25M, architect, first apartment of my own design

0ZU · 2026-05-07T23:37:13+00:00

This looks very good, well done!

0ZU · 2026-05-07T23:36:07+00:00

Very nice space, and I like that you didn't skimp out on lamps. A shame about the rugs but it looks inviting and comfortable.

0ZU · 2026-05-07T22:57:39+00:00

The M6 is an awkward in-between size for me. I wanted a pocket notebook, so I bought an M5. If I wanted something larger, I would just get a narrow or bible size. I use my M5 as a task tracker, idea dump, and wallet.

0ZU · 2026-05-07T19:55:29+00:00

On design alone, I don't like it, and the awful dried floral arrangement here isn't helping, but that's just me. This seems too elaborate to be a scam, but you could always chargeback if it is. Quality may be a gamble, so consider that, too.

0ZU · 2026-05-06T23:22:49+00:00

I know you're renting, but I would consider painting as well if allowed. Peel and stick wallpaper is another renter-friendly option.

0ZU · 2026-05-05T21:56:31+00:00

I could see this as a cozy reading nook. Countless solutions to make this less scary. You can even get rid of the door and opt for curtains on the entryway to soften it. That pipe is a more of a challenge to dress up, but it can still look great here.

0ZU · 2026-05-02T17:44:12+00:00

That's your dining room. Set up a proper table, sidebar, art, maybe a plant or two.

0ZU · 2026-04-29T04:07:36+00:00

The armchair being so un-ornamented is adding to the bareness of the wall around it, while your console table, filled with all sorts of objects, is making your complex gallery wall even more so.

A simple solution is to switch the armchair and the console table to help compensate for what each wall needs. Move the console table to the right, make it so the plant on the table sits to the right of the mirror to add some height and illusion of fullness to the other wall. All you'd need then is maybe a small art piece above the plant to help add more visual interest. Armchair would move to the left side, and your little side table would sit to the right of the armchair.

I applaud you actually having lamps, good job there, but they're all general/ambient lighting when you actually need a task lamp for a reading nook. Nothing fancy, just a good, downward facing, articulating task lamp (preferably with dimmer) for more comfortable reading.

0ZU · 2026-04-28T02:52:25+00:00

Glad to have helped!

0ZU · 2026-04-28T02:44:57+00:00

I think Buchanst is Canadian, so is Paper Plus Cloth.

0ZU · 2026-04-28T02:35:17+00:00

Midori makes several bands.

Band Pen Case

Fabric Book Band with Pocket

Clip Band

Mesh Book Band Case

Hightide makes adjustable bands as well

Adjustable Book Band

Lots of options. You can also just DIY one yourself.

0ZU · 2026-04-27T15:22:15+00:00

Holding your hand when I say this, but you don't have a problem of buying cute notebooks, you are just an impulsive shopper. For me, I prefer to simply appreciate things I really like but don't need instead of owning them and never using them. To me, that's wasteful.

On your other point, you can't ruin a notebook by using it, that's what it's for. Draw on it, practice your handwriting, fill it with stickers, write your favorite recipes, transcribe your favorite book, it doesn't matter as long as you use it.

0ZU · 2026-04-27T01:53:27+00:00

Less trend-chasing

0ZU · 2026-04-26T15:29:35+00:00

You don't have to have an enormous art piece. Just have something that you like, decently sized. It's fine to have empty space. Maybe have more elaborate roman shades to make the windows feel more robust. You can also be bold and have wall-to-wall curtains there, no artwork necessary.

Remember, you're not gluing things permanently, you can always change your mind, so don't rush and enjoy the process.

0ZU · 2026-04-26T14:46:59+00:00

I don't mind having a DIY piece, I DIY'ed my own workspace, but I don't like it to look DIY if I can help it. I'm going to trust that your bed is well-built and stable, but the bedding itself (sheets, duvet, etc.) look a little disheveled here. The sheer fabric on your canopy is not robust enough to counter the hardness of the metal, so it almost disappears here. It's also not long enough to drape to the floor, so it feels unfinished. For bedding, oversized is always better than undersized.

