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Apartment Furnishing 101 - Where to Buy

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:10:31 GMT

A guide for where to start your furniture search

By: Anna Summers

Following the previous blog on starting the furnishing and decorating process of your new apartment home, this post will be a guide on where to find affordable, quality furniture. These are only suggestions based on my experience and the experiences of my friends.

IKEA

I’m sure this is one of the first places that come to mind for a lot of you, but it is still worth the mention because it is so great. I recently moved into a new place, and I truly don’t know what I would have done with out trusty IKEA. I think I went back and forth from there about three times within the week I moved in. They have absolutely everything from fake plants to kitchenware to mattresses. While everything there is generally affordable, there are also some higher end products to suit those in that market. I found all my essentials there, making it so easy to have everything I need right away.

The only downside I found was having to assemble the pieces of furniture and their high shipping costs. So, it is definitely recommended to bring a big car or truck when going there and ensure you have the tools necessary to assemble your purchases (it is very simple – if I can do it, anyone can).

Seattle location: 601 SW 41st St, Renton, WA, 98057

Facebook Marketplace and Offer Up

Another way a lot of people I know have found furniture is through second-hand stores. Both Facebook Marketplace and Offer Up are great options for this and are fully online. You can shop what you are looking for from people in your area that are selling said items. I have many friends that have found great furniture pieces from both sites and had positive experiences.

One thing to note is it is likely the item will need to be picked up and potentially cleaned. But for the deals, it is worth it!

HomeGoods and At Home

HomeGoods and At Home are both awesome places to find affordable furniture and décor. They have everything including rugs, wall art, kitchenware, and furniture items. It makes for a fun outing as you can always find little hidden gems there that you didn’t know you needed! While shopping there can be a bit overwhelming because there is a lot going on and many products, if you are patient and take the time to wander through each aisle, you will definitely find something of value.

At Home Location: 301 37th Ave SE, Puyallup, WA 98374

HomeGoods Locations : (1) 1500 W Armory Way (2) 13020 Aurora Ave N

Wayfair

Back to the online options…Wayfair is one of the best (in my opinion) for affordable, quality furniture. They have so many options all very fairly priced, and of course have everything you could need. It ships pretty quickly, and, in my experience, they have great customer service. It definitely takes patience to scroll through all their items, but as I mentioned, there are so many options that you will have no problem finding what you need.

Those are just some of the places I have experience with and would recommend as a place to start. And of course, there is always Amazon! Leave a comment below if there are other places I left out that you enjoy.

Soak Up the Remainder of Seattle Summer!

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 22:31:40 GMT

Make the most of the last month of summer

BY: ANNA SUMMERS

It's August, which means there's only about a month left of summer! Not sure how to make the most of it? Well, you're in the right place. Here is your guide to all things Seattle summer including restaurant/bar recommendations to soak up the remainder of the sunny days Seattle has to offer before fall.

Seafair weekend has passed, but that doesn't mean there isn't more to enjoy on the water. Head to one of the public access beaches listed here to enjoy the lake or the sound. All these spots are also great for water sports such as kayaking and paddle boarding - if you have access to a boat, some have boat entryways.

Being a city known for some great music, there are plenty of opportunities to catch an outdoor concert this summer. Until August 23rd, Zootunes - an outdoor concert series at the Woodland Park Zoo is going on featuring some incredible artists. Day-in-Day out Festival is also going on from August 12-13 with artists including Bon Iver, Leon Bridges, and Dominic Fike. Also, check out the websites for Lumen Field, Marymoor Live, and Chateau Ste. Michelle for more concerts coming to Seattle the remainder of summer.

Some other ideas to keep your days busy the rest of summer include:

Picnic at Gas Works Park
Take the ferry to Bainbridge
Enjoy the Seattle waterfront with a ride on the Ferris wheel or a meal on one of the piers
Stroll through Pike Place Market
Attend a Mariners or Sounders game
Bike or walk the Burke-Gilman trail
Browse on of the local farmers markets near you
Enjoy an outdoor movie at Marymoor Park
Take in views from a rooftop bar
Meet friends at a local brewery
Wine taste in Woodinville
Take a hike
Visit the Washington State Fair

Below is also a list of some of the best outdoor patios and rooftops in Seattle to enjoy a great meal or beverage:

