Anniversary Post: January 3rd

January 3, 2012: "Ikea Catalogue Shopping, Part 2: the Kitchen"

It's really fun to see what sorts of plans and ideas I had for our kitchen a year ago. We had just received our KitchenAid stand mixer and five sets of Fiestaware in an assortment of colors for Christmas and we were really excited about expanding our kitchen collection. We were also inspired by the colorful palette that was developing, and over the past year our kitchen has exploded into a rainbow of beautiful colors. It continues to be one of our main motivators when it comes to selecting and purchasing new items.

From that wishlist the only item we have since purchased - and almost exactly one year to the date - is our two new dining chairs. I plan on doing a more comprehensive post on those in a little while, but I'm glad we ended up with a nice option from Pier One rather than the cheap chairs I selected from Ikea. 

I still eye every set of candlesticks I come across when we're out shopping. I will be getting my hands on a pretty set one day!

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2013 Home Wishlist

2012 was such a great year for Jeffrey and me. Thanks to the support of our families we were able to furnish our kitchen and living room with brand new appliances, kitchen accessories, lamps, a coffee table, and a couch. We received even more great stuff from them at Christmas, and we're looking forward to investing in more pieces to make our apartment a true home.

This is my 2013 Home Wishlist for the kitchen, dining room, living room and bedroom. Everything is affordable (the furniture is under $200 each), stylish, and comes from either Amazon or Target (and with our Amazon Prime and Target Red card memberships we will enjoy discounted prices and free shipping!)

Read on to find out what we plan on purchasing in the new year!

Fiesta 5-Piece Place Setting, Shamrock at Amazon.

Last Christmas we were fortunate enough to receive five of these 5-piece place settings from my uncle, who is a user of Fiesta himself. We later purchased two sets ourselves and then were gifted two sets of the matching silverware for my birthday and two baking pieces this Christmas season. To even out our collection to a healthy set of 8 I am eyeing this set in Shamrock. I'm also eyeing Sunflower since we don't have a yellow color currently. But I really love how Shamrock looks!

Fiesta Stoneware Spoon Rest, 12" Bread Tray, and Sugar Packet Caddy in Sunflower (Amazon)

To go along with the two serving dishes (in Tangerine) we received this Christmas I've found these three pieces in Sunflower that would add both functionality and bright color to our kitchen. We currently have a spoon rest but it is wine-themed and I would prefer something a bit more plain. The bread tray would be perfect for when I make homemade bread from scratch, and the sugar packet caddy perfect for storing packets of Truvia, which I use for my coffee and tea.

Keurig Mini Brewer at Target

I've been wanting one of these for a few years now. However, I could never really justify the purchase and still can't. When we moved into this apartment I purchased an inexpensive coffee maker, and also used an inexpensive espresso machine Jeff had purchased for me back when he lived in Camarillo. During the year we upgraded to a nicer espresso machine and have used it primarily for coffee brewing ever since (and the occasional Starbucks-inspired white chocolate mocha). The Keurig uses K Cups which come in an assortment of flavors and varieties (including tea and hot chocolate) and is perfect for me as I am the only one who drinks coffee. I still plan on using my espresso machine, but I've had my eye on this for so long that I've decided I should treat myself. And isn't the color fantastic? 

Keurig K-Cup Carousel Tower at Target

I saw this K-Cup carousel tower in a YouTube video and instantly fell in love with it. It looks so cute and is a great way to display and choose from K-Cup varieties. 

Wine Enthusiast Hanging Metal Stemware Rack from Target

 A hanging stemware rack is an item Jeffrey has wanted since we moved in, and we have a perfect place to hang it right above where we prepare food. This is a very inexpensive version and would allow us to get our wine glasses out of the dusty top shelf and looking chic.

food storage

At one point we purchased a set of food storage containers from Fresh & Easy but they've been scattered here and there and don't really get used. This is just one of those items that we need to keep food fresh, especially when we bring leftovers home from Jeff's parent's house (which is quite often!).

EZ-Serv Dry Food Dispenser from Target

To be honest with you, Jeff thinks I'm silly for wanting this. But it is perfectly reasonable to have fun items in your kitchen/home! We eat a lot of cereal and store the boxes on the counter (since we're short on storage space). This would be just a cute visual to have in the kitchen and a great way to keep track of when we need to buy more cereal. And one would be solely dedicated to Reese's Puff cereal. 

