We moved into our little 1 bedroom apartment 2 weeks before our wedding, which was kind of a stressful experience but that is a whole different post. At the time of move in we had a tan chair from a a consignment store, a kitchen table and coffee table built by Mark, a bed with no frame, 2 barstools and a corner desk. Literally, that was it. We immediately bought a couch and dresser and the rest was up to finding the right piece and fitting it into the budget.

Starting from scratch with a limited budget is a challenge. We slowly added bookcases, kitchen chairs, an ottoman, storage and those other random things you never thought about buying ahead of time. We are really lucky because we moved into a brand new apartment community that was designed beautifully and is aesthetically pleasing. However, now that we finally have filled in all those essential pieces it’s now time to move on to adding those personal touches and adding decor that fills the gaps. And let’s be honest, I’d love to go splurge at Pottery Barn or Z Gallery. But since that isn’t realistic it’s time to look for deal and put my creativity to a challenge. We were beyond blessed with generous gifts from our wedding so we have a fully stocked kitchen, new bedding and linens and some fun gadgets which really just leaves us needing to add some personality to the sparse walls of the apartment.

If I could describe the space the word I would use is “neutral.” Our furniture is a mixture of browns and tans with very little color so far. Maybe this is because Mark is slightly color blind and says his favorite color is “earth tones.” I’m embarrassed to type this, but there is literally not a thing on the walls and there are a few little candle holders and a lantern that keep the place from looking entirely blank. Basically, there is a lot of work to be done. I’m not sure where to go since there really is so much possibility.

How do you decide which direction to take? Which area/room do you start in? I just can’t decide!