
So, letβs say you bought a condo, or signed a lease for a new apartment. Or maybe youβre just over it with your Craigslistβor collegeβfurniture and are thinking that itβs finally time you sold it all (or burned it) and moved on. I found myself in one of these situations a few months ago. If youβve been following along, I recently move into a really cool little apartment about 4 months ago. And well, the past few times that Iβve moved around, I was never able to really sit down and figure out how to make a new space feel 100% like a true expression of who I was or what I wanted my life to look like.
This time, I wanted to spend more time planning out the place I was about to call home. I wanted, above all things, to feel proud of creating a space that I paid for with my own money and decorated without outside help.
I think I did a pretty good job (see how I decorated my studio apartment here!).
Since moving in, Iβve had a few people ask me how I did it. Iβve even been asked if I could help friends (and strangers!) decorate their new spaces too. First of all, let me say YES. I love decorating. I binge-watch shows on HGTV like nobodyβs business. Let me into your home and give me your credit card and I will make your space BEAUTIFUL. Orβ¦ since most of you probably wonβt let me into your homes or give me your credit cards and your wish listsβ¦ I decided to write this post instead.
I transformed my new digs from a cold, empty rented apartment into a cool home that I am extremely proud of (and quite frankly, love showing off). If you’re wondering how to choose furniture for your own apartment, keep reading!
How to Choose Furniture For Your Apartment
1. Decide On a Theme


Back in February when my boyfriend and I first decided to move in together, we knew two things for sure: we are both picky as all hell, and we both have an eye for aesthetics.
Choosing furniture, to put it mildly, was not a walk in the park for us.
We needed to be a little systematic to help us get through it without wanting to kill each other. So, we had a talk one night about the things we wantedβand absolutely would not be able to tolerateβin terms of a theme. I wanted lots of neutrals and white, Scandinavian openness and design, and gorgeous green plants that I would neglect and that heβd have to water. He wanted a functional, post-modern, Mad Men-esque space where he could sip whiskey and, I donβt know, be a guy. We decided to meet in the middle and go for something that Iβll just call functional Scandinavian. Stay with me here.
The point is not in knowing interior design terms. Itβs about deciding what you like and donβt like, and then choosing something to use as your central inspiration point moving forward. Once you figure out what that thing isβwhether itβs pops of color, beach vibes, or clean and simpleβstick with it. Once you have a focus, itβll help make the rest of the process that much easier.
2. Make a Vision Board

After deciding on a direction, I created a Pinterest board and honestly just went crazy pinning pictures of living rooms, bedrooms, and pieces of furniture that I felt βfitβ with where I was trying to goβeven if only a little. My boyfriend and I spent a week doing nothing but adding to this board.
Doing this is helpful because it starts to give you a more tangible understanding of your vision and the pieces that youβll need in order to bring it to life. You probably donβt know off the top of your head what kind of couch or dining chairs youβll need to make a βbeachyβ living room happen, but after finding photos that evoke the style you want, youβll get a better feel for the types of pieces youβll need to look for when furniture shopping.
When I did this, I was able to really start to pin down the various silhouettes, colors, fixtures, and accents Iβd need to seek out when I eventually started shopping (and, it helped me define the kinds of things that wouldnβt belong, so I could skip over them and ultimately streamline my search).
3. Make Sure You Know The Exact Dimensions of Your Space

The next step is definitely measuring out every inch of your space (if you havenβt already). Grab a tape measure and a friend and write down the lengths, heights, etc. of every little inch of space you have to work with. If you canβt physically be in your space to measure it (like if youβre about to move into a new apartment), ask the landlord to email you a floor plan or print one out from online if your new place is fancy like that).
Doing this helps you be more realistic about the things that will and wonβt fit, and it might even open your eyes to possibilities you didnβt even know existed. For example, my boyfriend knew he really wanted a desk to go somewhere in the studio, but we werenβt sure where it could go without looking messy.
When we measured the place, there was a little 3-foot nook by the windows in my living room that I didnβt think I could fit anything in. But, once we knew how wide the space was, he started looking around online and filtering my desk searches by width until he landed on the perfect desk! And, I mean perfectβthereβs only like half a centimeter of space on either side between the desk and the wall, but it works, and it helped us utilize an otherwise unusable area.
4. Start Making Your Wish List
After I had an idea of what I wanted my apartment to look like and how much space I actually had to work with, I opened up a Google Doc, and we just started listing every single thing we found online that we even remotely liked. I organized the links on my doc by furniture type and price, but at this point, price doesnβt really matter as much as just exploring whatβs out there and writing it down. This was one of the most fun partsβbecause itβs the shopping part, duhβbut also because it helped me discover all kinds of furniture brands I never even knew existed!
And, while making your list, itβs also a good thing to keep track of sales or deals you come across, too. Sign up for newsletters (you can always unsubscribe later), write down any opportunities to save, take note of when sales start/end, and reference them later when youβre actually ready to buy.
Furniture Shops I Found Useful During my Search:
- Apt2B
- Amazon
- Joybird
- Wayfair
- Floyd
- Urban Outfitters
- Target
- CB2
- Pottery Barn
- West Elm
- Ikea
- World Market
5. Separate Must-Have Furniture From βNice-to-Haveβ Furniture (And Focus on Your Must-Haves First)

