Best Rug Finds

November 1, 2018 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

In the market for a new rug? You’re in luck! Apartment carpet can be dingy at best (and stinky at worst!) and nothing brightens your space like a colorful, new (clean) rug. Plus, if you take great care of them, they can last you well into your next few apartments. Check out our favorite places to…

My Sweet Addiction: Shopping For Apartment Items Online

August 14, 2013 | By Christa AuthorMy First Apartment

Hi, my name is Christa and I am an online shopping junkie. I love the convenience and ease of shopping for my favorite things without having to leave the house. So, when it came to decorating and supplying my apartment, I did what came naturally and started searching all the .com’s and .net’s for best…

Decorating With the Color of the Year: Emerald Green

July 21, 2013 | By Audra AuthorMy First Apartment

Every year the famous color source known as Pantone releases their anxiously awaited color of the year. For weeks before the big color reveal, designers, planners, and artists everywhere speculate and formulate guesses on which perfect shade they will choose. Then the day comes, they finally announce their pick for the color of the year and…

Super-Budget Decorating Tips From the Pros

February 3, 2013 | By doug AuthorMy First Apartment

So you’ve found an apartment and you have the basic necessities of everyday life: things to sleep on, eat on, sit on … and so on. Everything seems to be in place. But as you look around your new abode, perhaps it feels a bit … unfinished. Spare. There’s stuff, but no personality to it.…

Ask a Designer: Interior Design 101

February 1, 2013 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

This February, we’re focusing on interior design to help you turn your new apartment into a cozy home you’ll love. Since not all of us are design wizards, we’ll be working with Chicago interior designer Kate Marengo of Arranging Order. She’s given me some great tips on decorating that I’ll be sharing throughout the month – and she’s…

What a Difference a Little Paint Makes!

May 28, 2012 | By Christina AuthorMy First Apartment

My bare white walls were driving me nuts so I called up my maintenance guy to find out about the options I had for painting my apartment. Sticking with my original theme of black, white and red, I was going to paint one of my main living room walls black… Until I chickened out. I decided that…

Five Things to Do Before You Buy Your First Piece of Furniture

April 16, 2012 | By Christina AuthorMy First Apartment

Whether you are starting from scratch in a new apartment or just sprucing up the space you are currently living in, being hasty can result in purchases you end up not wanting to use. After rushing the process myself and buying an area rug that won’t work, I have learned that there are five steps that…

Easy Fixes to Personalize Your New Apartment

February 6, 2012 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

You moved into your new apartment a few months ago. All your major chores seem to be done: Unpacked all your boxes? Check. Hung up your pictures? Check. Learned the basics of your new neighborhood? Check. But something feels a little bit off … and you can’t quite put your finger on it. Perhaps it’s…