Welcome to our Florida Crib!

4 years later and Jared and I are finally done with this whole long distance thing! Through some strange twist of fate, Jared ended up receiving an offer for a full-time position here in Orlando. At the end of May, he made the trip down and we started life together in the sunshine state. It's been such a crazy whirlwind of a month, but I feel like we are finally settled into our life and our new apartment (which, I think I'm obsessed with, btw). I literally love our apartment. We are on the top floor, with a balcony and a gorgeous view, and we've totally made the place our own.

Luckily, a lot of our furniture, kitchen essentials and decor were "recycled" from our PSU apartments, or were hand-me-downs from our generous family members. I'll do my best to link all of our decorations and furniture below and if not, I'll try to find you guys something similar.

Entry:

We definitely wanted a nod to Penn State in our apartment since it's a huge part of both of us, so we bought a thin, simple Nittany Lions metal sign for the wall and added some blue and grey frames, and a vase, for accents. Of course, both of our family photos are from football games! The PSU sign is from Family Clothesline in State College, but you can definitely find something similar online. The frames are all from Michael's, but Yankee Candle carries something super similar.

Penn State Metal Sign || Blue & White Picture Frames

Dining & Kitchen:

Almost everything in our kitchen area was given to us and/or recycled from college. Our iron table, lamps and the mirror were all from Jared's parents and his aunt and uncle. We did swap out the lampshades on the console table to create a more modern look.

The kitchen table was Jared's from college. His parents painted the legs and chair backs for us and added in the leaf to make it look as good as new.

Similar Dining Sets: Wayfair || Overstock

Our stools were super difficult to find. We wanted a white or grey color to tie in with our countertops, but we were also looking for comfort since, most of the time, it will be just the two of us having meals at the counter. I snagged these 3 from a super sale at Pier 1. Below is the link to our exact stools (but I, for sure, did not pay full price). We found a bunch of different options at HomeGoods as well, but these were truly everything we wanted!

Pier 1 Barstools || Similar Styles: Hayneedle || Amazon

Living Room:

I'm obsessed with our living room. I have always wanted a sectional so when it came to couch shopping, Jared had no choice but to grant me my wish. We got this one at Rooms To Go. The cream-colored pattern pillows came with our couch, as well as the brown ottoman. The rest of our accent pillows, our rug, our tray, and the beachy painting came from HomeGoods. I've linked similar pieces below!

Sectional: Rooms To Go

Similar Throw Pillows: Crate & Barrel || Pottery Barn || Magnolia

Similar Trays: Stein Mart || Macy's

Similar Paintings: Wayfair || West Elm

Our TV stand is also from HomeGoods, but they have a super similar look at Wayfair. I'm also the queen of frames; they're all reused from my bedroom in PA and college dorms/apartments.

Master Bedroom:

We ordered our platform bed from Sam's Club and got the quilt and pillows from HomeGoods. The painting above our headboard added some small pops of color to accent the blue bedding. The frames in our room are all from HomeGoods. I got them when I moved to Florida by myself a year ago.

Our nightstands and dresser are all from HomeGoods. I don't know about you all, but I never find matching sets at HomeGoods. It's hard to find two of something, never mind three pieces. We got super lucky (and the HomeGoods managers were so sweet helping me fit all three into my tiny Nissan). I've always been the type of person who has to match everything in my room to be the exact same color (i.e. white bed, white nightstands, white TV stand), but I wanted to use my style and take more chances this time around and I think it definitely paid off.

Our curtains were on super sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond, and they are blackout curtains. Jared and I sleep like babies on the weekend-- it's near impossible to see the light of day in our room.

Platform Bed: Sam's Club (FYI-- you don't need a box spring for this type of bed frame)

Blackout Curtains: Bed, Bath & Beyond

Color Dot Painting: Target

Similar Night Stands: Birch Lane

Similar Grey Wall Frames: Anthropologie

Similar Accent Chair: Wayfair

Guest Room:

Most of this stuff is recycled from my last apartment. You can find all of the links in my Florida Bedroom blog post!

The accent chair came from my mom; we used it in our house in PA. It's from Pier 1 a few years ago, but here's a similar product.

And there ya have it folks! We've literally had a ball decorating our new home and have already gotten to share it with so many of our family members. I can't wait to keep making memories and hosting trips for our family and friends.

What are your favorites pieces in your home or apartment? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!

