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Your First Apartment: Where to Begin?
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Lots of young people will be graduating from college this weekend, traveling to new towns and perhaps living in their first apartments. From a decorating standpoint, this is what I call the milk crates to IKEA transformation (I don't know, do people still use milk crates in their dorm rooms? They were all the rage when I arrived at college in 1990...it's been awhile.). At my first job, I made next-to-nothing and really learned to stretch a decorating budget. Luckily, Shabby Chic was big at the time, so while I couldn't afford anything from the actual Shabby Chic store, I quickly figured out how to get the look for very few bucks. This was a year before I got my first very exciting dial-up internet at home - do you young whippersnappers know how lucky you are?
What are your best resources for finding furniture? Where should you begin? What are some of the best resources? What should you invest in and where can you get by with the cheap version? It's actually not that hard if you take a deep breath and take it one step at a time.
Oh, and as for those resources for folks on a budget, I like the attic of my childhood home, Craig'slist, local antique stores, flea markets, thrift shops, dumpster-diving, floor sample sales, IKEA, Target (hello, Liberty of London and Thomas O'Brien!), West Elm, CB2, Urban Outfitters eBay and Pier 1 Imports. I also like to keep my mind open. For example, the inexpensive metal hot water heater stands at the home improvement store make great, industrial-chic side tables! Another money saving tip: Sign up for email alerts and newsletters from your favorite stores online, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. They often send out tweets and emails with discount codes to their followers. Also, if you are buying a whole bunch of stuff at one place, you can often get a 10-15% discount if you get the store's credit card. While I don't advocate making a habit of filling up your wallet with credit cards, you may decide it's worthwhile to grab a hefty discount. You can always pay it off immediately and chop up the card so you won't start racking up debt right out of the gate.
I feel I should add...My One Personal O.C.D. Rule: Do not pick up any upholstered furniture you find curbside, as bed bugs are making a major comeback, and there's probably a bad reason someone is throwing it out. Anything else is fair game.
Alright, on with the advice...and have a ball fixing up your new digs!
What are your best resources for finding furniture? Where should you begin? What are some of the best resources? What should you invest in and where can you get by with the cheap version? It's actually not that hard if you take a deep breath and take it one step at a time.
Oh, and as for those resources for folks on a budget, I like the attic of my childhood home, Craig'slist, local antique stores, flea markets, thrift shops, dumpster-diving, floor sample sales, IKEA, Target (hello, Liberty of London and Thomas O'Brien!), West Elm, CB2, Urban Outfitters eBay and Pier 1 Imports. I also like to keep my mind open. For example, the inexpensive metal hot water heater stands at the home improvement store make great, industrial-chic side tables! Another money saving tip: Sign up for email alerts and newsletters from your favorite stores online, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. They often send out tweets and emails with discount codes to their followers. Also, if you are buying a whole bunch of stuff at one place, you can often get a 10-15% discount if you get the store's credit card. While I don't advocate making a habit of filling up your wallet with credit cards, you may decide it's worthwhile to grab a hefty discount. You can always pay it off immediately and chop up the card so you won't start racking up debt right out of the gate.
I feel I should add...My One Personal O.C.D. Rule: Do not pick up any upholstered furniture you find curbside, as bed bugs are making a major comeback, and there's probably a bad reason someone is throwing it out. Anything else is fair game.
Alright, on with the advice...and have a ball fixing up your new digs!
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| STEP ONE: BUY A BED
If you only have enough money for one major piece of furniture, obviously you should get something to sleep on. You don't have to have a proper bed, but a mattress that is at least full size is a wonderful thing to have. |
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| STEP TWO: BUY BEDDING
When you don't have much money for bed linens, plain white can look lovely. |
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| STEP THREE: ADD A FEW BEDDING EXTRAS
If you need to dress up your bed a little more, adding one bolster and a throw adds a great look to plain white sheets and a white duvet. |
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That quilt from your childhood can really make your room feel comfortable and like home.
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| STEP FOUR: MAKE A HEADBOARD (OPTIONAL)
Here's an example of pillows sewn from old jeans and a headboard made from repurposed used boards. |
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| If you are in a studio apartment, search for an attractive daybed or convertible sofa so that you don't feel like you are in your bedroom all the time. |
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| STEP FIVE: ASSESS THE HAND-ME-DOWNS
The same kind of mix can apply to your living room. You will likely have some hand-me-down pieces from your family, and you can make them all work together with the proper space planning. |
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STEP SIX: GIVE HAND-ME-DOWNS NEW LIFE
Don't have a matching set of chairs? No sweat. A mix can be really fun. If you have a bunch of different wooden chairs, try painting them all the same color.
Don't have a matching set of chairs? No sweat. A mix can be really fun. If you have a bunch of different wooden chairs, try painting them all the same color.
