Guest Room/Office Floor Update with FLOR Carpet Squares

Have I ever mentioned on here how much I love working with FLOR carpet tiles? I’m sure I have. I used them in my own living room and they’re the best ever. Blogger Krys Melo's 1960 Mid-Century Apartment

After seeing how easy they are to install and clean, and how durable they are, I knew I wanted to use them somewhere else in my apartment.

We’re currently in the process of decorating our spare room to be a multi-functional office/guest room. Instead of looking for an area rug to fit the wonky dimensions, I decided to use FLOR carpet squares again. I had the Mod Cafe pattern in mind because I thought the sputnik style design would bring in mid-century hotel and vibes. After receiving samples of all the color variations, I chose the color ‘linen’. It’s a blue-grey that changes to more one or the other depending on how the light hits it.

Mod Cafe Linen Flor.jpgThe cool thing about FLOR squares is that you can customize a rug to fit your needs. You can mix and match colors and patterns to create something truly unique, or you can just go with one all over pattern like I’ve done. They’re easy to cut and they simply stick together using the included FLORdots stickers. Flor Squares Install.jpgThe stickers hold the corners of the tiles together and only stick to the backing of the carpet squares. Nothing actually sticks to your floor underneath so you don’t have to worry about ruining it or having to deal with sticky residue underneath. Plus, when we move we can just stack them up and take them with us to the next place.

OH! They’re also a breeze to clean. Some one spill a drink? Dog had an accident? Just pop up the dirty square and wash it out in the sink. Let it dry and stick it back down. Or if one gets ruined you can replace it. 

Here’s what the room looked like before FLOR squares.Before FlorBefore FlorFirst I laid out the squares to make sure I was happy with the placement. Any parts that need trimmed are easily cut with a utility knife or box cutter.

Flor LayoutThis room is tiny so I decided to do the entire thing. Once I was happy with the placement I easily applied the stickers to the corners to hold it all together and voila!

Flor Linen Mod Cafe

Atomic carpet! All done in about an hour!Flor Mod Cafe Linen

The lines blend together more and more as the carpet fibers fluff up a bit. Vacuuming helps.

Here’s what it looks like now!

After Flor Mod Cafe LinenTada! I think it definitely makes the room feel more put together and adds some much needed pattern. I love the way the blue-grey looks against the blush pink velvet of our sleeper sofa, and the black and gold of the table. Bonus, it’s perfect for home office use because it immediately eliminated any awkward phone echo! After Flor Mod Cafe Linen.jpg

If you’re thinking about getting a little creative with your flooring, be sure to check out FLOR! They always have good sale events and you can purchase in expensive samples of all their patterns before committing.

The room isn’t completely done yet, but stay tuned for a few more DIYs and the final reveal!

 

 

 

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Mid-Century Resort Inspired Flamingo Bathroom Refresh

Around this time of year I always get the urge to change my decor up in at least one room. Chalk it up to spring fever I guess. Anyway, after having such a successful attempt at wallpapering a focal wall in my bathroom with Tempaper’s tropical print, I decided I was confident enough to go wild and do new look and wallpaper the entire bathroom. As soon as I saw Tempaper’s new peel and stick flamingo print I knew it was meant to be and immediately jumped on the chance.

To quickly jog your memory, this is what my bathroom looked like before. 

Peel and Stick Wallpaper in Krys Melo's Apartment Bathroom.jpg And here’s the new new!

Retro Inspired Flamingo Bathroom.jpgIt’s kind of crazy how it makes the room feel bigger. I thought it might feel closed in with so much pattern on the walls, but nope! It works. The print is so lovely. It’s a lovely mix of soft pink and reddish pink that looks amazing against white and gold. As always it was easy to work with and very forgiving. You can refer to my previous post for installation tips that work for me. Bold Flamingo WallpaperI also added a few new accessories.Flamingo Wallpaper and Hanging PlantI got this hanging planter on Amazon and changed out the original chain with one from the jewelry making section at Jo-Ann.Flamingo Wallpaper and Fringe Window ValanceI kept the original window valance and shortened it in order to let more light in. I loved the fringe on the new towels and rug so I added some chainette fringe to tie it all together.Vintage Inspired Flamingo BathroomAbove the toilet I removed a badly installed towel rack and replaced it with a cute framed vintage Camay Soap ad.Flamingo Mid-Century BathroomI replaced the light fixture with a new mid-century inspired two orb vanity light from Lucent Lightshop. Flamingo Wallpaper from TempaperI personally like mixing metals so I went with brass, of course. Mid-century inspired two orb light from Lucent LightshopFlamingo bathroom with gold and fringe Over on the other wall I picked up a brass mirror/shelf from Target’s Project 62 line and a new metallic gold and white geometric shower curtain from Project 62 as well.Flamingo Bathroom MakeoverThe new “fancy towels” (you know, the kind you’re not allowed to use), are from Target’s Opalhouse line. I love the texture and fringe.Flamingo peel and stick wallpaperI followed the wallpaper all the way around the room, meeting the last seam in the most inconspicuous corner. Everything is reflected in the mirrors so it’s all pretty much visible from every view point, which was intentional and I’m glad it worked out.

Retro Flamingo bathroom makeoverThere it is! This year’s new bathroom look. I looooove the way it all came together. Yay!

Next up, the guest room and patio. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

3 Reasons Why I Like Renting Right Now – Melodramaville Update

This blog post was created in partnership with ForRent.com.

