Today I signed a contract for a new flat. New to me, that is. The house was built in 1938, and I adore that style, Art Deco blending with functionalism. Gorgeous! It's in a very quiet area, but there is a grocery store on the corner, and a shopping centre one metro stop away. It also is a 10 minute bus ride away from work! That is an unparalleled advantage.
The flat is quite a bit smaller than the current one, but it has a full size bath tub! Whee! It is listed as 32 m2, but it felt bigger. And it has a balcony! A tiny one, but still a balcony. The flat is not in perfect condition and there is lots to repair and even more to restore. The whole place needs to be painted, to begin with.
Some time ago someone had removed the original kitchen and put in a new one. They rearranged the kitchen at the same time and managed to put the largest appliances to the tightest place. I am dreaming of one day removing the cheap IKEA cabinets and having a custom built 30s kitchen with modern appliances put in. But first, I want to live with it for a while to see what exactly should be changed.
The bathroom was last renovated in 1991, and it too needs a little bit of love. Changing the lighting would be the first thing to do. The current one is of yellowed plastic and the light is so dim. The bathroom dream is to put in 30s style taps, lamp, and porcelain, new tiles, and a new deeper bathtub. But it'll do for now, I'm just so happy to have a bathtub!
There are no hooks, wardrobes, or even a hat rack in the hall. That would be the first priority after painting, and the dream is to get a 30's hat rack, some wardrobes, and an oak parquet floor. Probably not all at the same time.
The room still has the original oak parquet floor. I love it! The room only needs painting, and a slight crack in the wall repaired in addition to the various holes for art or shelves. The dream is to replace the modern sockets with porcelain sockets in 30s style.
I've never lived in a place with a balcony before, so I'm not sure what I want to do with it. It is tiny, so there isn't much to be done anyway. Flowers? Candle lantern? Some kind of seating and a minuscule table, most likely. A system to make sure Sona can't go to the balcony alone, that will be a must.
It sounds like there is lots I want to change, and there is, but the flat is in a decent enough condition to live in. The restoration isn't going to happen immediately, it's going to be a project for the next ten years, or even longer. Restoring the flat to the 30s style will be my main hobby for the foreseeable future.
I am completely in love with the flat, the house, and the part of the city it's in. My windows will be looking over a sound and there are no tall houses on the other shore close enough to see into my windows. My view is over water and tree tops. I am so exited to be moving there!