Home Sweet Apartment (the basics)

   Oh apartments! You know, those small spaces that often seem cramped and shabby, those places that often scream more of how exhausted you are than shout your personal style preferences. Does it have to be that way? What if achieving a cozy, inspiring apartment atmosphere isn't only for those who can afford an interior designer? Well, thanks to DIY projects, Etsy.com, Overstock.com, and the hoards of vintage, resale, and upcycle boutiques out there, a chic space can be achieved pretty simply! The hardest part of beginning a cohesive living space is having a vision of what you want to achieve.
  A soothing yet inspiring atmosphere in the home has always been extremely important to me. My apartment home is not only where I live, but also where I create and study. If my atmosphere isn't conducive to free-flowing imagination, my work will reflect that. I think that is the case for many people, not just creatives. When I first considered starting a series about my interior styling and how to create a cozy home, a good friend of mine mentioned how interested she was in achieving a fashionable atmosphere in the often plain, out-of-date spaces we call apartments. Thankfully I have just a few key steps (that I follow) to blend home coziness with style!

(1) Color Basics.
I generally like to keep my each piece of my furniture in a single tone so that I can add whatever accent colors I feel like. Right now my color obsessions are soft mint blue, cool grey, and white with an accent color of orange. When you start working in single colors, you should either begin with a cool pallet and pop in a warm accent, or vice-versa.
                                               (these are the pieces I began with)

a vintage 1960's chair from a local antique store

a white lacquered coffee table from a local upcycle and modern furniture boutique

 

an inexpensive fold out sofa from Simply Austin furniture

A classic natural wood night stand (west Elm) used as a side table

 Nothing too fabulously stylish without add ons ;) (aside from the super modern coffee table that was my injection of modernity in the space, but we'll get to that later)
                         What my decor became with just a mixture of warm colored additions!

A 1960's bright orange espresso set from a local antique store!

Some grey, white and orange Chevron (fox) pillows from etsy!

a fox painting from a friend, a decorative sea shell from a friend, and some adorable worry dolls, also from a friend. ;) 

Since I decided to REALLY decorate these three pieces, I wanted to keep my little blue 1960's chair clean and unadorned. If you want to somewhat "overdecorate" certain pieces, make sure to leave one or two spaces that are clean and empty -- especially if your space is small-- to keep it from looking over cluttered.

(2) Combine vintage with ultra modern.
  If you want to accomplish a sleek pad that has an interior designer kind of feel, go for the somewhat unexpected by blending period pieces with some mega modern decor. I took a pretty easy route by choosing the 1960's. But you can really choose any time period as long as you think carefully about juxtaposing it with modernity.
  For example, say you love the 1920's, I would suggest you find an antique chandelier to hang over a modernized wooden platform bed with a crocheted cream blanket at the foot and a vintage dress form to the side. Why? The 1920's was well known for opulence, thus combining what is considered modern luxury (the wooden platform bed) and what was considered extravagance in the 20's (your chandelier -- which are usually easy to find and cheap to buy at antique stores) creates an unexpected yet cohesive look! As for the crocheted blanket, everyone knows the 1920's for lace, so having a crocheted piece will not only mimic the feel of vintage lace but also keep you warm and cozy. :)

The pieces I combined for my midcentury modern apartment were my 1960's vintage chair, with my sleek and modern coffee table, a 1960's inspired credenza with lacquered white drawers to match my coffee table, a modern clean line sofa and a 1960's style side table.

 
Those are the uttermost basics to starting the process for a modern space out of blank and often bland apartment homes. Join me for Home Sweet Apartment (The Cozy)  where I will get down to the nitty-gritty of what it steps to take in getting your home to not only feel homey but also to feel cozy and inviting!