White Queen Upholstered Headboard from Target

Moving on to the bedroom, one item we are sorely missing is a headboard. Right now our pillows tend to fall in the space between the mattress and the wall and we often find ourselves stuffing other pillows in the space just to keep our pillows propped up and neat. It's very annoying! So imagine my surprise when Jeff not only agreed that we needed a headboard, but expressed an interest in the very same kind I want! I love the tufted, upholstered look (think of Don and Betty Draper's bed from Mad Men) and found this very lovely and super affordable version from Target. It's an off-white white that may not be the best as far as collecting dust and dirt is concerned, but it's the bedroom, not the kitchen, and shouldn't get too dirty. Just imagine how beautiful it would look against a painted wall!

Uptown Dining Chair Black & White Chevron (set of 2) from Target

The final piece we are looking to invest in is new dining chairs. We currently have an oak dining table that used to belong to Jeff's parents and some matching chairs he found on Craigslist. I'm not a fan of the chairs at all and they are mighty uncomfortable, so I've been looking for a reason to get rid of them! As soon as I saw this set of black and white chevron chairs I wanted them. It's a bold print to have at the dinner table and wouldn't exactly match the oak table (which can be remedied with a tablecloth) but they are so beautiful to look at and I feel would definitely add a chic element to our dining-slash-kitchen room. It might look really beautiful with our bold colored Fiesta ware, too!

So those are the items we're looking to add to our home. I'm also on the lookout for some nice nightstands for the bedroom but so far haven't had luck finding something I like. That will likely require going from store to store to find something perfect, and I have a feeling I'll find that something perfect at Home Goods or World Market.

If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to Like Apartment 54 on Facebook! There will be so much more to come in 2013!
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DIY To Try: Fabric Stool

Another one of Lauren Conrad's "Crafty Creations" here. I've seen these plain wooden stools at Target and Wal Mart but I've always disliked them. They look uncomfortable, and no matter how much I wish I had stools for the one area of my counter that they would work at, I just can't use these... until now. And it seems relatively easy! Granted I don't have an industrial strength stapler, but I'm certain I could convince Jeff to get one... maybe his dad already has one? Men have things like industrial strength staplers, don't they?



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DIY To Try: Cake Stand

Last Christmas I found the perfect cake stand at a shop in Solvang. It was the most perfect shade of green (like a mint jade) and so, so beautiful. But at $75 it was not affordable, and we ended up not getting it. We still think of that cake stand nearly a year later.

Since then I've been on the lookout for an equally perfect cake stand, and nothing so far has matched the level of love and adoration that that green cake stand in Solvang did. So imagine how excited I was when one of my favorite people ever, Lauren Conrad, posted a video in her "Crafty Creations" show for a DIY cake stand. Not only is this a potentially inexpensive project, but it can be super customizable.

I can't wait to give this one a try!



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Ikea Inspiration, Part 7: Terrace/Kitchen Storage

I wish my terrace looked like this:

Alas, we have about 25% of that amount of space. Space is an issue all around in our apartment (the exception being our enormous walk-in closet) so we're not able to do much on our terrace or in our kitchen/dining area. What little cabinet space we have is reserved for plates, cups and wine glasses, and we have no food pantry whatsoever. Instead, we employ a metal shelving unit we purchased at Target years ago and have embraced the open-view style it necessitates. While it makes grabbing dry and canned food easier, it's a bit of an eyesore.

This shelving unit is a slight step up from our current shelving unit, boasts cleaner lines and a nicer finish, and even looks a bit more organized. We could take our current shelf and put it outside on the terrace for plants and flowers (the grated shelves would be great for draining water!) and utilize this new piece for food and pan storage.

I admit I look forward to one day having a food panty of my very own. In the meantime, this will have to do!

Coming up next: Let there be light!

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Ikea Inspiration, Part 6: Kitchen Seating & Cooking

We really only use our dining room table for when we have company; otherwise it's relegated to being storage for dishes, dirty and clean alike. While we haven't had anyone over in recent months, when we do it's always a bit embarrassing to have them sit on plastic folding chairs. The table is oak, as are the two dining chairs we have. While I'm not a big fan of oak, the table itself is rather pretty and it's going to be a while before we invest in something better. In the meantime, I'd like to get some seating so that my guests can sit comfortably for hours while eating and talking.

