My New Apartment
Growing up, I lived in a home that was designed by my mom. She put in so much work to make every detail special. The house was always spotless, she has amazing taste and even now when I go home I feel like I’m walking into a Pottery Barn magazine spread. A couple years ago she designed her dream cottage in Michigan, and I was lucky enough to be her right hand design assistant. I would drive 5 hours with her there to check on the construction progress then another 5 hours home in one day. Last summer, I lived there with her and did everything from putting beds and Adirondack chairs together, to trying multiple rugs in a space, to helping her redo furniture. What’s even more impressive, is that my mom furnished both her houses on a budget, only splurging on pieces that she LOVED and were timeless.
For the longest time, I thought my mom’s style was different than mine. But I recently learned that her first house with my dad had the same color scheme that my room now has. I also find myself going to Goodwill and other thrift stores to find pieces I can re-finish. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
The Bed
The first thing I obviously bought for my room was my bed. I spent $300 total for my bed frame and mattress from Joss and Main; I bought the Lyster Platform Bed, and a 10 inch memory foam mattress. The iron bed look is great because it’s gives your room a vintage vibe, and it doesn’t swallow the space. I chose the bronze finish for my bed because I knew I wanted white bedding. The bronze adds a little contrast, and still looks vintage.
I’m highly obsessed with how my bed looks. I found my quilt at Marshall’s and fell in love. I found it before I moved, and I told my mom I would sacrifice my shoes so that it could fit in the car. (For those who don’t know, I packed my life into a Chrysler 200 to move, so there was very limited space.) I’m thrilled that it fit because I’ve looked and haven’t seen another quilt that I’ve liked. My sheets are pale pink and tie into the decorations in my bathroom. I got these at Target during the 30% off home sale! My throw pillows are the newest addition, and tied my entire vision together. I love that they provide contrast, and have all the colors I wanted in them. I found these guys at HomeGoods for $20 a piece!
The Desk
As a writer, I needed a desk. I love to journal at my desk, write for the blog at my desk, or just perch there for awhile. This desk is from Target, and I saved up all my graduation money for it. I love the simplistic look of this desk, the clean lines, and the storage it provides. My pineapple lamp is also from Target. This was another piece that I found before I moved, however we waited to purchase it until I was settled in. My adorable mom bought this as an early birthday present for me. We both fell in love with it at first site. For me, it’s definitely my favorite part of my room.
This chair I found at a new store called At Home. I had never heard of this place until I was doing some research and an ad for it popped up. This chair was on their front webpage as the deal of the week. Originally $80, I got it for $35. As soon as I saw it online I checked at my nearest store, and drove there after work. It also has a vintage vibe, (can you tell I like vintage?) and the color is to die for. The throw pillow I have on it was another great HomeGoods find!
Let’s talk about these mirrors for a hot second. These are my pride and joy. I found these guys at Property Control, a store exclusively for Disney Cast Members. It has a bunch of old furniture from resorts, venues, etc. These mirrors were $5 a piece, and were stained a dark color. I took the mirror out, sanded the frame, and spray painted them this brass color. I’m so in love with them, and they add the perfect amount of glam to my otherwise cozy and airy room.
The Nightstand
This nightstand is also my pride and joy. A couple weeks ago, I was doing my usual weekly Goodwill run. The worker put this little guy out on the floor, walked away, and I picked it up. It was love at first site. I just wanted a small table to charge my phone at night, or set my book. For $5, I rescued an adorable piece of furniture, and gave it a second chance. (Do I sound crazy?) Of course immediately after, I called my mom to tell her what an amazing find it was.
The moral of this post is that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to make your room beautiful and welcoming. You also don’t have to rush. It took me weeks to find my $5 nightstand, and I love it more than I would love a brand new $30 nightstand. Making your house a home takes time, and you shouldn’t settle for less than your vision.
