Apartment Decorating: The Extras

I've mentioned that I'm furnishing and decorating my apartment a few times (here and here), but until I really got into the process, I didn't understand what a challenge it is to find cute, stylish pieces that really are affordable. So often I see things like a $2000 couch or a $150 throw being touted as "affordable"...which isn't what I consider affordable at all.

Probably about 95% of my apartment furniture is from IKEA. I knew what I wanted to spend more on (couch, bedroom furniture) so I could save a little money on items that won't be used nearly as heavily (desk, desk chair). I agonized over a couch, driving both Matt and myself insane in the process. At one point, I literally handed him my laptop, told him my budget, and let him pick out my couch because I just could not do it anymore. Thankfully I like and approve of his choice...even though it's still in the box because I can't find the time to put it together.

Now that all the big pieces are set, I can finally get down to the fun part: decorating! I've been mixing together pieces from big box stores and things I've had for years.

Here are a few things I have my eye on to tie things together...

 Patterned throw, H&M, $34.95: I bought some gray and aqua pillows at Marshalls, so I think this throw is the perfect way to add a little bit more color and pattern to my couch, while also keeping cat fur off the upholstery. At $35, it's not terribly expensive or precious, so if little claws create a snag or two, I won't mind as much.

"Vivan" curtains, IKEA, $9.99 for set: There is literally no way I'm going to invest in a pricey pair of curtains that'll probably get torn up by a cat. These are airy, light, and breezy and the price point is perfect--I can replace them as needed without feeling too guilty.

Silvered Mirror knobs, Anthropologie, $8-10 each: While there's nothing wrong with the current knobs on my furniture, these mercury glass knobs are so much prettier. Why not add a little understated sparkle to a plain dresser? #totalsplurge

Pink Magnolia candle, Target, $8: Nothing makes me happier than a fresh-smelling apartment, and this candle is light and fresh but also floral. So welcoming and homey!

Nesting Mode

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There's been a lot going on "behind the scenes" over here, but the biggest change is that I'm staying in Atlanta. I've accepted a full-time job here and will slowly begin settling into a new routine and a more permanent life. I am so ready!

Since everything was so up in the air re: jobs and staying in ATL, I haven't bought any furniture for my apartment yet, except for a bed. So now that things are more permanent, I'm ready to commit to furniture and FINALLY move things into my apartment for real. I don't even think I can put my relief/readiness into words...

I've been scouting out furniture for a while now, but I'm seriously one of the pickiest people when it comes to putting something in my house. I want it to be perfect and exactly what I've been envisioning...and easy on the budget. I have an idea of where I want things to go in my place, what I want to do and where, and what sorts of things I want to have in my house.

If you take a look at this Pinterest board of mine, it's pretty clear that I'm drawn to creamy neutrals, lots of white, lighter-toned woods, airy spaces, pops of  bright colors and classic lines. I've used those criteria to narrow down my selections when searching for the perfect pieces to add to my place.

A few things I have my eye on...

Campaign Desk, World Market, on sale for $180: I have a little weird space next to my patio door that's where I envision my desk going. How cute would this desk be with a mercury glass lamp, a white pitcher of flowers and a bright (I'm thinking coral? turquoise? navy?) chair!

Hemnes 8 drawer dresser, IKEA, $299: I had this dresser in my apartment in college and l-o-v-e-d it. It's big enough to hold all of my clothing but isn't so big that it's overwhelming. And the quality is top-notch.

Carmen Chair, Pier 1, $600: Way more than I'm planning on spending, but I love the lines of this chair. I'll probably find something similar but more reasonably priced!

Upholstered Headboard, Meijer, $330: I definitely want an upholstered headboard for my room.I think headboards just make a room look more "finished". Plus I spend a lot of time sitting up in my bed and a padded headboard is definitely more comfortable than the wall!

Hudson Settee, Ballard Designs, $1,050ish: I go back and forth on wanting a full-size couch or a smaller "settee" and a few armchairs. I definitely know I want something on a more dainty scale than a massive sectional, so I really like the look of the sofa above...

Everything in my apartment has to be able to withstand little cat claws and a sometimes-overly-hyper cat...nothing too delicate, precious or breakable! I'm obviously not going to purchase everything I have listed above, but I'm excited to start searching on Joss & Main, RueLaLa, sale sections and the outlets!

Hope Burgoyne Art

One of my goals for when I finally get around to decorating my apartment is to buy a few pieces of real art. I want real, one-of-a-kind canvases where you can see the brushstrokes and feel the texture and thickness of the paint. I love prints, but there's just something about a real painting that's so special.

Thankfully, Etsy is a treasure trove of original canvases and paintings on paper that won't break the bank. I did a quick little search this afternoon to eat up some spare time and stumbled across Hope Burgoyne's paintings and fell in love.

