Guess who's birthday is Sunday. Mine, which makes it the greatest day in the world - yippee!!

That had absolutely nothing to do with rugs or design, I just thought you should know how important Sunday is! I also think you should know about all the new and exciting posts at Apartment 528. For those new readers out there (where have you been?), Apt528 is my main blog all about interior design for renters (and owners) with an emphasis on mid-century and retro decor. Who didn't like the 50s?

To start things off, I took you to Hollywood with an announcement about Ikea's new webseries starring actress Illeana Douglas as an out-of-work actress working at Ikea. If only Orlando Bloom would show up at MY Ikea!

After my Ikea daydream ended, I hooked up with Domestic Modern for a little Q+A with Thomas Paul, (the creator of the Love Birds rug, my favorite!) and spent a whole Thrifty Thursday searching for just the right pieces for a home office.

Perhaps my favorite part of the summer was when we got the apartment we wanted. After bribing the landlord with gourmet brownies and spending what seemed like forever filling out paper work, we signed the lease for our gorgeous apartment, complete with a white picket fence.

But, the fun of getting our dream apartment only lasted until it was time to pack. Packing is NOT fun!!  Thankfully Ikea came up with the perfect cure for a long day - a subway train decked out in Ikea prints. The trains were used to promote the opening of the Kobe, Japan store, but I think the bright colors would be the perfect addition to the Boston subway.

Lost as to what products or companies to use for your fall renovation? Check out my post on home shows going on around the country. Now you have no excuse for not installing those new kitchen cabinets. If you're a renter looking for a way to spice up your apartment without your landlord freaking out, you might want to read up on WallPops , removable stickers you can take with you as you move from apartment to apartment. Why didn't I think of that!

Maybe because I've been so busy painting the new place. It's so pretty!  Try not to judge me based on the quality of the pictures. When it comes to photography, I have no concept of lighting or focus and I'm pretty sure my camera is dying. If you have any camera recommendations, let me know!

Of course, a gazillion other things happened, like me falling in love with this gorgeous tv cabinet, but you'll have to read Apt528 to find out the details. Until then, stay tuned for the oh-so-juicy update on my birthday celebration and other rug-related topics.