Narrowing down the contenders...

Good grief. Have I looked at a lot of ugly apartments. We've only been home a week and I feel like I've seen more generic cabinetry and Home Depot glass mosaic back splashes in these last seven days than I have in the past seven years. My god. We should have an intervention. I could set up a consultation service inside Home Depot to talk people out of zany colorful glass backsplashes and into subway tile. I could do hypnosis. 

YOOOU SHOOOULLD NOOOT BUUUY THAAAT TIIIILLLE. IIIITTT DOOOOES NOOOTT LOOOK ELEGAAAANT. IIITT LOOOKS LIIIKE IITT'S FROOOOMMM HOOOMME DEEEPOOOT. 

I think we're on the precipice of a new venture. I could set up a stand like a sidewalk lemonade vendors, harassing contractors as they pick out faux-cherry cabinets and bathroom floors that say "2014" all over them. 

What's almost worse is the actual layouts of these apartments. My god. What a violation of space planning! Everything is configured for 24 year old roommates. Virtually no kitchen, almost no common spaces or living areas, at best, spacious bedrooms, but no promises. And as a family with a three year old, all we want is enough room to build train tracks from the coffee table, down the carefully engineered hill of building blocks and into Julian's bedroom. Is that so much to ask? Evidently yes. Essentially all of these apartments were designed for young millenials who like to eat out a lot. Where do the 30-something's live in New York? Evidently not comfortably in this neighborhood. I know they're here. I've seen 'em by the dozen with my own eyes, but trying to find a grown up apartment with an actual living room?! Nearly impossible. Is everyone living in these squalid conditions, or we're about to move out of the last spacious apartment in Williamsburg? 

I guess I shouldn't sink too deep into the bottomless hole of injustice and indignation. That's not going to improve morale any, and I guess I've got bigger fish to fry right now. We've found a couple of interesting options-- a live/work space which we'd need to build out (awesome, but labor intensive); a stunning prewar apartment we're currently fighting for (numerous applications received. It doesn't bode well); and a more conventional loft that would still require a little building out, but wouldn't be as bonkers to construct, nor as badass when we're finished.

Stay tuned as we find out what's happening with the pre-war apartment, what our options are if that doesn't happen, and most importantly- if Julian is going to graduate to a bedroom with a window. What?!? There could be a silver lining in all of this after all. 

Thanks for sticking with me folks. I know my posts are erratic these days, but looking for an apartment is like taking on a second full time job. If only I was more wishy-washy about this sort of thing. I think it would be a lot easier to find an apartment if I liked ugly counter tops more and my family less. Because then it wouldn't bother me that our apartment didn't have a living room, nor would I be utterly offended by the sight of my kitchen every morning.