Apartment Update: Living Room Progress

It's officially summer (though I haven't been to a baseball game yet, so is it really summer??), and I can't even explain how lovely it is to not deal with East Coast humidity! I miss DC, but I definitely don't miss the weather this time of year. Utah summers for the win!

I actually started out this post with the intention of writing about a lot more than just my apartment, but it was taking me a while to get through even just the living room part of this, soooo here goes...

The good news is I'm definitely starting to feel more settled in my apartment. It's amazing what NOT living out of boxes can do to make a place feel like home! I think I've settled on my living room furniture arrangement, and I'm actually pretty proud of the little space I've put together. (Though in full disclosure, I've eliminated two of the throw pillows on the couch since this photo was taken, and I've added a wooden catch-all tray to the left of the TV (though I may change my mind on this. TBD; the suspense!) and a vintage green desk lamp to the right of the TV. I just googled how much these lamps sell for, and geez, the $5 I paid at the DI for my lamp was a friggin' STEAL! There's also a floor lamp riiiight in front of the AC window unit (you can sort of see the pole just to the left of the unit) with a yellow/turquoise floral lampshade from Target. I've had both the lamp and the shade since DC, so I don't have links for them.)

Check it out so far:

And just for fun, here's where everything is from –

• Couch (Walmart! Remember my great couch search? Here it is! I was mostly pleased with it. My only complaint is that the two zippers on the back of the couch where two extra legs are stored DO NOT open. The manufacturer sent me two spare legs in the mail + a $20 Walmart gift card for my trouble. It was incredibly obnoxious, but overall, I'm still pleased with the purchase. And I'm really glad I got a couch that folds out into a sleeper. I've had three house guests sleep on it so far – also, I slept on it to make sure! – and it's a comfy place to sleep or nap!)
• Throw pillows
• Let It Be (Amazon)
• hipster giraffe (Also Amazon)
• pink owl (Ikea)
• blue embroidered floral (Target)
• pillow inserts (Ikea; surprisingly fluffy for $2.99!)
• white rosette (Walmart; my favorites for napping!)
• navy blue tassel pillow (Target; I actually ended up returning this one, but it was a tough decision!)
• other pillows courtesy of Ross, HomeGoods, Target, Walmart, Ikea, Pier 1 (I brought some of these with me from DC).
• Dark wood Ikea poang chair + footstool (KSL)
• Faux sheepskin (Ikea; I have two of them; one on the floor and one on the dark wood poang chair. I like the texture they add!)
• Wooden trunk/coffee table (World Market. I LOVE this little treasure! This was actually a Freecycle find I hauled in my UHaul from DC. Special thanks to Stephie who helped me haul it from my car up to my apartment in Parkside! Steph helped me haul a lot of furniture actually. #truefriend)
• teal glass box (HomeGoods; now what should I put inside of it??)
• books – When the White House Comes to Zion, The Modern Girl's Guide to Life (I've had this since college and still love it!), All About Me (a fun conversation starter)
• gold tray (Target)
• carafe turned vase (Target)
• gold tea light candle holders (Target in the $1 section)
• photo of me + my siblings (courtesy of the year 2006)
• white hydrangeas (Trader Joe's; they have the BEST flowers!)
• 32" Samsung TV (Craigslist; DVD/Blu-Ray player should be arriving this week, courtesy of Amazon! HDMI + Chromecast + HDMI adapter for Mac not pictured). 
• ** This was a STEAL for $60, AND it included a TV stand, which I decided not to use. I'm actually trying to sell it online right now. Fingers crossed that the person who's supposed to pick it up tomorrow doesn't fall through!
• Floral poang chair (Craigslist; I LOVED this! I actually bought it just for the chair cover, intending to put it on the dark wood chair and then sell the white cushion + natural wood frame, but it just worked so well to have two of this chair in my living room! And while I normally greatly dislike natural wood, I kind of like the mismatched look here.)
• Blue tufted storage ottoman (Target)
• I store my dinner party chargers (12 each in gold and silver. The gold were a DI find for $1 each. The silver were a Goodwill find in Maryland, also for $1 each, and used at my 30th birthday dinner.) inside the ottoman, along with this round tray from Target. Then, when I need to use the ottoman as a side table, I can take the tray out and put it on top of the tufted lid, and bam! A place to put your drink! I love furniture that does double duty, and this little ottoman exceeds expectations at quadruple duty – ottoman, extra seating, side table, and storage!)
• Ikea Expedit shelves (Craigslist find at 2 for $30!) – I actually painted these myself! They were originally a "natural wood" color, but I wanted something more colorful here.
• gray collapsible storage cubbies (Walmart)
• Chesapeake Bay cashmere plum candle (Target)
• gold candle holder (a whopping 75 cents at the DI)
• anchor bookends (Target)
• I think I might actually return these or move them elsewhere
• bust of the Savior (made by Angela Johnson; gift from my mission)
• Hathi African Sunset candle that smells amazing!! (courtesy of Ross, where I paid $7.99; but here's an eBay link if you want to pay a lot more?)
• The gold tray it's sitting on is a Goodwill find from DC
• vintage silver clock (another awesome DI find)
• **Note: The stuff on these shelves will probably change once I figure out the rest of the house. I'm thinking of adding books here? Maybe creative DVD storage of some sort? Suggestions welcome!**

I'm really proud of the fact that most of these pieces have been either thrifted, DIY'd, bought on KSL or Craigslist, or purchased on MAJOR sale and/or with coupons. I've still probably spent more $$ than I should have, but it was really important to me, especially since I have my own apartment for the very first time, to create a space that inspired me; a space I felt happy coming home to. My own cozy little refuge, if you will. And having recently finished this book, I'm trying to be careful of only bringing into my home things that "spark joy." So far, so good! Though I feel it's important to note that while spending $$ on items to cozy up my home, I know it isn't the material things that truly make a house a home, but rather the loved ones we fill it with and the spirit that lives there. I hope my guests will not only feel cozy and comfortable but also welcome, uplifted, and loved!

Now to hang things on the walls...