After months of flirtatious banters, stolen glances, and accidental coffee runs, you’ve found yourself in a relationship with a seemingly perfect boyfriend/girlfriend. Everything is going smoothly; you two go on fancy dinners, talk for hours on end, and end every verbal conversation with “bae”. Soon, you two find yourselves living together.
Your relationship is venturing into a whole new territory, as you now have to share a living space together. Now you must determine, how do you combine your own personal flare with your significant other’s?
Well, thankfully, our friends at AptDeco have provided us with the wonderful case study of Mike and Courtney and how they moved in together. We learn about what to consider when decorating your space for two, and how to compromise for a happy medium.
Mike and Courtney are a young couple that met in business school at Yale. After graduating, they began a new chapter and moved to NYC for work. During their apartment search, they found a light-filled Brooklyn place that motivated them to create their first cozy space in the company of their furry friend, Ty.
The moving-in-together process involved getting lots of furniture and decor pieces, which can be an overwhelming experience for anyone.
“We visited some cool stores here in Brooklyn. They had great stuff, but the price was out of our range in most cases. So we opted for furnishing with some used pieces.” – Mike
PC: AptDeco
When selecting the pieces, they managed to combine their own personal styles, which created an interesting and cool flavor as a result.
“Our tastes are converging. I prefer rustic pieces with a Restoration Hardware vibe and Mike is all about mid-century modern. But somehow we managed to balance them (laughs). This is all new for us of course; we’re still discovering our taste.” – Courtney
PC: AptDeco
Mike and Courtney’s main priority was to get a good sofa, which turned out be a very easy purchase. It was actually one of the first things they got. However, some pieces like media stands or nightstands were harder to find considering they were looking for a minimalist solution.
Mike always wanted to incorporate cinder blocks (much to Courtney’s chagrin), so they decided to combine a minimal console table with three cinder blocks that she actually found near their apartment. This original mix creates an industrial-rustic vibe that perfectly complements the rest of the room.
PC: AptDeco
Their entire place includes heart-warming details that undoubtedly promote a warm vibe, which was Courtney’s intention when decorating.
“We’re on our way to creating that welcoming feeling that we’re aiming for. I think the place still feels a bit like a hotel because it has a lot of white spaces, but I guess that it takes some time to complete it.” – Courtney
PC: AptDeco
The couple is making sure not to rush into any purchases, but rather finding the right pieces for their home. They’ve learned from past experiences when they rushed into some purchases and the pieces either ended up not being what they truly wanted in their home or quite literally did not fit in their building’s elevator.
“It’s important to do it right and slowly when decorating. There’s no need to rush if you’re going to be in the same place for a while. The right pieces will come to you. We waited for a while and we found them together!” – Courtney
PC: AptDeco
When AptDeco asked Mike and Courtney about their inspiration to create such a great space, Mike mentions:
“I actually wanted to feel like the guy that you have in your homepage‘s picture (laughs). Seriously, he just looks so cozy laying in that great sectional sofa. That’s what I wanted to recreate at home. I wanted to feel comfortable and have a very nice space at the same time.” – Mike
They also mentioned that the time they spent visiting furniture shops in places like Dumbo helped them to define their taste. It allowed them to identify the stuff that they’re interested in, which is why they recommend it to people in a similar position, especially if they’re in their 20s and aren’t too familiar with home décor.
PC: AptDeco
The couple certainly had fun with their decor process and now are enjoying the results of it. You’re never too young to create a wonderful space and this couple is a testament to that.
This post is contributed by our friends at AptDeco. AptDeco is an online marketplace for quality pre-owned furniture. With a verified community of buyers and sellers and pre-arranged pick-up and delivery, AptDeco is a simple and reliable way to buy and sell furniture without the hassle.