Agua Verde* – Mexican food, on the water near UW
Villa Escondita – Mexican food, in Belltown
Marination Ma Kai – Hawaiian, near Alki beach
Magnuson Brewery – Brewery, American/pub food, Magnuson area
Mbar* – Rooftop, cocktails and small plates, pricier, South Lake Union
Bar Harbor – Seafood/American food, cocktails, beer, South Lake Union
Ivar's – casual seafood, multiple locations
Café Campagne* – French food, Post Alley
Old Stove Brewing* – brewery with food, down from Pike Place Market
Little Water Cantina – Mexican food, Eastlake
Portage Bay Café* - Breakfast/Brunch, multiple locations
JOEY* – international/contemporary food, great bar, University Village
Mioposto* – Neapolitan style pizza, Ravenna area
Eureka! - American food, University Village
El Camion – Mexican food truck, near University Village
Ba Bar – Vietnamese food, University Village
Mamma Melina* – Italian food, pricier, near Unversity Village
Watershed Pub & Kitchen – Pub, Northgate
Ravenna Brewing – Brewery, Ravenna area
Fremont Brewing – Brewery, Fremont
The Patio Fine Thai Cuisine – Thai food, Capitol Hill
Nue – International Street foods, Capitol Hill
Oddfellows Café & Bar – American food, coffee, bar, Capitol Hill
Frolik Kitchen + Bar – Rooftop Bar, Downtown Seattle
Bryant Corner Café* - Breakfast, Bakery, Ravenna
Eastlake Bar and Grill - American food, bar, Eastlake

*one of my personal favorites

Enjoy the rest of summer and comment all of your end of summer activities!

Apartment Furnishing 101

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 20:11:44 GMT

Whether you love or hate furnishing your new home - this guide is for you

BY: ANNA SUMMERS

For some people this is the most difficult part about moving into a new home, and for others it is the most exciting part. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, follow along for all things apartment furnishing and decorating!

To break it down for those who may not enjoy this as much as others, we are going to take this step by step because it can be overwhelming at first. Many of you probably walk into your empty home and think “where do I start?”. Trust me, we’ve all been there. So hopefully this will help mitigate that overwhelming feeling and make your life a little easier – especially if decorating is not your cup of tea. Below you will find the breakdown of the different “steps” or stages in furnishing and decorating your home. Keep in mind that this is just a suggestion and how I would personally approach it, but for you it may make more sense to move around the order or do something else entirely! So take this all with a grain of salt ��

STEP 1: GET TO KNOW YOUR SPACE

The first thing I like to do when looking to furnish a new living space is to spend some time analyzing the space. Whether that be virtually if you can’t be there in person yet, or by physically looking at the space, just take the time to really look at it and brainstorm what would logically go where.

I like to take this room by room, so it is not too overwhelming. It is also nice to keep a list in your phone or a notebook of your ideas for each space so you can refer to it later. At this point, it is smart to take measurements if you can, so you know what sizes your furniture/décor should be.

STEP 2: START WITH THE BASICS

After you have a good feel for your living spaces and have a general idea of what should go where, start your furnishing process by getting the absolute necessities first. This will further help you visualize what you’re working with to further decorate later on and will make it start to feel homier. That being said, you should begin looking for those basic must-haves: bed, couch, kitchen/dining room table, etc.

Some great places to look for these items affordably include Wayfair, Target, Facebook Marketplace, and Ikea just to name a few (there will be a separate post coming for finding deals on furniture and where to look).

STEP 3: ADD OTHER ‘NECESSITIES’

Once you have those essential items above, you can start thinking about what else you can get to fill the space. I recommend sitting in the space and thinking of what you are missing. For example, when sitting on the couch, you may realize you need some sort of coffee table or side table, or maybe a lamp to add some light for reading, etc.

Ideas for items to help fill your space and live more comfortably are listed below:

Coffee table
Bedside table(s)
Headboard
Desk
Floor lamp
Full length mirror
Shelving
Organizational drawers
Curtains

STEP 4: MAKE IT YOUR OWN – DECORATE!

Now that you have the furnishings taken care of, now comes the fun part – decorating! The most important part about a living space is that it feels like home, and a personal touch through a little bit of decorating makes it just that. For some, this may seem like a chore or an unnecessary task, but even the smallest bit of personalization can make your living space feel like your home. We will go more in depth into decorating in a later post, but below are some suggestions on how to make your living space more personalized and comfortable.

To warm up any room a rug is a perfect place to start. Nothing crazy, just an area rug that you can place under furniture (I’d recommend in the living room under couch and coffee table and/or the bedroom). Mirrors are also functional and decorative, so are perfect for a touch of décor on an empty wall. Decorative lamps work in the same way – function and decoration – they should be placed on side tables, desks, or on the floor if it is a taller floor lamp.

Those are some general suggestions for now, but as I mentioned, more to come on decorating ��

Hopefully these four steps make the concept of home furnishing slightly less daunting. I know for me, it can be overwhelming at first, but breaking it down always makes it seem more manageable. Also, keep in mind that this can be an ongoing, evolving project. As you live in a space you learn more about what woks and what doesn’t, so don’t feel like you have to get it all done right as you move in.