Originally I planned on looking at Pier One because they have very stylish and colorful chairs. That may wait until we have a nicer table in the distant future. In the meantime, I'm looking for something on a budget and these chairs from Ikea seem to fit the bill.

At just $40 a piece we can upgrade our current chairs, which don't look too dissimilar from these, and have enough room for our guests. We could even buy some paint and really customize these to our taste and preference. For added comfort, I would seriously consider buying some pillows to sit on - that flat surface can't be wonderfully comfortable for a dupa to sit on for hours on end.

While we may not have had many guests over so far this summer, we still do a LOT of cooking. This metal grate for hot pans would function nicely on our table, a perfect way to keep hot food in a hot container without compromising the integrity of our oak or fingers.

For a long time I've had my eye on this cast iron panini pan from Giada De Laurentiis for Target.  But at $70 it's a bit too expensive for us (not that we haven't seriously considered it a time or two!). This option from Ikea may not be as shiny or of the best quality, but for $14.99 it's hard to not consider it a deal. I'm sure one day we'll have Giada's cast iron panini, but for now we're liking this budget-friendly alternative.

Coming up next: Kitchen/Terrace storage

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Ikea Inspirations

When I first started Apartment 54 it was the Ikea catalog that inspired the first few posts and project ideas. While most of those didn't pan out because we never made it down to Burbank the ideas generated from that catalog have stayed with me, and with a catalog out I have many new ideas and inspirations!

I have a few different ideas and plans I'd like to tell you about, but first let's take a look back at some other great ideas inspired by the Ikea catalog!

---Part 1: Inexpensive pots for terrace gardening
---Part 2: A few kitchen updates
---Part 3: A splash of color in the bathroom

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Kitchen Nightmare Postponed On Account of Life

I've been hoping to post some after photos after my last post about updating my kitchen, but.... honestly my kitchen is not exactly photo worthy right now. It's amazing how when you have two graduate students living in a shared place dishes are the least important factor. And not to mention the dining room table is still covered in old cups and glasses because I have not yet had a chunk of time to dedicate to clearing them off. I do have some "after" photos to show of the cupboards but I may hold off on those until I can create a better post.

I will have to find time this weekend to fix everything up. I don't know yet how that will be possible but it's on my to-do list. All I can do is try!

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The Continuing Saga of Our Kitchen Nightmare

Since we have received quite a few new items for our kitchen I thought I would tackle the job of reorganizing everything. Here is what I have to work with so far:

 

I Love Presents

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday with Jeff's mom and dad and we had a really lovely time. We ate delicious food at Bucca di Beppo (where I ate an entire salmon filet for the first time in my life) and I opened some very lovely presents! I have a new set of Fiesta dinnerware (in Plum!), new silverware, and some new drinking glasses. Our kitchen is more equipped and stylish than anything else we own!

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Keeping Up the Apartment

Jeff and I have a habit of only cleaning our apartment when guests come over. Which makes me think that maybe we should invite people over more often. Anyway, we always promise ourselves we would maintain the neat look of our home after the party but never succeed in doing so. Well, four days after our birthday part for Jeff's Grandmom, the apartment is still looking decent. If the maintenance man knocked on our door and wanted to come in to repair something, I wouldn't go into a passive-aggressive mood about the cleanliness of the apartment (like I usually do). It's really worth it to keep the place clean when it has things in it that you love. And after going through our January budget it's clear to me that we spent too much money on buying things for our kitchen and dining room. But at least everything looks great, right?

 

One of the biggest purchases we have made is this rug that we found at Home Depot, of all places. Jeff pretty much fell in love with it at first sight. He said it reminded him of a Van Gough painting. Coming from someone who knows little about art I felt his connection to the rug was romantic and sweet. So we went well over budget and made the purchase. I then found this welcome mat one aisle over and since it was only $12 we decided to get it. I love the two pops of orange and yellow! 

 

 It still amazes me how much of a difference a 5 by 8 rug makes. Since our kitchen-dining-living room is one open floor plan it was a bit difficult distinguishing one place from another. With the rug placed down under the dining table there is a proper and lovely separation of dining room and kitchen. Even though it doesn't necessarily match the wall color, it doesn't clash with it or detract from it.