Stay smilin' -- Steph

**Content is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with tagged companies. All opinions/ideas above are my own.

Inside my Florida Bedroom

I've been living in Florida for about two months now and have certainly created the perfect home away from home for myself. My college apartment and dorm rooms had a super clean, grey, white and purple color scheme going on, which I loved. When I moved to the sunshine state, I wanted my room to reflect the beachy, palm-tree vibe-- something you most definitely do not find in Pennsylvania. My room has become my own little getaway with a ton of natural light and calming colors. I'm super pumped with the way it turned out and wanted to share with you all!

We'll start with my desk/vanity area. I was looking for something compact and small that I can sit at to do my makeup in the morning. I needed something white to keep my room in the light vibe I was going for and included a small drawer for my makeup.

My Desk:

I had never ordered from Wayfair until I moved to Florida and needed to buy my own furniture (and needed to buy at a reasonable price). But, I found exactly what I was looking for for under $100! The mirror was included and is actually attached to the piece, so you don't have to worry about hanging or propping it up against the wall. You can find this exact piece here on Wayfair.

Since the desk top itself is such a small area, I tried to keep it as clean as possible when it comes to decor. I used two picture frames from Michaels and placed them on either side of the mirror. The S hook is perfect for my keys and work ID: A TJMaxx $4.99 find! The blue Archaeology candle was on clearance at Target for $6, and I loved the color, so I snatched that up as well.

When I first started my job with Disney, my leaders gave me a welcome box that all new D23 members receive when they become a part of the fan club. It had tons of (duplicated) historical sketches from Walt and other Disney memorabilia inside. I decided to frame a few pieces to add some subtle Disney magic to my room!

My Bed:

My bed was definitely my favorite part of the decorating process. I based all of the furniture and decor in my room around my quilt and pillow choices. I bought a light, cream colored quilt and matching throw pillow at my local TJMaxx. I have always loved super calm colors on a bed spread but after seeing how blended the pillow and cover looked together, I decided I wanted a pop of color! My mom and I found a blue striped and a solid yellow throw pillow at HomeGoods in North Carolina on our drive down to Florida. I have never been so great at using "mismatched" colors. I always felt the need to match everything to one base color. But hey-- new life, new room, new look! I was beyond happy with the way my bed came together (and clearly, so was Minnie). Here's similar quilt from TJMaxx!

My Nightstand:

Another HomeGoods find! If you haven't noticed, HomeGoods is my go-to. My nightstand is iron and very simple. It was about $40. I didn't want anything big and crazy. My lamp (another HomeGoods find) and my 4x4 frame (TJMaxx) fit perfectly on the tiny tabletop. I have the perfect amount of room for my phone and glasses when I go to bed and that's truly all I needed! Here are some similar nightstands and lamps!

[ Urban Outfitters Nightstand , Wayfair Nightstand , Hayneedle Nightstand ]

[ TJMaxx Table Lamp , West Elm Table Lamp ]

My Rug:

In the clearance section of HomeGoods, mom and I found a TOTAL steal: $8.00 for this little ditty. I loved that the colors coordinated with my pillow but added a fun new pattern aspect to some dead space on my floor. I'm sure when you pop in HomeGoods, TJMaxx or Marshall's, you'll find a treasure like this one for yourself! I've linked a few for you below that are on the market right now!

[ TJMaxx Rug , Target Rug in Variety of Colors , Target Rug ]

My TV Stand:

I was 100% the most pumped about this purchase. My TV ended up being wider than I thought so I had to find a long but space-saving piece that had room for DVDs and other electronic pieces. I went back to Wayfair, since I had so much success with my desk, and they did not disappoint. I found this stand for $44! It was on closeout so I snatched it up as quickly as I could. The self-assembly was certainly not fun, but for $44, PLUS FREE SHIPPING, this piece was so worth it. Check out their sale section to find a total steal for yourself!

These frames were both HomeGoods finds and the candle was another $6 Target clearance!

Wall Frames:

I found this entire set of frames at HomeGoods in so many different shapes and sizes. They're super lightweight and can be held up with a simple command hook. I grabbed an 8x10, two 11x14s and one with a triple 4x6. They matched the color of my sheets perfectly and I loved the twine at the top to hang them. AND the big ones were only $9.99! $7.99 for the 8x10.

