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: Crayon Art

The first time I saw this on Tumblr I wanted to know how it was done. It's amazing how easy and versatile this project can be!

Take a look at the video to see how it's gone (it's really easy). Hmm, I wonder if they make neon crayons? It's been forever since I've purchased crayons.



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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: Nail Polish Box

Credit & Source: The Beauty Department. Read full instructions here. 

I love this idea! I don't know that I have enough nail polishes to fill a whole shoe box, but I assume any hard cardboard box would do. If you have the time and patience, this could even be a fantastic way to present a gift to someone. Isn't it wonderful when you receive a gift that looks so pretty you don't want to open it?

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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 8: Let There Be Light!

Years ago I made my first trip to Ikea as an adult and bought this lamp (among many other purchases):

I still use it today as a low-light source when Jeff is asleep in bed or sometimes even as a night light. It's not bright enough to light a room all on it's own but works great for a specific work area. Lighting in general is an issue in our apartment as we never seem to have enough of it. Ironically we've spent most of our summer with the blinds closed to keep out the 100+ degree heat. But we still need light for when we aren't just blocking out the blazing hot sun, and that's where these come in!

They're a bit in the same style as the desk lamp I purchased years ago but are also chic looking at the same time. I think these would look great next to our new couch! While I prefer the off-white shade, there's something about the darker shade that is really appealing to me. I'll have to see how these look in person before making a final decision.

Coming up next: A desk option

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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 Catalog Shopping, Part 5: a great coffee table

Our current coffee table is made of the same uninspired black material as our one bedside table... so naturally I don't like it. Shortly after we moved in and Jeff's parents bought us our much beloved bookshelves from Target, we found a nice little coffee table from the same collection that we would have loved to buy. If only it didn't exceed $100. I've kept that table in the back of my mind for when the times comes we can purchase it, and then I saw this great little option from Ikea.

At less than half the cost of our original dream coffee table, this option would not only match our current decor but would also create a bit of a fun centerpiece. I really like the glass top and the built-in shelf beneath it - great for magazines! We have a really pretty bowl that's currently sitting on top of our ugly table that would like nice on either surface. 

Coming up next: Kitchen seating and cooking!

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Ikea Catalog Shopping, Part 4: Side Tables

Our apartment is furnished with secondhand purchases and cheap buys, so it is very important to us that anything we buy not only represents our joint style and aesthetic, but also has some meaning to it (and is a great price, of course!) Fortunately, we've received a lot of great gifts from our families that have helped steer the design direction in our apartment and we're taking cues from them. While Ikea furniture is typically not known for superb quality and durability, it is inexpensive and stylish, which means we can pick up things we like now on our grad school budgets and worry about making the bigger, more quality purchases later down the road. We'll be purchasing our very first couch next month (likely the Ektorp from Ikea) and what would a couch be without some great side tables?

Ikea PS 2012 side table, $49.99 

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Sure, they're advertised as being for kids (or indoor plants) but for people like us who have a lot of little things lying around, these are great! I just love the built-in pocket compartments for all the little items that just don't seem to have a permanent home. Remote controls, extra batteries, pens and pencils, and so much more could fit inside these. Maybe even an indoor plant or two!

If room permits I'd like these by the couch... but they'd be great as bedside tables! Right now we have exactly one side table - an uninspired piece of black table (material unknown) - and it's not exactly a great fit with the design of the room. I'd love to be able to just tuck a few loose items in the beside table pockets, a book or two in the built-in shelving unit, and call it a night!

Coming up next: a great coffee table!

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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Vanity Pillowcases

Do you think Jeff would notice if I casually snuck in these pillowcases onto our bed? I love the idea of these!

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Actually now that I think about it, I could purchase two pillowcases of my choosing and ask Jeff's mom to sew in the words. She has one of those fancy, uber-expensive Bernina sewing machines that do everything except command NASA flights. 

Rather than "Sleeping Beauty" and "Prince Charming" - which doesn't fit us at all - the pillowcases could say "Hers" and "His" or "Mrs." and "Mr." (someday!).  I love that personalization can be really inexpensive and thoughtful!

Spring Planting

Back in January we bought fixings to start growing a small garden on our tiny little terrace. I think we may have missed the deadline to start planting stuff but I think if we can get it done this weekend we'll be okay. I don't have high hopes for things to grow in this climate anyway. But we'll see! It will sure be nice to have some green things growing out there to make the view a bit nicer.