While there are no immediate plans to make any more purchases for our apartment, I remain on the lookout for a great deal. The more put together and lovely my apartment feels, the more put together and lovely I feel. 

Hopefully our next get together/party is just around the corner. I have invited my mom, grandma, and uncle out to celebrate another birthday: my 29th. I wouldn't even mind cooking for it!

 

Gilt

 I recently started looking through what Gilt has available on a daily basis and I came across something I just couldn't resist. This teacup and saucer set will not only match the dinnerware we currently have but will also incorporate a pretty print into out dining routine. Best of all they were only $18! They will be here on the 23rd... So excited!

 

$15 Kitchen Makeover

 Okay, so it isn't a complete makeover but it sure is making a difference. Tonight after grocery shopping we stopped by Home Depot and I happened upon the paint department where the Martha Stewart paint was half off! I had my eye on three distinct shades of green and ultimately chose Lily Pad. It's beautiful! I couldn't wait until tomorrow and started painting tonight. I cannot wait to see how it all turns out!

 

Some New Additions (w/ photos)

The four wooden spoons you see on the left are ones I have had for probably 10 years. They even went to college with me. Sadly, their quality isn't too great and I don't really like holding them in my hand. So when I saw these Giada bamboo spoons at Target last year I knew I had to have them! We have a lot of items from her collection now and we are still planning on getting more! 

I can't wait to use these. I already threw out the old ones and put the new ones in their place. I'm curious to see how long it will take Jeff to notice the switch.

Since we got cable we have been watching an embarrassing amount of cooking shows.our favorites are Giada at Home, Everyday Italian, Real Home Cooking, and Paula Deen's show as well. Right away we identified two things we wanted: a wood grain cutting board and a santoku knife. Both are pricey on their own at places like William Sonoma. But thanks to WalMart, we scored both (from the Paula Deen collection) for just under $50. Never before has slicing tomatoes and cheese for a sandwich (I packed Jeff a lunch today) been so much fun!

Some New Additions

We ended up not going to Ikea (for now) but did end up getting a few things for our kitchen that we are very excited about! I think the kitchen is coming along nicely and though it is definitely a work in progress, it is one that brings us a sense of pride and happiness. We have our meals planned out for the week, did grocery shopping accordingly, and have even created a comprehensive spreadsheet on our iPad so that we can keep track of our spending and our budget every day. There is still a lot of tidying up I plan to accomplish this week, so more to come on that! I wouldn't dare take photos of the apartment looking less than perfect!

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Ikea Catalogue Shopping, Part 2: the Kitchen

The area of our apartment that has had the most attention paid to it is probably the kitchen/dining area. Jeff and I both do a lot of cooking and baking (and a LOT of dishes) and spend a great amount of time in the kitchen. Our kitchen doesn't have a lot of storage space and try as we might to be creative, the kitchen often looks disheveled and really only looks clean when we have company over. 

Counter space is a particular issue, especially with one counter that is tucked in a corner between the refrigerator on one side and the sink on the other. It isn't a space we can stand at and work on so instead we use it for storing baking dishes and cookbooks. We've talked about getting a cart or a trolley to create more surface area and storage possibilities and this $30 one from Ikea looks promising. It's an inexpensive solution to a short-term problem. 

Another issue we come across is seating... we have a great oak dining table but only two chairs. While this normally works for us because we're only two people, it does prove to be a challenge when we have family over. My uncle gave us a few folding chairs to keep handy for when company comes over but they aren't the most comfortable chairs in the world and I don't like the fact that they don't match the other chairs. These white chairs from Ikea are super inexpensive at $10 and we could pick up 4 or 5 for a great price. We need to try them out first before we commit to buying them, however. It's hard to beat such a great price! I'm really interested in checking these out the next time we go to Ikea (hopefully this week?!)

Finally, these candlesticks really caught my eye. I love the bright punch of color and their youthfulness. While a more classic candlestick might be nice, I feel like right now we can get away with these less serious versions since we're young and only in our first apartment. These are a great price, too. I'm hoping they maybe come in other colors. An antique blue color might be perfect for the dining table!

I've got one more area I'd like to tackle. It's a small project but one I've been thinking of for a while. Up next: the Bathroom!