New Apartment

Because we are moving in August I decided that it would be a great time to redecorate! I am so excited because when Ryan and I first got married I was in a "black" stage and wanted all black decor. That is not what I want now. I also bought a bunch of stuff that isn't my style at all, I guess I just wasn't sure how I wanted my place to look. Well, now I do and I want to pursue a career in interior design so this is good practice for me. 

THE PLAN

Starting now I am taking $15 out of every pay check and saving it in a special decorating envelope. I want to redo my living room, bathroom and bedroom. Here is my budget. 

Living Room: $100

Bedroom: $50

Bathroom: $50

I created a mood board for the living room so I can get it out of my head and so I can start sleeping again and so I don't forget what I want everything to look like. Below is what I am going for. I want to use navy, grey, white and a little yellow for the living room. Right now I have orange (don't ask) and lots of black so my goal is to save money by painting and recovering items I already have. Here is the mood board.

I already have the couch which is sort of an item I regret getting because it is not my style at all. But since I don't have the budget, the couch stays. My goal is to spend the least amount of money for a high end look. I am going to get two Ikea side tables ($7.99 a piece!) and set them side by side to create a coffee table. The biggest dilemma I am having right now is what I should do about the rug. The rug on the left is from Ikea for only $19.99 and it is a decent size or I could get a more expensive rug with the exact color and pattern that I want. So my question is, does the Ikea rug look good with my stuff? Opinions please! 

I am so excited about this project and actually creating a home! Kristen this means we are going on a shopping spree when I visit in July!