Especially if you live in a smaller space, youβll want to aim for things that are both attractive and functionalβfurniture that does double duty. Part of this is honestly because, if you live in an apartment or share a place with someone else, you just donβt have the luxury of space to waste. But also, whatβs the fun of having a bunch of stuff sitting around that doesnβt make your life better/easier/cleaner/or more organized?
Some of my favorite functional pieces in my new living room are my shoe rack / entryway console (less than $100 at Ikea) and this cool transparent c table (they are designed to roll right up to your couch and fit over the cushions so you can have a table as close to you as humanly possible when youβre sitting down) thatβs both functional and doubles as a statement piece. Not having to put effort into reaching for your wine glass while you binge Netflix? Count me in.
RELATED: How to Design Your Home Office Space: My Essentials List
6. Set a Budget and Make a Spreadsheet
After we made a bazillion page-long wish list of furniture, throw pillows, rugs, and wall art, I started a new spreadsheet, organized by items and price (dorky, I know, but hear me out). Then, I took my favorite things from my wish list that were actually within a price range I didnβt faint at, and I added them to the first tab of this sheet. This helped me clearly map out the actual prices of everything altogether and start to narrow down the things we were determined to buy.
This also helped us identify the things we needed to get rid of or hold off on until we saw how much we were spending. On the second tab of my sheet, I transferred over the things that I was for sure going to purchase, and kept a running total at the bottom of my list of how much all of my must-haves would cost.
7. Be As Resourceful As Possible With What You Already Have

A quick caveat here on budgets and spending. I had been saving up for a few months before moving, but I didnβt have a huge pile of money laying around to throw at shopping. So, for some things that I snagged for the new apartment, I had to get a little creative. Coffee table? Traded furniture with my friend / old roommate for it! Entertainment stand? Well, my boyfriend actually built one for us that only cost $50. Bar cart? Another trade with a friend.
Before you actually make any purchases, see if there are any resources you can leverage to save some money. Whether itβs trading with a roommate, buying something on LetGo, or building something yourself, thinking outside the box can definitely help when youβre designing a new space from scratch.
8. Pick At Least One Statement Piece in Each Room

Okay, back to the furniture shopping. Ahhhh. Finally. Buying time! I actually didnβt start with the biggest items first when we moved, but I already knew how big the sectional I wanted would be and how much space it would take up. Start with the biggest items first and work your way onward from there. Often times, these pieces will be the most functional and most essential things that youβll want to add to your space immediately. And, these thingsβrugs, sofas, beds, dressersβwill not only take up the most space, but theyβll also simultaneously help you to define the areas in your apartment!
For example, seeing how your sofa breaks up the space in your living room could help you decide whether you can fit a desk or an end table nearby. Understanding how your bed fits in your bedroom can help you determine what kind of accent furniture to buy and where to put it. And, starting with the bigger things will also help you learn what things you canβt fit in your space.
9. Donβt Be Afraid to Return Furniture That Just Doesnβt Work

When we got our sectional, I was worried we wouldnβt have a lot of space leftover for a cool dining table. So, I bought what I thought would be a nice, small, square 30βx30β dining table in a wood grain that I felt somewhat resembled the color of my couch legs. I was waaaaay wrong. Not only did it end up looking like a tiny little kidβs table after we assembled it, it was honestly also the color of a Cheeto. I hated it.
If you asked me a few years ago, I probably would have tried to keep it. But today, most places (especially online) have increasingly competitive return policies, so as soon as I saw how hideous this dining table was, I packed it right back up and shipped it away. This is where youβre going to be spending a significant amount of your time relaxing, living, and (hopefully) feeling inspired, after all. If you donβt like something, donβt be afraid to return it and start over. Donβt settle for anything that doesnβt make you happy when you look at it. Itβs your home, and your money. You deserve 100%.
10. Add Accent Pieces to Give Your Space More Personality

Finally, when you have all of essential furniture moved in and set up, and once youβve recovered slightly financially, you can start thinking about all of the little finishing touches thatβll make it feel like home. For me, these things included everything from throw pillows and plants to end tables and new bedsheets. These things are what will help transform your apartment from looking like a cookie-cutter layout in a furniture store to becoming a personalized, unique space thatβs entirely your own.
Feeling confident about how to choose the right furniture for your apartment or condo? Tell me below!
Read This Next:
- How to Stay in the Zone if You Work From Home
- How to Design Your Home Office Space: My Essentials List
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