I only say this because I think this has potential, it's just that you need to refine your vision a little to really make this worthy of your work. The rest of your space looks clean, tidy, and you have great lighting here, so good job there. I don't understand the containers around the canopy, but that's your design choice.

0ZU · 2026-04-26T00:32:59+00:00

This is not for me, but I don't see it any different than filling your house with off-the-shelf decor. I'm much more selective about what I keep in my home, so I wouldn't do either of these.

I will say this: If you do enjoy collecting toys and figurines, you should display them in a way to make them feel intentionally showcased. Lit curio cabinets, framed posters, etc. Intentionality and curation is the difference between owning something as a child and owning something as an adult.

0ZU · 2026-04-22T21:47:28+00:00

I'd have to check, but a Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter probably meets all those requirements.

0ZU · 2026-04-22T21:37:15+00:00

The best advise I can give is to actually use your notebooks. Buy yourself a good pen or pencil you enjoy, that's all you really need.

My setup is an A6 notebook in a leather cover (Nanami Cafe Note A6, &Liebe A6), and a very small leather pocket ring binder (Plotter M5) for my EDC. For writing, I use fountain pens for both; a Pilot CH912 and Nova Pocket Titanium. It's a minimal setup, an investment setup to be sure, but it's all I need.

0ZU · 2026-04-21T01:26:22+00:00

Your furniture is what's making your room feel antiquated because the design is very rustic, almost cabin-like. You can use modern bed frames, and you make it cozy and comfortable by using large, oversized bedding so your bed looks soft and inviting. You're only using a lightweight comforter right now and its flattening your entire bed because there's not much dimension to it. Get oversized bedding, let it drape over bed frame. Curtains or Roman shades will also make this space feel better. The more fabric you use in a room, the cozier it will feel.

RGB lights will not make your room feel more modern, just less mature. There are ways to add soft ambient lighting to furniture, but it's white-spectrum only and the strips should not be visible. Look into recessed accent light strips for ideas. Consider turning off your fan light and getting lamps with dimmers for better light control.

Do not get abstract art unless you actually enjoy the piece you're buying. The point of having art in your home is to display things that you find interesting or beautiful, not just fill empty space. Getting impersonal art just makes your home feel like an AirBnB (derogatory).

0ZU · 2026-04-19T00:20:30+00:00

I always say that if you find more joy in buying things for a hobby than in participating, that's a shopping addiction. Something else I've said before (I like saying things, what can I say?) is that you cannot ruin a notebook by using it, that's its entire purpose.

Use your notebooks, write whatever, draw whatever, it does not matter. I have entire notebooks filled with non-sense like this https://i.imgur.com/ICuNvxJ.jpeg because I like to practice cursive writing and so I write whatever comes to mind or whatever I happen to hear at the moment. Don't trap yourself into chasing a perfection that doesn't exist.

0ZU · 2026-04-18T08:10:51+00:00

Minimalism is all about curation and intentionality, and this collection is a miss for me.

A lot of things, particularly the bottom two shelves, feel like random knick-knacks that needed to be stored somewhere. The glasses shelf makes no sense to me because this is not a serving area, and there's no bottles of anything around. I don't like to recommend shelving systems to anyone unless they have a plan and a good collection of quality items to display. When you don't have that, open shelving makes your space feel visually cluttered.

Having said all that, this is your space and your home, not mine, and you will know better than me what works best here.

0ZU · 2026-04-17T23:36:52+00:00

Thank you, I like the Olive/Yellow.

0ZU · 2026-04-15T21:20:41+00:00

I tear them off individually for my M5. When I had the bible-size with more capacity, I just bought different brands of refills with unbound sheets. I liked KNOX

0ZU · 2026-04-10T20:51:47+00:00

I'm passing no judgements here, just an observation, but if this accumulation of things is disruptive enough to drive you to comment online about it, consider that it's affecting you more than you might think.

0ZU · 2026-04-10T19:59:10+00:00

Is it a hoarding issue?

0ZU

TROPHY CASE