Her pieces are soothing, relaxing, a bit abstract and they all remind me of the beach. PLUS they're all extremely reasonably priced!

"Distant"

"Passing By"

"The Strand"--this is one of my favorites

"Forever Fields"

See all of Hope's paintings here! Which is your favorite?

Decorating Daydreams

As my move creeps ever closer, I've been daydreaming more and more about finally being able to decorate my very own apartment. I've always had roommates, so I've never been able to decorate my entire living space exactly the way I want it. I'm so excited about the chance to finally have everything just the way I want it. Since I'm not bringing any furniture with me to Atlanta, I really do get a chance to start from scratch!

I'm leaning more towards a very edited, very curated apartment. I don't want it to look like I bought everything from the same place, I want it to look very organic--pick up a headboard here, pick up a dresser there, pick up a set of armchairs from somewhere else. I'm going to make a very conscious effort to only buy things I really love and to buy high-quality pieces that will last a while, rather than a year or two. I'm completely aware that it might take a long time to fully furnish and decorate my space and that's totally fine with me!

Of course, since I don't have an actual apartment lease signed yet, this is all just daydreaming right now! I can't wait to settle on a space, start decorating for real and sharing the process with you!

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White Out

Lately I've found myself pinning and pining over more and more all-white or mostly white interiors and exteriors. I love color, but something about the simplicity and elegance of having a literal blank canvas is really appealing to me. All white can easily be blah and boring, but mixing textures, tones and tone-on-tone patterns can liven it up.

A few house crushes...

 obsessed with those vanities and the rugs...! a true dream bathroom with all the marble

so cottagey and crisp

the dark, dark floors paired with the white walls is such a good contrast

all the tones are great...and I love the natural light!

more color than the others, but the white walls, ceiling, doors and moulding are what I have in my head when I imagine my "dream apartment"

As far as exteriors go, apparently white clapboard or stucco is the way to my heart...this, this, this, and this are all dreamy.

What do you think about an all-white apartment or house? Love it or not for you? 

Also, I'm having a vaaague sense of deja vu, like I've already blogged about this, but I can't remember if I actually did or if I just did a draft that I never finished/posted...hmmmm

C. Wonder-ful Home

 pillow//jewelry box//tray//plate

C. Wonder has been knocking it out of the park lately! I just cannot get enough of their adorable, punchy home decor accessories right now. All of it is so bright, summery and cheerful. All of the above items would look just darling in my dream apartment...so crisp with all of the white mixed with brights!

I'm also coveting these wedges...

Minted Art Prints

 "Awning Stripes"--Kristie Kern

Minted is famous for their stationery and business cards, so I was clicking around their site the other day looking for business card design ideas, and I discovered that they have an entire section of art prints and it. is. fabulous!

 "In A Row"--Annie Clark

Every design is by an independent artist, and there are soooo many different styles of artwork to choose from. It's pretty much print heaven--there's typography prints, abstract prints, illustration prints, prints of paintings, photography...anything you want, you can find it on Minted. There's also an entire Custom Prints section that I didn't even explore!

 "Buttercream"--chocomocacino

I'm totally obsessed. I'm pretty sure that all of the artwork for my future apartment is going to come from here just because of the wide, but carefully edited, range of designs. You could easily put together a cohesive gallery wall, a cohesive diptych/triptych for a room, find artwork to coordinate with a color scheme, or find a perfect gift...all in one place!

"Out To Sea"--Carolyn MacLaren

"Peinture Brillante"--Design Lotus

"California Succulent"--LeeAnn Dougherty

My biggest problem will easily be narrowing all of the amazing designs to a few for my apartment! There's just so many I love!

Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler

Did you know Jonathan Adler did a diffusion line for JC Penney? Because I sure didn't, until I randomly saw an ad for it online. I've shopped at JC Penney approximately 4 times in my entire life, but their whole rebranding is turning out some cute things! They also seem like they're trying to capitalize on Target's designer collab success, which I really don't blame them for because I shop at Target approximately 4 times a week and if I was a retailer I'd want to be like Target too.

Anyway. JA for JCP. Totally cute stuff. Some of it is a little too retro for me, but a lot of it is very versatile and would easily work with any style. I wish prices were a bit more in the affordable range, but I bet you can snag a great deal on sale.

Crescent Heights desk, $1,345: Such a basic desk, but it could work in any space, right? It's small enough to work in an apartment or small office but a bit more stylish than just a plain desk. I love the fact that it comes in such bright colors too...while white would be my first choice, I'm loving the gray or red finishes too!

Elizabeth Bubble Vase, $35: This vase is so springy and would be perfect on the desk above with bright pink tulips or white roses in it. Perfect for adding a little pop of color to an end table or a desk.

