeper attaches securely to adult bed. Donny gave me that Uglydoll before Sebastian was born – I love him.

And finally, my desk, where I compose blog posts if I’m not doing so in bed. The chair is a hand-me-down from a friend and it is amazingly comfortable. My Sbux drink of choice is a Skinny Vanilla Latte. BlackBerry always on hand. In the picture frame at left are two photos of my husband as a teenager (not shown). The yellow thing is my breast pump – Gotta get those milkies!

There are still parts of our apartment that I’m unhappy with and others that I have ideas for. Our teeny weeny decorating budget combined with the pressing need to baby proof the place is dictating a slow pace getting areas done. We rent so painting walls and installing most types of fixtures is out. I try to stick to purchases that can be moved with us when we leave this place. Hopefully in five years we have a house – I can’t wait to start making a permanent home.

I love to see other people’s spaces so if you have a home tour on your blog, link it up in the comments!