You guys, I can’t believe it’s already been 4 months since we moved to Palm Springs! We’re still really happy with our decision to move, even though the daily temps have been reaching the 120s. We’ve been loving life here and have been enjoying everything our new little home has to offer. Overall I’m really happy with the entire experience.

 

Over the past few months I’ve often been asked “What made you decide to move?” and the honest answer is “It just felt right.” Seriously! We toyed with the idea of moving for awhile, but when our lease in LA was ending it seemed like the perfect time. I decided to start an online search and with the help of a friend immediately found the perfect listing on ForRent.com. It was so easy to find the perfect place by simply searching our key requirements (pet friendly, pool, washer/dryer, hard floors, etc) on the site. Within a week our lease was signed and we were ready to move in. Easy as pie!

Krys Melo of Melodrama's Living Room

It has everything we searched for including great light, hardwood floors, pool, pet-friendly, and an upgraded all-white kitchen. All ready and waiting for us.Melodrama's Tips for a better rental kitchen

That’s the great thing about renting in my opinion. If you’ve followed this blog for awhile you’ll know that I’ve enjoyed renting and have shared clever ways I decorate my rentals. I’m a big advocate for not feeling the pressure to purchase right away. One day I do plan on owning a home, but for right now I’ve adopted ForRent.com’s approach which is “Rent your home. Own your life.”

 

Here are some honest reasons why I prefer to rent and how it has been beneficial to my lifestyle:

 

  1. Less long term commitment. Listen you guys, I don’t know where I want to settle down just yet. I don’t want to buy a home and then have to deal with what to do with it if I decide I want to move to a new city or state. I like knowing I have the freedom to up and move wherever my heart takes me. I’m not ready to own a home until I know I’m ready to commit to one city. Buying a home to me is kind of like entering a marriage, and right now I’m happy with my RENTlationship, if you catch my drift. If the mood ever strikes again I can just sign on to ForRent.com and find another apartment of my dreams in my desired location.

 

  1. Freedom and less responsibility. I like knowing that if something breaks (and it’s not my fault of course), I’m not responsible for the cost of repairing it. If the AC goes out, oven stops working, washer breaks, sink leaks – it’s all taken care of by a knowledgeable maintenance person at no cost to us! That’s luxury living to me, my friends. Less stress = happy me.

 

  1. Amenities, of course. We wanted a pool, in-unit laundry, upgraded kitchen appliances, and a place to entertain our guests outdoors. We were able to find all of that ready and waiting for us! All inclusive, baby!

 

Palm Springs Pool Vibes

I can go on, but for these reasons specifically I truly believe that renting can be an enjoyable and beneficial experience. It has been for me! And thanks to ForRent.com it was also an easy one.

Stay tuned for an updated home tour and more renter-friendly decorating projects!

As always all opinions and creative content is my own.

 

 

 

 

Yay I Installed Peel and Stick Temporary Wallpaper In My Bathroom!

I finally did something I’ve been wanting to do for years, but didn’t feel like it was worth it in my last apartment. I installed bathroom wallpaper!

As you probably know I’m a renter, so many of my projects have to be temporary. That’s why I decided to look into peel and stick wallpaper options. There’s such a great selection out there, but when I found this botanical print from Tempaper I was smitten!

Turns out installing this type of wallpaper isn’t as daunting as it seems. The paper is super durable and forgiving, allowing you to adjust and re-position as needed to get everything lined up and perfect. This is great news because bathrooms can be especially tricky. Working your way around a toilet can be a big pain in the ass. No pun intended (zing!).

The first thing you need to do is measure your wall. By the way, Tempaper has a cool calculator that helps you determine how much paper you need. I only needed one roll for this wall and had some to spare. Please note that this kind of paper won’t adhere well to textured or matte walls. Eggshell, Semi-gloss, or gloss paint works best. Bathrooms usually have semi gloss paint, so you should be good. 

How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom.jpgNext, pre-cut the lengths you need. This makes your life so much easier. Be sure to line up the pattern with each new piece you cut.How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (2)

Remove any toilet paper holders or towel racks that might get in the way. Outlets are fine, you can just use a razor to cut around them later.

I did this entire job alone because there’s just not enough room in my tiny bathroom for this to be a two person job. If you have room for help, it’ll make the job easier, but if its just you don’t worry, you can do it. As you can see I could barely fit the step ladder.How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (3)

Now the real fun starts. The first piece is the trickiest because you need to get it on there straight, that way all the following pieces line up. Use the wall corner and ceiling (and a level if you have one) as your guide and you’ll be fine. How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (4)

As you can see I didn’t measure or pre-cut the window section. Just simply go around when you’re done and trim around any windows, outlets, and edges with a razor blade. Just keep lining up each piece at the side seams and use a Tempaper squeegee to push out any air bubbles and smooth it out.

How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (5)And that’s it! If you’re wondering how well this paper might hold up in a bathroom, I’ll just say I took a steamy shower about an hour after I was done and no seams or edges came away from the wall. The paper is also non-porous, so it seems it’ll hold up to moisture well.

How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (6)

I really love how much life it brings into this small room. I originally wanted to try to do the whole room, but I think the accent wall approach is actually perfect for in here.How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (7)

I love pink and green together so I added pink and coral colored towels and rugs and a flamingo shower curtain.

How to install peel and stick Tempaper wall paper in a bathroom (8)

Major mid-century Palm Springs vibes, right? Now I just need to find some art work and make a valance for that window (stay tuned for that) and it’ll be complete!

 

Special thanks to Tempaper for being kind enough to provide product for this project. As always, all opinions are genuine and my own.