Weekend Update: Lofts for Less

I was a busy little bee this weekend.  Friday my day consisted of getting my oil changed, a much needed haircut, constructing our new desk, and hosting friends for dinner that.  Saturday Joel and I went to visit my sister and brother in-law.  She and I got to shop the streets of Cambridge while the boys enjoyed beers nearby.  Sounds about right.  Annnddd, I finally feel as though our loft in our apartment is complete.  

Below are some before and after pictures of this quaint, but slightly awkward space.  Every apartment in our building has a loft, which is both great and not so great.  It's very appealing to have a second living area that can be home to the less feminine household items, such as Joel's 3 guitars and amp.  While I love Joel's passion for music, it does come with quite the assortment of tools.  The loft, or as Joel prefers to call it, "the studio" has always felt a little unfinished and hodge podgey to me.  While Joel's convinced I like to change things after only a weeks time (not true by the way), I was was only doing that because I felt that the room was unfinished.  With the lovely addition of our new desk, which was Joel's idea, and a little TLC I think this room has finally come together and I couldn't be happier!

The best part, we didn't have to break the bank to make the small, but much needed improvements.  The desk was on price cut at Target for the weekend, each pillow featured above is from the lovely home section of T.J. Maxx (I truly am a maxxinista), and most knick-knacks were either Homegoods purchases or hand-me downs from my mom or Joel's.  

Before

After

Weekend Update: Bedrooms on a Budget

Thinking back on this weekend I'm trying to remember things of significance I did, but oddly I'm having trouble. Ha! Maybe that's because I didn't.  The past few weeks have been pretty busy and it was nice to have an uber-relaxing few days.  Yesterday I stayed in my pajama's until noon, oh and did I mention I slept for 11 hours on Friday night.  I know, I'm cool.  I watched not 1, but 2 movies this weekend and previewed The Hunger Games trailer an unmentionable amount of times.  Sigh, is it 3.23.12 yet? Just kidding, because there is a lot to look forward to in the coming months.  

I've decided to dedicate this weekend update post to more apartment pictures. While I'm sure you'd love to see pictures of my laying in bed watching Netflix, that's next week's post.  

Since living on my(our) own, I've loved each and every bit of decorating, hanging and inevitably taking down pictures, moving and then putting back knick-knacks.  Decorating is something I've loved for a long time and I'm quite pleased with our first little apartment.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do, but if you don't, well be happy you don't have to live in it!  

Here's a few tips I've learned since officially being "on my own.

-Budget.  If you're in a position like mine, you don't have unlimted funds to buy that $1000 rug from Anthro, as much as you think you should.  Make sure to scour places like Homegoods for Anthro like items.  The Anthro sale room is full of wonderful treats as well, but remember I've been collecting my odds and ends from there for some time.  

-Re-use, re-use, re-use! Now I realize not all families are like mine.  Not everyone's Grandmother has engraved spoons from the early 1900's (which yes, I do have).  Luckily for me though my grandmother, aunts, mother, and sister have all lived just enough longer than me that they are recycling old items out for new ones.  And hey, old is fine by me because I just call it vintage.  It's also really fun to have family items in your home.  And no sister, this was not a dig at your age, it's I'm just grateful for the things you've given me.

-Beware of clutter.  For someone like me who loves things, not one thing in particular, just things, it can be hard to edit.  While I've gotten a lot better as I've gotten older, it is important to edit your apartment.  I have so many decorations, pictures, and candles that I had to make sure not to put them all out. It tends to look crazy if there 3 lamps on one table, trust me.  

These are my words of wisdom for new apartment dwellers.  Good luck, and happy bargain hunting!

Weekend Update

As I've mentioned previously, Joel and I are officially living together, as roommates, and while we've been settled for some time it wasn't until today that I felt our precious little apartment was ready for the world to see (and yes, when I see world, I mean my you all).  Enjoy, I have been! Stop one on the house tour express, living room.  

*please note, the before pictures were taken in a different apartment, therefore they are not exactly the same*