Jeff's mom planted a bunch of seedlings in a big greenhouse starter kit and already many of them have sprouted up quite nicely. They have this perfect area in their kitchen where a small bay window juts out, allowing for sunlight and precipitation. They should look really nice when they are more grown. Jeff is so funny - every time we go to his parent's house he has to comment on the state of their gardening or the pond or some specific plant. I suppose since his emotional ties are stronger to his childhood home it makes sense.

I'm really looking forward to what Spring has to offer. I'm not looking forward to the 100 degree weather that is sure to cause misery, however. But since Jeff is off school for summer (not me, grr) perhaps we can spend a lot of of time at the pool, staying cool and getting tan. It's a nice thought at least!

In the meantime I'm firmly ensconced in finals and will be for the next two weeks. Joy is the life of graduate student!

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Home Goods = LOVE

Having driven by the local Home Goods store several times and having no clue what was sold inside, I finally made the trip (with Jeff) and oh my goodness it was amazing! It was like Ross or TJMaxx for people with taste. There were a lot of pieces inspired by Greece and several Asian countries and while the cooking section wasn't too exciting, the dinnerware section was. Last weekend I had found two beautiful bowls at Ross and today I found one entire set from the collection that bowl came from.

I ended up buying a new cheese grater, a timer, and two other things that I can't remember right now lol. I'm definitely looking forward to going there again. Especially when we start to consider how we want to set up our patio. We're working on gathering items for a small urban garden and I saw several pieces that would fancy up our deck quite nicely!!!

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Lovely Party Table

I was browsing through Tumblr when I came across this lovely table setting. How perfect would this be around Valentine's Day or just for a punch of color in spring?

via Tumblr

I just love the pink and orange together with bursts of green. Jeff and I are having a birthday party for his grandmom in a few weeks and this feels really inspiring and pretty!

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Ikea Catalogue Shopping, Part 3: the Bathroom!

When we first moved into our apartment our shower/tub was missing one critical feature: a curtain. Fortunately we got a great deal on a curtain we both liked (it took a while to find something) and have used it as the starting point for all of our bathroom decorating. We bought some matching towels, a bathmat to stand on once done showering and a mat to stand on while showering. It really pulled our bathroom together and looks so fresh and inviting! It makes a great statement.

I'm kind of in the mood to mix things up and buy some bath towels that I'd be proud to hang up in the bathroom. It's not that we don't have any towels because we have quite a few. Only one of them matches. I'm not one for doing matchy-matchy decorations but I would like to incorporate more of the colors from the shower curtain into the bathroom. Ikea has a lot of different colored ones and they are nicely priced. A few of these could definitely tie in the curtain to the rest of the bathroom.

Jeff thinks we don't need any since we already have a few bath towels, but it's a purchase I'm going to push for just so that our bathroom looks all that much nicer. 

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!

Ikea Catalog Shopping, Part 1: the Terrace

I used to love getting an Ikea catalogue in the mail whenever I remembered to order one online, only it took several weeks for it to arrive. Now I can download it in a few moments thanks to the Ikea app for my iPad. Love it. So. I browsed through just the relevant sections (i.e., the sections that coordinated with my current project ideas) and found a few things I think I must have. Thankfully and awesomely enough the app enables bookmarking so I can browse back to specific pages with ease.

One project that Jeff and I have been thinking about since before we moved in is a garden. We live on the second floor and thus have a small terrace but it isn't an impossible space. With careful planning (he can do the math) and design (I can do that part) I'm confident we can start up a garden to be proud of! 

The great thing about Ikea is that everything is cheap inexpensive but rather nice looking. I love these white pots that are a whopping 49 cents. They would be grat for the growing list of herbs I want to plant, including rosemary, basil, and parsley. One or two of the larger pots for around $15 would work great for veggies, such as onions or lettuce. We have to be smart about what we plant and when, especially considering that summer in Bakersfield climbs up into the 100's regularly.

Hanging flower pots would be great for incorporating flowers or other herbs or spices. These white ones for $4.99 are especially darling. 

While I like the simple and utilitarian look of the white pots I just love the vibrant purple variation. These would work well for indoor plants, and would look great in our colorful kitchen. 

I'd love to get some chalkboard paint and paint labels on the pots, just so I can always know what is currently growing (this might be helpful for Jeff, as well). This seems like it would just a nice touch of customization and character. 

Our front door is set back a ways on the landing and there is a good amount of space where we could put plants that don't need a lot of direct sunlight and would be slightly cooler. I love the idea of something green at the front door. It just looks so welcoming and inviting!

I've got more ideas from the Ikea catalogue! Up next... the kitchen!