Scott and I have been living in the heart of Pittsburgh for over 2 years now. We absolutely LOVE our neighborhood and our apartment however everyone knows downtown living = less space. Usually that wouldnt be a big deal – it’s just the two of us & we have a great sized apartment for a one bedroom – but recently I had a change of career and I am working from home 90%+ of the time (like most of us during COVID) and there wasn’t a space for separating work & play at home.

I wanted to make sure I had a specific place where I knew work would get done and I wouldn’t be distracted & I would be able to remove myself from the hustle and bustle of work life to hang out with Scott at the end of the day.

But where do I put this WFH office?

Like I said, space is at a premium in our 1000 sq foot apartment so I had to get creative. We have a small linen closet at the front of our apartment, away from the living space, that I always felt looked messy anyways – kind of an eyesore – and this was the perfect way to make it into something fabulous that I wouldnt hate looking at.

So I took to the internet to see what other people had done and also to see if maybe I was just absolutely insane to think this little closet would look anything like an office space. And while I wasnt the genius I thought I was for inventing the cloffice, it gave me plenty of inspo to turn this tiny closet into an office. See the ideas and products I pulled above!

Color scheme

Like the rest of our house – shades of pink & blue and accents of gold were the color scheme I landed on. I think it really helps to keep the color palette consistent in a small space for continuity of aesthetic. This is the same palette we have used throughout our house (and at our wedding so I guess I am sensing a theme here but I am nothing if not on brand). The blue wall paper, pink chair, and gold desk accessories tie into the rest of our house (thank G for a husband who lets me decorate everything in pink & blue!)

What we did: Shelves & wallpaper

This has your standard built in track shelves before. We removed those so that we could wallpaper the back wall. I found this wallpaper from Amazon. I measured and found out the square footage I needed with the help of Google and needed 2 rolls.

In all honesty, this wallpaper was really inexpensive and you could tell by the quality. It was very thin and stretched easily making it a little difficult to hang. If this were a long term space for us & something that wasnt going to be covered by shelves and computer screens, I might have bought better quality wallpaper. There are lots of imperfections that show if you look closely. Also – this is the last time I hang wallpaper myself…

What we did: Lighting & electric

This little corner of the apartment is blocked from our natural light so we knew to brighten it us we needed lighting. Once the wallpaper was up, we had a friend install this little chandelier and add an outlet inside the closet for my monitors & a power strip. I also added this awesome gold desk lamp that has a built in phone charging pad & a USB port. This is perfect for any desk! Gives off so much light & it never hurts to have a phone charger around.

Accessories & Decor: Gold & pink

With the blue wallpaper being a focal point I needed to tie in the pink and gold with all of the accessories.

The chair is SO comfortable and really beautiful. A coral-y pink velvet – it brightens up the space a lot. My chair is sold out but here is a similar option. Because it is somewhere I will be sitting a majority of my day I decided to splurge on one that was comfortable and supportive.

I ordered this set of desk accessories to go with the gold aesthetic. It came with a magazine organizer, hanging folder file, sticky note holder, pen cup, & letter sorter. All the things I need!

You’ve seen me use this gold grid as a sunglass organizer but I also use it as a pseudo-bulletin board. I ordered these mini gold binder clips to hang little notes to myself on there!

To pull in even more pink I added this desk pad in a pale pink to match the chair. I use the desk pad & my favorite weekly to do list pad as a mouse pad on the desk (I featured it in my weekly 10 post from a few weeks back and I really do use it every single week!)

I ordered a white & gold cordless mouse to go with me when I travel or move around the apartment.

Other Paper goods: hanging folders, pastel legal pads.

The post The Cloffice (Closet-Office): Converting the closet in our apartment to a full-time work from home office appeared first on Alex Schin.

As I always aim to do, I am here to uncomplicate things for you! I put together a list of fun & beautiful gifts that I love and will work for a variety of moms!

• Love You More Necklace – my mom always says “love you more” when I say “I love you!”. Its become a bit of a staple for us so I was so excited when I found this necklace! $187 on Shopbop
• Luminara Flameless Candles – I actually found these candles through my mother in law. I fell in love and she always gets me a different set for birthdays & holidays. They are perfect for those of us who are maybe forgetful about blowing out candles or love a little bit of ambiance al the time (aka me). $99 on QVC
• Emmy Sneakers by FashionABLE – This brand does an incredible job creating beautiful products while taking care of & empowering their employees. This brand gives fair wages to their employees & publishes them on their site. I love that purchasing something from this site also gives back to the world – it’s like a double gift. Plus – how chic are these sneakers?! Maybe you should snag a pair for you too – your mom would love twinning on Mothers Day! $158 from Fashionable
• Stella Studs by Melissa Lovy – These are my favorite every day earring! They are super glam but not too overstated. If you are looking for a fabulous pair of earrings, Melissa Lovy is your girl! Plus – Lovy is a mother herself so what better way to celebrate mothers day than supporting another Mama! $128 on MelissaLovy.com
• Alem Utility Bag from FashionABLE – another great buy from Fashionable. Everyone knows moms always need a tote bag and this leather one will last them forever (and with natural wear, get more beautiful with time!). $238 on FashionABLE.
• Ribbed Ceramic Vase from Threshold x McGee & Co – I think we have all spent time scrolling through the super gorgeous homes designed & styled by McGee & Co and I am so psyched that they did a collab with Threshold! You can snag this vase at your local Target & fill it with flowers for your mama on Mother’s Day for a beautiful, simple, & special mothers day gift! $30 at Target
• Portable Phone Charger – my mom is a big golfer and often her phone dies while she is on the course with her friends (where she also uses that bracelet flask shown below that I got her last year for mothers day!). This little charger has a keychain on it for her which will be great for her to attach to her golf bag! $20 at Nordstrom.
• Menu Winebreather Carafe – Okay so this is probably my most favorite gift to get anyone. I have bought it for hostess gifts, my brother, my mom – its for anyone who drinks wine! This carafe aerates your wine quickly & then you can leave it in the bottle or in the carafe. It is beautiful on a shelf or bar cart (thats where ours lives!) or on the table for mother’s day with that special bottle you’ve been saving! $50 on Amazon
• Flask Bracelet – TRUST ME when I say your mom and her friends will think that this is the funniest thing they have ever seen. I got this for my mom on Mother’s Day last year and it is still a hit. Great little gift to tack onto a bottle of liquor of her choice! $30 on Amazon

