I am so excited for you... huge kudos to taking the plunge and going out entirely on your own. It won't be easy, but what you risk is made up for in being ENTIRELY on your own without having to worry about a roommate. Plus, there's a lot to be said, psychologically, for having the experience of taking care of yourself and not having to rely upon someone else, but that's a separate discussion... Anyway, spending half of your income on rent seems a bit excessive-- most guides will tell you to keep it at a third (or less) of your take-home pay. So if the rent is $410/month and your take-home is $350-500/week, you should be fine. To start with, ask the landlord of the units what utilities are included and what are not. At our last place, NOTHING was included; we had to pay water, sewer, trash, and electric (no gas), plus the stuff that usually is NOT included: cable, phone (cell and landline), internet, and renter's insurance. (RI, for us, was about $100/year, paid once annually. Some landlords require it, but even if they don't, it's a good idea.) Other things to remember to include are student loans, credit card payments, car payments and insurance, gas and routine car maintenance, public transportation fees, parking fees, laundry money (and I agree, don't bother with buying your own W/D yet), routine medical expenses, and the floating stuff like groceries, clothes, "fun money," etc. Sit down and add up all of these expenses (the landlord should be able to tell you what the utility bills average for your unit; if not, you can find this info out directly from the utility company). When all is said and done, figure how much you have available every week for the incidentals-- cup of coffee on your way to work, lunch with coworkers, dinner and a movie, etc. This is your "fun money" budget. best way to stick to this limit is to withdraw that amount at the beginning of each week from your bank account, and tell yourself that is ALL you have to spend on non-necessities all week. If you start using your credit and/or ATM cards for all of your impulse purchases, you can drown very quickly. As for cooking with gas vs. electric... I've used both, and quite frankly, aside from seeing an actual flame with a gas burner, which you can eyeball to see how high or low it is, you just cook as your normally would. The nice thing with gas cooking is, the heat is much more "instant on" and "instant off" than electric, which makes it easier (IMHO) not to burn things. Important things to ask your landlord before renting: get specifics on the security deposit, and on what grounds you get it back when you move out. Ask what you are allowed to do to the walls-- some places let you paint, some places won't even let you put up a nail to hang a picture. Ask about quiet hours. make sure you know how to contact maintenance in case of an emergency. Ask if there is mail delivery on-site, or will you have to get a PO box. Make VERY sure, when you move in (and before you bring in a stick of furniture or a bag of clothes) to document each and every single defect or flaw in the apartment, no matter how minor it may appear to you. Go over the walls, make note of all discolorations, tiny holes where nails may have been, etc. Stains in the carpet, scuff marks on the floor, etc. Take pictures if you can. Flush the toilet, turn on all the faucets, heaters, A/C units, stove burners, oven, etc., and note anything unusual. Give a copy of this list to your landlord (you should both sign and date it), and keep a copy for yourself somewhere safe. (Now is a good time to purchase a fire safe for valuable documents like this, BTW). When you move out, you can reference this list if there are any arguments regarding damage you may have caused. I hope all goes well for you, and best of luck in your journey... You are taking a brave step forward that you will never regret!

I am assuming that you are renting and work with what is there. Does the desk need to stay in this room? Do you need such a wide spread desk or could you use one that was only on one wall or maybe only under the window? Are you open to painting that one if you need to keep it for now or should it remain as it is? (black? Think my nephew has the same one.) What other furniture do you need or want in a BR? Looks like a bed, frame and box or platform so you can get the mattress off the floor is a starting point. Do you need or want a dresser? A chair or a bench you can sit on when dressing or putting on shoes? What kind of feeling and colors appeal to you for your room? A lot of young men seem to like greys, black, red or maybe navy and naturals. Do you want something clean and tailored? Relaxed and casual? Have you seen any rooms in magazine or online that you like the look of -- if not the exact furniture or layout, the kind of colors or general styles you would like to incorporate? Sorry, no answers here, but hope these questions will help lead to info that can bring answers.

First find out what started the fire and make sure you don't repeat that mistake. Like the idea of swapping a fireplace for a patio door. It is entirely possible -- even likely -- that building codes have changed in some ways since the original building was constructed. Hiring local pros, beginning with an architect, that knows what is and is not permitted is the best way to avoid expensive mistakes.

@User WOW! I love your ideas -- I feel so inspired!! My tv stand is only 60", so 48" would be okay? Sounds like I need to keep proportions and scale in mind when choosing artwork. Do you have any advice on how to divide the space between my living room and my entry table? It feels awkward and bare :( Love the mural wall idea --I did a sort of accent wall up in the loft on a much smaller scale, with some stickers I bought at Target. (Ignore that corner on the lower right -- I haven't quite finished yet!!) @Denise Marchand I never would have thought of that layout -- it's unexpected but very interesting in such a long and narrow space. Do you have any suggestions for under the stairs? Right now I just have a dog bed under there so it's not very pretty and I feel like it could be better utilized... @A Maj Yes, very sloppy right now! I sold everything I own and moved across the country so I'm starting from scratch with my furniture and art, although I'm a little unsure of my vision right now so several of the pieces haven't made it onto the walls yet. I've already re-decorated once. Thank you for sending some inspiration photos -- I especially love this one: It feels comfortable and not too formal. I like all of the textures.