 

Lola Solid Duvet Cover, $110-170: This duvet also comes in a bunch of other colors, but I think that this taupey gray shade is actually really pretty and really sophisticated. You could mix in other colors like coral and turquoise and still have a sophisticated, modern bedroom without looking childish. That ribbon/fret detailing is super chic too!

Crescent Heights Linen Bed, $2,375: This is possibly my dream bed. I love upholstered beds, nail heads and dramatically arched headboards, so all of this combined in one bed? Perfection. I think I like the white better than the navy but both are equally preppy and beautiful.

Elizabeth Greek Key Serving Bowl, $42: A chic way to serve anything. This bowl would really go with practically any style of dishes. I love the Greek key detail since it keeps the bowl from being boring.

There's a lot of reasonably-priced frames and candles available as well that would be really great for gift-giving! I definitely think "Happy Chic" is the perfect name for the line since it's all happy and chic. I think I'll have to stop in to see what I think in real life vs. online, so hopefully things measure up to their potential!

Jennifer Latimer/Gilded Mint

"Chanel Falling Rich Petals"

"Mod Undercurrent no. 5"--this is SO ME.

"Marbleized DVF I"

"Marbleized DVF II"

24K Gold 4-Leaf Clover

I came across Jennifer Latimer's Gilded Mint Etsy store the other day and I'm in love with all of her prints and paintings. They're fun and modern and the canvas prints are a perfect way to have "real art" on a not-real-art budget. I've always wished I could paint and Jennifer's paintings are beautiful without being literal. The gold bits on some are just the icing on the cake!

Spring Kitchen

If you're anything like me, you're already completely over winter weather and so ready for sunny warm spring weather. Spring is my favorite season, mostly because it has so much promise for 'new' things and new beginnings. And okay, I love spring colors a whole lot too, along with flowers and Easter candy and all of those happy spring things.

So imagine my excitement when I was just lazily browsing through the World Market website's Easter section and they had a million adorable little kitchen items that are so cute and springy, but would also carry that happy springtime cheer through the rest of the year.

Chick Measuring Spoons: This is so adorable, I don't even know what to do with myself. So so so cute! This beehive set of measuring cups is adorable too, but the little chickies just kill me.

 

Striped Mixing Bowl: If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I love stripes, so obviously this is a winner just because of the stripes, but I love the sunny yellow hue as well. So happy!

Ceramic Muffin Pan: This look so much more expensive than it is, and is a happy way to bake muffins or cupcakes or little tarts or really anything. So Anthropologie!

Bird Butter Dish: I have a thing for birds and turquoise, so this little butter dish is right up my alley. It would be so cute on a table for a dinner party or really just sitting in the fridge. The matching salt cellar is precious too.

 Paper Cocktail Napkins: Admittedly, these are a strange thing to find adorable, but I love the cheery, unique color combinations these come in. The pink/blue are probably my favorite, but the pink/red are a close second.

Blue Batter Bowl: I always forget about batter bowls until I'm making something that needs to be poured from the mixing bowl into a pan and I'm terrified of making a mess and losing any of the yumminess inside the bowl. This batter bowl would solve that problem for sure. I love how it also matches my favorite Anthropologie cereal bowls.

I think some of these goodies are going to make their way into my kitchen, just to brighten up my daily cooking! They're all so happy and cheerful, I don't think I could have a bad day cooking with them.

this post is not sponsored, all opinions are my own

Nesting, part 2

Are you tired of NYFW posts yet? Hopefully not, since I have more to come as the days progress. Can you imagine actually attending the shows and having to take notes for work? I'm sure everyone is exhausted!

To switch gears for a bit and focus on something that's not fashion, I've been dreaming about furnishing my very own teeny tiny apartment that is (hopefully, hopefully) in the very near future. When I was in Tampa on Thursday, we had a good chunk of time between my interview and when we had to be back at the airport, so my mom decided that we should spend that time at HomeGoods and looking at apartments "just in case" and now I'm pining away for a home of my own that I can decorate and furnish just how I want.

I'm leaning towards a mostly neutral palette for the entire apartment, with accents of coral and gray in the living room and turquoise, green and blue in my bedroom. I want it to be a little beachy and very comfortable, so you feel completely relaxed everywhere.

this is what my dream apartment looks like: creamy white walls with moldings, medium wood floors and tons of natural light

I love this headboard and want something very similar, only a bit less dramatic

seersucker upholstery? so cute

I'm also loving seagrass furniture as a way to bring some texture into a room...plus this doesn't look too heavy to move

I love the pattern in this rug...and it's on sale!

this bedding is so cute...I think I would do a solid white duvet/shams w/ the printed sheets

So many decisions, so many things I love...I can't wait to be settled somewhere so I can finally start furnishing and decorating!!