Inspiration Friday: The Princess Diaries Firehouse

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Guys, I have a confession: I love the Princess Diaries (and really, am I alone?). I watched this movie again this week, and renewed my dream of moving to San Fransisco and living in a converted firehouse. It's gonna happen sometime.

In the movie, Mia (Ann Hathaway) and her mom live in a firehouse-made apartment/studio. It's kind of an odd set-up, so I tried to pay attention this time to what specifically I like about it. Here goes...

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• Tall ceilings. You can't see it in this picture, but there are finished paintings hanging wayy up on the ceiling. And check out the ladder.
  
• Room for huge paintings. I did my first big collage last year and loved it. But it's not super practical for me to take up our entire kitchen to paint very often.
• Small tables scattered around, for holding art supplies- and coffee.
  
• I like that it's really a studio, office, and living room all in one. But each space is divided nicely to keep them semi-separate.

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• Plus I wouldn't mind staying in my pajamas and painting all day. :)

• Lots of things hanging everywhere - this is actually practical for a smaller house, too.

• I like the kitchen colours and checkered floor
• Pictures and lamps everywhere.
• See the mugs hanging on the wall on the left? My roommate and I did that in our dorm room in college. Were we subconsciously influenced by this movie?
  
• See that thing hanging on the wall on the right? That's a real phone. I miss those.
  

• Mia's room: also lots of pictures and lamps (and a spiral staircase- hello!)
• I'm not a huge fan of the mint green and peach wall colours, but I do love the hanging lights and how comfortable the room looks.
  

• a huge chalkboard for the grocery list.
  
• a fireman's pole to slide down on your way to school. Come on, that's cool.
• I also love those big mugs they're drinking out of. Makes me miss the early 2000's.
  

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• Look at that red stove. Just look at it.
  
• Ok, those are exactly like my kitchen curtains. Awesome.
  

• The trap door and staircase leading up to the another part of Mia's room.
  

• Plants, paintings, books, printed curtains...a sink just to clean your paintbrushes.
  

• I love how the living room is right in the middle of the studio, but feels like a separate area.
  
• Check out the huge painting on an easel. Can I have one in my living room too?
  

• Alright, side note: there's a scene where Mia and her mom make a painting by pinning balloons filled with paint to canvas, then throwing darts at them. I have plans to do this with my friend Rebecca, and will be back with the results. Doesn't it look like fun?
  

• Mia's room again- isn't it interesting that she has two vanity tables? One on either side of the bathroom door.
  

• The 'office'- pictures, paint supplies, pens in mugs, a tv and a computer. What more could you need?
  

• I love the round tables next to the more square furniture.
  
• a huge oriental rug.
  
• lots of pillows on the couch.
• candles everywhere.
  

So, here's my conundrum. I love this house, and wouldn't mind living there. :) But I'm trying to come up with some ways to implement what I like about it into my own house. The conundrum is: I'm a pretty neat person, and this is a really messy house!
So far I'm planning on re-arranging my desk to have more art supplies out and I'm trying to find a large rug for the living room. And I'll start lighting more candles!
And I guess it wouldn't hurt for me to relax in general about having such a clean house. :)




What do you think? Do you like the Princess Diaries firehouse, or is it to cluttered for you?