Small Changes Can Make A Big Difference!

Hi Cupcakes!

I know I've been MIA for a little over a week now, but between throwing Rachel's bridal shower, my own wedding plans, selling my car, planning our upcoming move to Minnesota (which is happening in 2 WEEKS?!) and packing everything up, I haven't even had a second to breathe, let alone sit down at my computer! So, sorry about that friends. But I've got a few really great projects coming your way over the next couple weeks that I'm excited to share and get your thoughts on! 

For today I just wanted to share with you a few little things we added to Rachel's apartment. I know that sometimes decorating can be incredibly overwhelming for some of you. Wether it's because you hate shopping (I heard there actually a few of you out there?!), or because you have so many ideas and don't know where to start, or maybe you're like me, and you know exactly how you want your space to look but don't have the budget to create your dream space all at once. I've found that the best way to create the space you've been day dreaming of is just a little at a time. Especially for newly weds, or people in our age range, budgeting is EVERYTHING... which is why I'm so happy that i was able to help Rachel take the first step in making her space feel homey! Keep in mind, these rooms are far from complete, but just an example of how just a few little purchases can open up a room and make a great difference! 

Here is a before and after of the dining area. The dining room table is from my last post that you can read here! My favorite part of this room is the huge window. A big window really brightens up a room. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to really dress up a room with big beautiful curtains! Ordinarily, because Rachel is renting the space and doesn't want to paint the walls, I would take this opportunity to dress up the room with some statement curtains, something patterned or bold. However, Rachel loved the idea of having a color scheme of blacks, taupes, and creams, so keeping that theme in mind, we found these amazing, creamy, dream-like curtains at IKEA. (We bought them in 55x98" but make sure you measure!) The best part about these curtains in that they are only $20 for two panels! we used 4 panels for a full look! I think the most important tip of all that I can give you for any windows, but especially big ones like these, would be to hang the curtains at the top of the wall rather than at the top of the window. This really opens up the room and makes it seem a lot bigger. Plus, you won't have the awkward task of decorating the tiny space above the windows that would otherwise look blank and like its missing something!

Before

After

Here is a before and after of the bedroom. They didn't have a bed frame and the way their furniture was laid out was that the door is located in the top right of the before picture. I may not be a feng shui   master or anything, but I have learned that your bed should never be in the direct path of your door because it can disturb sleeping patterns, but you should be able to see the door when you are lying in your bed. (If that makes any sense). So the first thing we did was rearrange the furniture in the bedroom so that it was facing the door but not in line with it. The after picture was taken from the doorway so you can get an idea of placement! Another detail we added was a bed frame from IKEA which you can find here! Adding a bed frame changes the entire feel of the room. It's so important to get your bed up off the floor, I literally can't stress that enough! Finally we threw on their clean bedding and a few throw pillows and it INSTANTLY looks a thousand times better. The last little thing I did was hang those Mr. and Mrs. signs up on the wall. Before they were just leaning against the wall on either side of the bed and hanging them just makes it look way more intentional and a lot less like you just tossed it there. This room DEFINITELY still has a ways to go, it could use a patterned rug and some serious wall art, but the curtains from Bed Bath & Beyond that Rachel bought using a gift card she got as a bridal shower gift also help to tie the room together. It's a work in progress as are the rest of the rooms in the house, BUT remember, little by little, it'll grow into a dream space!

Before

After

After

The last update I have for you guys is a really basic update to liven up the living room! Their new couch is just about the comfiest of them all ( I would know, I've slept on it more than once ;) ) but it's lacking character and life! So we added a few throw pillows, including these from IKEA! We also added some flowers and a basket as a coffee table center piece as a place to organize the coasters and remotes! Finally we added this throw blanket from IKEA for a comfy and cozy look. I think the most important tip for this room would be the flowers. Adding flowers to any room can instantly give the room more life. It's like magic! 

Before

After

Alright friends, I hope you enjoyed this (long) post! I know it was a lot, a maybe decorating isn't your things, but if not, don't fret, because I've got more DIY projects coming up for you soon! Stay Tuned!!

Let me know if you have any great tips by leaving it in the comments or emailing me at thecaliforniacupcake@gmail.com. Don't forget to subscribe via email at the top of the page and follow me on instagram @thecaliforniacupcake!

P.S. I really do try to stray from these lengthy posts because I know it can be ridiculously boring to read that much, so if you read it all, cheers to you, and if not, don't worry, my next post won't be so looooong. ;)

Thanks for reading!

XO.