You never forget your first place. The way it looked when you first moved in, dinners on the floor while you debated whether to go for the table you wanted or the one you could afford, and finally, the moment you looked around and realised that the place you were standing in was home. But between those first few weeks and the finishing touches, there’s lots to do. And like everything else in your new place, it’s a time to remember.

Interior designer Dani Arps (http://www.daniarps.com/) remembers her move-in day like it was yesterday. “When I first moved into my space I had very little,” she recalls. “Just the few pieces that I’d permanently ‘borrowed’ from my parents, a couple of pieces of artwork from my love, Billy Ruiz – an extraordinary artist – and some artwork I’d created myself.” But even without an abundance of furniture, Dani, a former art and music major, looked at the space that would be her home and saw nothing but opportunity. “I like to think of my home, and spaces in general, as artwork we live in,” says Arps. “I can look around the room and tell the story of how each item came to my home. It’s important to appreciate each piece and let it tell its story. I think that the feeling I have about the pieces in my home is what gives my apartment life.”

by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason (Aphrochic)

The full article is available in the 1st issue of MOYI.