Perfectly Imperfect - Crystal's Condo

Another Thursday afternoon, which means another Perfectly Imperfect space! Today Crystal from Major Gal is here to share her own personal space with us! Crystal is a fellow Torontonian who I met through the blog world / Twitter, and she is an incredible writer and an absolute sweet heart! Her blog always has fun posts, that always make me think and brighten my day,so if you haven't been by her blog yet - make sure to check her out! It's only fair. After all, she is inviting you into her condo!

I’m by no means an interior designer. I know what I like. I appreciate solid design and I marvel at spaces I consider gorgeous. Do my finances match my taste? For the most part, not even close. Every so often though, I find a gem at a great price. I have a lot of “gems” or things other people would consider clutter. My condo is small, but it’s in downtown Toronto, has a gorgeous view and when I was hunting, it was one of the few places that had parking and would allow me to bring my dog, Gigi with me.

This space if perfect for me. It’s a mixture of new and old. Of bargain and glamour. Of texture and function. It’s small and it’s covered in things that make me happy when I look at them. Magazines are usually scattered on my hand-me-down Ikea coffee table.

Bottles of nail polish and hair elastics are always within arms reach and the throw pillows I bought from Walmart are usually on the floor. Gigi is either perched atop a pillow on the couch or she’s “nesting” in the leather sofa and throws the pillows on the shag rug.

It’s part of her ritual and because I’m such a routine person, I get that she has to do this several times a day. She burrows through pillows whenever she sees them and because I find throw pillows are a great way of adding colour to a space, she has ample opportunity to burst through stacks of them when she’s at my place or at my Dad’s house.

I like girlie stuff. I’m trying to get all the shine and sparkle decorating out of my system now while I’m living alone in what my boyfriend calls the “pink palace.” It doesn’t look like Hello Kitty threw up in my condo, but it’s definitely got more glitz than my boyfriend’s place. When we take the plunge and cohabitate this fall some of my more feminine items will likely find a new home in a spare room or (gulp) a box in the storage unit.

I’m big on candles and I light them every day. I got these great fake crystal candle holders at Home Sense this summer and I adore them.

Something I also love: California. When BF spotted the huge mixed media Cali print above the TV at Urban Barn this summer, he knew I had to have it and I’m thrilled that he loves it also. That’s one thing I know will have a prominent place in our shared abode.

I’ve got a lot of stuff and although I try to keep it neatly organized and displayed in a visually appealing way, I know that not everyone considers the spines of books “décor.” I stack my books according to jacket cover. I like sorting most things by colour actually. My closet – although not my current closet as my condo has a major lack of storage – is organized by article of clothing, sleeve/skirt or pant length and colour. Colours go lightest to darkest. I like seeing a colour progression when I look at things. I also had all my crayons neatly displayed in the same fashion when I was a little girl. Maybe I was always this anal about colour…

This space is imperfect because it’s small, but it’s perfect because it’s lived in every single day and the leather couch from my Dad’s basement is comfortable. I’m using every available square foot and I’m trying to find a home for every piece of furniture, picture frame, candle holder, etc I’ve collected through the years. It’s crowded, but it’s all mine.

Big thanks to Crystal for inviting us all in for a sneak peek of her place! I'm loving that it's girly and pink, and I so wish I had, had a place of my own to girl up before B and I moved in together! Even that beautiful shot of the Toronto skyline that you captured has gorgeous pinks and purples that coordinate with your condo! You and your adorable Gigi are welcome here any time!

Make sure to come back next Thursday because Shannon from 8foot6 will be here sharing her pefectly imperfect space! I know... are you shocked that she had an imperfect space in her home? I was!