Before I bid adieu to my apartment and move, I wanted to share the final transformation with you all!! If you haven’t seen the rest of my apartment yet, make sure to check out the kitchen, living room, dining room, and the famous closet speakeasy. As a renter, I’ve put in a lot of effort to make this space my own, knowing that I’ll have to undo some of these changes when I leave (which is bittersweet yet anticipated). For me, this apartment has been a sanctuary that has healed me and truly felt like home. When I moved in, my only aim was to make this space feel like home.
Having moved multiple times in my life, I understand the time it takes to settle into a new space (could be months, years, or even longer). Growing up in Orange County, my parents moved us around different cities as my school didn’t require us to live in a specific location (shoutout to Orange County School of the Arts). Despite the frequent moves, I always tried to make my room feel like “me” wherever we landed. This constant redecorating sparked my interest in interior design since I always had a blank canvas to work with. Then came college, where yearly moves were the norm, and my living spaces were a mishmash of random furniture pieces. It wasn’t until I graduated, found a job in LA, and moved into my first studio apartment in Hollywood that I was able to create a space that truly felt like home. It took me three years to make it feel cozy and personal, but just when I had settled in, life threw me a curveball, and I found myself moving back to New York, only to return to California after a breakup. A few months later, I moved into my current apartment in Los Feliz. That’s the story of my life: home edition. Moving into this space, I longed for the same sense of peace and relaxation I had in my Hollywood apartment, where I could walk in and feel an instant sense of calm. Home has a way of providing solace and security, especially when the world outside feels chaotic. So, yes, I’ve made significant changes to this apartment (as you’ve seen in the other room reveals), but I’ve finally achieved the goal of making it feel like home, which makes me immensely happy.
As a renter, it’s crucial to prioritize upgrades that will have the most impact on your living space and leave the rest behind. In a world of perfect home images, sometimes ‘good enough’ is perfectly fine – especially in a rental. Initially, I considered wallpapering my bathroom (which I still think would have been fantastic), but upon realizing that my dining room needed wallpaper more, I decided to invest my time and resources there instead. Given that I might have to remove the wallpaper upon moving out, I opted for small, affordable upgrades in the bathroom to enhance the space without breaking the bank. Let me walk you through the changes…
BEFORE
The vintage green tile, the quaint shelf, and the charming tub – they all add character to the bathroom. The only quirk is the cabinet that doesn’t quite close all the way (maybe a new design trend?). The green vintage tile is truly charming – I even found the perfect wallpaper that I planned to use, but in the end, I decided it wasn’t worth the cost and effort, given the eventual removal process. So, I opted for some simple, budget-friendly swaps that would personalize the space without requiring hours of undoing upon moving out. And they all turned out to be worthwhile.