If you all read my latest updates post, you know that I am currently living in my very first apartment! I lived in dorms all throughout college, so this is an exciting time. I’ve been looking forward to decorating an apartment for years and years. Needless to say, I’m pumped.
However – I’m no Joanna Gaines! Although I love her (+ Fixer Upper!), I know that this apartment will be a work in progress for some time. The way I see it, there are a few major things to keep in mind: ~aesthetic, budget, and quality. When you’re paying for everything yourself, you obviously want your money to go to things that you want, but are also great quality. I know that I want my space to be special and mine, so I’m going to take the time to make it that way.
Where I’m Starting
I live in a one-bedroom apartment, so I have a good amount of space to myself. Way more than I probably know what to do with! A majority of my searching for decor is currently focused on the living room/dining space for that reason. Of course I’m working on decorating my bedroom, but it’s not exactly a priority right now. I’ve always had a bedroom, but I’ve never had a living room before!
Speaking of which, my living room currently consists of a white Ikea table & pale pink chairs, and I am waiting on my gray couch to come in. I already started shopping around for bits and bobs to decorate with, and acquired a couple pieces along the way. While at the Brooklyn Flea Market this past weekend, I found the coolest Brownie vintage camera for only $15, and a vintage constellation print for $20. They pair super well with my Trader Joe’s flowers on my mantle, and the little framed photos I have on the shelves.
As for my bedroom, I have a full bed (no headboard!), a white desk, and a white dresser. I specifically chose these colors because they were more neutral, and would give me a great jumping off point. Even if I changed my mind with the vibe I wanted later down the line, the furniture would still fit in nicely. Shout out to my family and Ikea for helping me with what I have in my apartment right now!
Most recently, I bought a full-length mirror for endless mirror selfies, and a cutie record player off of Facebook Marketplace! My mom also bought me the cutest wire rack for above my desk, which holds my new calendar. I’m getting a lot of different little things, which all contribute to the general “mood” of the apartment.
First Apartment Mood Board
With the basics down, I feel a little more ~free to play around with inspo. I spend a large majority of my free time scouring Pinterest for room inspiration, and watching literally every room tour in existence on YouTube. Beyond this cute as heck mood board, I made a dedicated Pinterest board for my first apartment! I absolutely love spending time adding pins to it.
Generally, the words I want to use to describe my apartment decor situation are: warm, bright and cozy. Since I’ll (hopefully) be living here for a while, I want it to be a space I can grow into. I’m already working (+ struggling) on keeping the space uncluttered, and only buying things I really love. I feel like I’ve always kept a lot of “stuff” in my living space, and I’m trying to break away from that. You know what they say, a cluttered space reflects a cluttered mind! (TBH, I don’t know if people say that. I feel like they do. I don’t know.)
Like I said before, I’m slowly working my way towards that goal. I put a little bit of my paycheck towards new things each pay day. Next up will be more plants, and a little bit of artwork for the walls. I have a few posters in my collection at home and here at the apartment, but I’m trying to figure out the best way to display them all. It’s coming together slowly but surely, and I’m loving the way it’s turning out!
Final Thoughts
Beyond being a place for advice, I love using this blog to document big things in my life. I’m so excited about my brand new apartment, and I hope you enjoyed the little bit of it that I shared with you. Be on the lookout for a room tour in the (hopefully!) near future!
What are your decoration plans? What kind of vibe do you want in your space?
