A Room of One's Own
The radical joy of decorating for one.
Living alone was never the plan.
In fact, I was destined to be codependent! I grew up glued to an older sister I idolized. I became a monogamy enthusiast after my first relationship – at fourteen – lasted over three years. I moved into a sorority house with more than fifty roommates and thrived. I lived with my last boyfriend for four years.
When that relationship ended, I moved out of our shared apartment and into a place entirely of my own. What followed was an unexpected exercise in self-definition.
At first, living alone was disorienting. The silence, the surplus of closet space, coming home exclusively to inanimate objects and no real signs of life after a brutal day in the office – it all felt like a void. But slowly, that emptiness made room for possibility. Without anyone else’s habits or preferences to consider, I was left with only my own.
There was one thing I knew for sure: this apartment had to feel unmistakably like me. When will I ever get the opportunity to make every interior decision without someone else’s approval? Here, I am free from the shackles of Sage Green Theory™. In fact, I went as far as putting pink in my color palette.
If I’ve learned anything after living in six different New York apartments, it’s that rushing to furnish and decorate your space will bite you in the ass. I cringe looking back at the decor choices I made in 2020 (so much checkerboard?). This time, I’ve been aggressively patient instead.
Over the last year and some change, I’ve built my own sanctuary – a place I look forward to coming home to – even if it’s just inanimate objects waiting for me. I’ve discovered the surprising joy of building furniture on my own. I play piano without worrying about bothering someone else. I built Sophie’s Barbie Dream Closet™ – complete with a vanity station, pink velvet curtains, a collage wall, and a zebra rug. There’s plush toys or Sonny Angels in almost every room. And one of the most affirming moments is when friends walk in for the first time and declare that it’s so me.
It’s still not finished: I have two major prints that are currently getting framed, I’d like to set up a projector in my room, I’m toying with the idea of painting some walls – you get the idea.
But there’s something quietly radical about creating a space that answers only to you. No compromises, no second opinions.
Left to my own devices, here are the things – and corners – that make my apartment feel unmistakably mine.
The True Room of One’s Own: The Bedroom
My cozy bedroom. Particularly obsessed at the moment with my thrifted “Princess of Quite A Lot” pillow (a girl lives here!). I keep my Warmies Manatee and two Miffys on my bed at all times. Building that bookshelf myself was one of my most rewarding furniture projects to date.
A Kitchen for the Girl Who Can’t Cook
You’ll notice the eye-sore of a completely empty fridge. It is not unusual for my fridge to be completely barren like this. I'm a bad cook, I hate doing the dishes, and I've found that grocery shopping for one is just as expensive (if not more) than just eating out. Hence, empty fridge!
Sophie’s Dream Closet
Imaginary Friends
Corners of the Living Room
Desk Clutter
xx Sophie
your apartment is so beautiful! it's so lovely to be able to have full control over your own space after sharing it with a partner for so long - I'm also experiencing this atm
I’m absolutely obsessed with the collage wall…brought me back to my bedroom covered in magazine pages