Ikea was having a summer sale this weekend, so I spent most of Saturday picking up small items, and testing out couches, beds, and chairs. I’ll be buying the big furniture pieces at a Chicago-area Ikea when I move in, so I went ahead and bought myself some gift cards to save the money for those purchases. I did pick up decorations, kitchenware, bathroom items, cushions & covers, artwork, and a couple of small furniture items that are packed in flat boxes and require self-assembly (good thing I’m handy). From my own savings and contributions from family, my total budget is approximately $1200 (for my large studio).
Furniture: ~$750
-Bed: The Aneboda bed: $120
-Mattress: The Sultan Hogbo mattress: $170. The cheapest spring mattress.
-Couch: The Klippan love seat $250 I would rather have a comfortable loveseat than the cheapest sofa, and the Klippan was really comfortable, and actually quite long. I’m getting it in red. :)
-Bookcase: The Expedit bookcase : $100. This large bookcase will hold books, vases, small sculptures and souvenirs, and it’s quite large and sturdy. I will buy the black-brown color.
-Coffee Table: Lack side table x 2 : $26 Instead of dropping over $100 on a coffee table, I decided to get two of these low end tables and put them together. They were on sale for $12.99 each.
Dining Table: The Lakafors Table : $60. I purchased this table a few months ago because it is foldable (both eaves come down and you can simply push it against the wall and use it as a shelf) when I didn’t know what size apartment I’d be getting. It turns out that I’ll have room to keep the table open at all times, but in any case, it’s the perfect size and will be easy to fold up if I have a party or want to add new furniture or anything like that.
-I’ll also be buying a few folding chairs and a tv stand of some sort.
Textiles: ~ $200
-bed linens: $100 I bought a great set from Target, but I can’t find pictures of it online.
-table cloth and kitchen towels: on sale at Target and Ikea… probably $20 total
-will purchase towels and washcloths at Target
-assorted pillows for the couch and bed
Bathroom: ~ $20
-$5 bathroom kit (trash can, toothbrush holder, soap dish, etc)
-$7 shower curtain and $3 liner
-$2 trash can
-$1 toilet brush
-$5 bath mat
Decoration: ~$100-150
I bought several small pieces like vases and candleholders to add some flair to the room, and I also scored a floor lamp for $10, a table lamp with shade for about $15, a cute picture for $5, a $4 throw rug for my kitchen, and some cute cushion covers on sale for $13 each (the cushions themselves were $3 each). I also found the perfect solution to diving my bed area from my living room. I thought about buying a screen, but couldn’t find one for less than $100, so I was going to buy fabric an sew a big panel, but then I saw these great bamboo blinds that I can hang from the archway and even roll up if I want to. This only cost me $15, and I think it will look really great.
Miscellaneous: ~$100
My shopping list was rounded out with a $3 16-piece cutlery set, a napkin holder, and other small things like that. I still need to pick up pots&pans;, towels, curtains (once I measure the windows), and household items like a vacuum, laundry bag, and cleaning supplies.
Overall, I am very happy with the outcome of my shopping, and I feel that $1200 is a reasonable budget for furnishing and decorating my entire apartment. Over the coming months, I would also like to buy a dresser and perhaps some closet storage items, and maybe more art for my wall, but for the time being, I’m happy. And because I am able to partition off my sleeping area, I could keep my bed linens (turquoise) separate from my bright red/dark wood scheme in the living area. I’ll try to remember to post a picture of the apartment once I move in.
I always knew it would all come down to ikea. The one here in the New York New Jersey area is awesome. I honestly thought $1200 wasn’t going to buy you anything but it did. Thanks for the great ideas!