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| Don't discount grandma's crazy stuff. Check out how cheerful and fun these chairs are! |
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| STEP SEVEN: SPACE PLANNING
Try different arrangements until you get a good flow. Don't hesitate to re-arrange and experiment on a regular basis. |
by CWB Architects
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The following group of images show some great examples of space planning in some not-so-big spaces.
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by CWB Architects
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by CWB Architects
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by Living2Design
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This ingenious room divider is made from salvaged windows, and it provides a separate dining area.
STEP EIGHT: CHOOSE SOME FURNITURE:
If you are in a tight space, find multifunctional furniture. This cabinet transforms into a home office.
If you are in a tight space, find multifunctional furniture. This cabinet transforms into a home office.
by Living2Design
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While you save for side tables, put all those books the bookstore refused to buy back to good use!
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Make your furniture multi-task. These ottomans serve as a table, as extra seating, as footrests, and as storage units!
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Another great space-saving tip is to use glass and lucite furniture. It keeps a room from looking too cluttered with furniture. There are great clear desks, glass table, and lucite coffee and side tables available at good prices.
by Niche Interiors
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STEP NINE: BEFRIEND AN ELECTRICIAN OR LEARN HOW TO INSTALL LIGHTS:
You probably won't want to change too much in a rental, but a great skill to learn is some basic electrical skills. Store that ugly dusty brass light that came with the place and make your own pendant lamps from a simple light kit and a cheap lampshade.
You probably won't want to change too much in a rental, but a great skill to learn is some basic electrical skills. Store that ugly dusty brass light that came with the place and make your own pendant lamps from a simple light kit and a cheap lampshade.
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| STEP TEN: GET ORGANIZED
Keep a tiny kitchenette chic by being SUPER organized and neat. |
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| STEP ELEVEN: WE'RE READY FOR A BIT OF DESIGN - MAKE YOUR MOVE!
One bold move can make the room, like the strong black and white rug in this room. Stores like IKEA, Pier 1, CB2 and West Elm have great rugs that are reasonable priced, especially during the sales where they sell all of their floor samples. |
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| If you have some bucks to invest in a fabulous item, go for an Angela Adams rug. Do you notice that the chairs are IKEA and the painting was done by the homeowner in college? Nope. This room looks like a million bucks! |
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Fun throw pillows are a really cheap and easy way to decorate your apartment and make it look lived in. If you are a good sewer, you can use any sort of leftover fabric from jeans, concert t-shirts, dishtowels, etc. If not, they are like seven bucks at IKEA.
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Try to budget $3.99 into your grocery allowance per week and treat yourself to fresh flowers.
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Don't let white walls bum you out. IvyStyle has added all kinds of character here with texture, finishes, and art.
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| You can create an art collection from your own drawings and photographs in inexpensive frames. |
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From IvyStyle again - This is a collection of framed wallpaper samples, which are run from free to a few bucks each, and they look beautiful as a group.
by SFGIRLBYBAY
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Keep your eye out for fun posters and prints on sites like Etsy, like sfgirlbybay has done here.
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Back to granny again - you can throw a hodge-podge of her old plates up on the wall and it looks like a million bucks.
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| If you have a ton of necklaces and a ton of blank wall space, hang them up like this and enjoy them. |
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If the white or damaged walls are bumming you out, well-placed fabric on curtain rods can hide a multitude of scars on walls, and give it a softer feel. Printed fabrics can serve as a temporary wallpaper effect.
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STEP TWELVE: HAVE YOUR FRIENDS OVER!
A sturdy tray table can become a beautiful bar with a few spirits, flowers, and some lights!
A sturdy tray table can become a beautiful bar with a few spirits, flowers, and some lights!
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by A Beach Cottage
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| Dark lighting and votives are always a great way to add ambiance to a less than dreamy apartment. |
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| I had to throw these guys in here. Sometimes a Foosball table is much better and more useful than a dining room table! |
Ideabook published on May 6, 2010.
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Good advice, for another reason possibly worth mentioning: the twenties is when our bodies start to change in a few...less than advantageous ways. At age 19, I slept on a thin yoga mat on a hardwood floor (I was seriously broke at the time and crashing at a friend's place), and my body was just fine with that. By age 25, my back would be killing me all day if I hadn't slept on something at least approximating a proper mattress the night before. (And gawd, you don't even what to *know* what happens once you hit your 40s...) It changes surprisingly fast, and it can really sneak up on you, so that's another reason that a decent mattress is a great investment at this stage in your life. You'll be needing one. Possibly a lot sooner than you think.
strictlysimplestyle - can you imagine how much more info we would have had with the internet? I think when I got my first apartment, amazon.com was brand new!