What are you getting your momma for Mothers Day?

The post Mother’s Day Gift Guide appeared first on Alex Schin.

Now I will be reviewing these spring candles with a few factors:

• Scent notes – according to the website that they came form because I am not a scent genius
• Throw – how far does the scent’s radius reach?
• Burn time – not exact but like generally – again not a scientist
• Price range – on a scale of $ to $$$
• Overall value – rank out of 10. Does the bang outweigh the buck?

Magnolia for Target – Hearth & Hand – Sea Salt & Lavender

• Scent Notes – Lavender and Sea Salt (pretty straight forward). Light and fresh.
• Throw – fills my living room and into the kitchen over time. Not incredibly potent
• Burn time – Soy candles burn longer in general which is what makes them such a good buy. After burning through 2 of these during quarantine, I would estimate at least 20-30 hours of burn time. Pretty impressive for a smaller candle!
• Price range – $. There are a few different jars you can get it in depending on your style at different price points
• Overall value – 8. While the throw isn’t great the price point is there & you can get it at your local Target.

Magnolia for Target – Hearth & Hand – Citrus Grove

• Scent Notes – Grapefruit & lemon
• Throw – fills my living room and into the kitchen over time. More potent than the lavender & sea salt candle
• Burn time – Soy candle so burns longer – I would estimate at least 20 hours. Pretty impressive for a smaller candle!
• Price range – $
• Overall value – 8. I like this scent a little better than the lavender & sea salt. It’s brighter so it can carry you into summer. It has a Capri Blue Volcano factor but without the floral and spice.

White Barn for Bath & Body Works – White Tea & Sage

• Scent Notes – Sparkling Bergamot, White tea, fresh sage with Essential Oils
• Throw – strong throw, fills the room quickly
• Burn time – at least 30 – 40 hours
• Price Range – $$. (I always think their candles are priced a little high so I don’t buy unless there is a deal on the 3 wicks or single wicks_
• Overall value – 9. if you buy on sale I think that they are always worth it. Bath & Body Works has great deals and their throw is awesome too. This scent is earthy and light for spring which I love! Not fruity or sweet if you are not into that. We also have these in our wallflowers right now!

White Barn for Bath & Body Works – Endless Weekend

• Scent Notes – Fresh summer mandarin, sun-kissed magnolia, blue coconut water with Essential Oils
• Throw – strong throw, fills the room quickly
• Burn time – at least 30 – 40 hours
• Price Range – $$
• Overall value – 10. This is my favorite spring/summer scent! Really bright and light for the warmer weather. I personally don’t think that the coconut is too strong at all.  This is the freshener in my car, the wallflowers I plug in in my house, and of course, my favorite spring candle. Would recommend buying always.

White Barn for Bath & Body Works – Linen & Lavender

• Scent Notes – Crisp Linen, Lavender sea salt, fresh air breeze
• Throw – strong throw, fills the room quickly
• Burn time – at least 30 – 40 hours
• Price Range – $$
• Overall value – 8. This is my favorite spring/summer scent! If you are someone that likes the fresh laundry smell but don’t want your house to smell like a bounce dryer sheet, this is a great option for you. Right now, this is the scent in my wallflowers for the house to freshen it up for spring!

Capri Blue – Volcano

• Scent Notes – Tropical fruits and sugared citrus
• Throw – strong throw, fills our whole apartment (we have a loft, so no full walls which helps the throw)
• Burn time – at least 40 hours
• Price Range – $$$
• Overall value – 10. This is an OG worldwide favorite. This candle is beautiful and bright. I imagine this is what insta-influencers home in California smells like (unconfirmed but thinking I am right on this one). You really cannot go wrong with this candle for yourself or as a hostess gift!

Capri Blue – Exotic Blossom & Basil

• Scent Notes – White florals, tropical melon, rose, and leafy basil
• Throw – strong throw, fills our whole apartment (we have a loft, so no full walls which helps the throw)
• Burn time – at least 40 hours
• Price Range – $$$
• Overall value – 8. This is also a great scent from Capri Blue – who doesn’t love the scent of basil? While if I am going to buy a Capri Blue candle I will probably go Volcano but if I am looking to switch it up a little bit or try something new I love this option!

Anyone else have a favorite spring cent or candle for me to try out?! I ordered a few more candles during the Bath & Body Works 3-wick sale – I will review those for you too! I ordered Cactus Blossom, Sun Washed Citrus, Palo Santo, & Turquoise Waters.

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