There's a super cute store at Disney Springs called SugarBoo and Co. They have thousands of beautiful quotes and one-of-a-kind gifts. I usually pop in to see what's around and I found myself coming back to the same quote every time I went in the store. So one day, I said "treat-yo' self, Stephanie!" and bought it. I love waking up to something as simple as a quote to get myself on the right track for the day. You can peek at SugarBoo's website here to find your go-to mantra!

My wall canvas is a hidden gem from Target! It was $35 and it ties together every color in my room so nicely. You can find this exact piece here . Or, if you're looking for a different color scheme with a similar vibe, here are some more ideas!

My Corner Tower:

So, originally, this was supposed to be my "TV stand," but it is clearly far too skinny to hold such a wide television. I use it for storage and some extra photo display space to make my room feel more homey. There was a 3-tier and 4-tier version at HomeGoods with a very similar price. The 4-tier option was $99 so spent the extra money and went for it.

I have tons of these tiny brown papers throughout my room as friendly, motivational reminders. Each is $1.29 at SugarBoo and they even sell tiny windows and frames to display them. Each display is $10 and so worth it for a small, unique piece in any space.

My fan was more of want rather than a need. But, it matched my pillow so clearly I had to buy it! Also, I'm one of those people who needs some kind of sound while I sleep, but TV is bright and distracting, so my fan works perfectly! $30 from HomeGoods and they have it a variety of pretty pastel colors!

And there ya have it, folks! I hope you enjoyed my mini room tour and found it helpful if you're looking for a new vibe in your room.

What's your favorite piece in your room? Where to you shop when it comes to redecorating? I'd love to hear more about it! Leave me a comment below!

Stay smilin'! -- Steph

DIY Distressed Chalk Furniture

Tuesday, April 3rd was a sad day in HGTV history-- the final episode of Fixer Upper made its debut leaving all #shiplap lovers, like myself, to grieve. Chip and Jo have decided to say their farewells to filming to focus on their growing family. We can't blame them! Five amazing seasons is all they needed to show the world the miracles they've made and ideas they've had. They've built an incredible relationship with their viewers, began selling their products at local stores like Pier 1 and Target, and also now host an one site location at the Silos for Fixer Upper fans to visit.

Not only do I want to be Joanna Gaines, but I want to work like Joanna Gaines. Her signature rustic style gives a clean, yet old look to trendy modern things. I decided to channel my inner Jo and test my creativity with some DIY apartment furniture. If you’re looking to save some cash and take on a project, here are the steps you can follow to get that cute, original, Fixer Upper-inspired furniture in your space.

FIND YOUR BASE

In this case, my uncle found an old dresser for me at a local yard sale in Northeast, PA. This particular piece was originally listed at $50 but with a bit of haggling, begging and pleading, the seller agreed to a markdown of $30. It’s not exactly the prettiest piece but hey, that’s the point!

DECIDE ON A DESIGN

Keeping Jo’s antique, rustic theme in place, I went with a distressed look. A light grey chalk paint was perfect for my apartment bedroom. I wanted something neutral that could move with me wherever I decide to go. The chalk paint used in my DIY adventure was Valspar Chalky Finish Paint. There is a three-step-process to this brand, but the final product is totally worth the work. The large cans cost about $32 each and steps two and three weigh-in at about $17 each, depending on the retailer. The spray paint alternative is also an option, however I've never tried this one so I'd love some feedback if you opt for this method.

** There are also some ways to make the chalk paint yourself. Check out this website if you’d like to test out the DIY chalk paint. If you’re on a tighter budget, the antique wax isn’t exactly “essential” to the process. Skipping it won’t ruin your piece, so you can keep your paint costs lower if you're ballin' on a budget.

Additionally, new knobs for the drawers gave the piece a more updated, elegant look. Knobs are super easy to stumble upon. I found a set of six from TJ Maxx that cost $6 per box. Anthropologie has some gorgeous designs as well and Hobby Lobby also carries a huge selection.

PAINT IT

The chalk paint is super easy to use. No sanding is required before application; you can just start with your paint and brush directly on any surface. After about two coats have been painted and dried, you can begin sanding. The amount of sanding you do on your piece is totally up to your personal taste. Using a small piece of sandpaper, begin to wear away the paint job you just so beautifully finished (this was painful to the OCD side of me). I went for a less distressed look, but applied in all the corners and details on the piece.

WAX WAX WAX

Once you have sanded to your liking, apply the finishing waxes. Similar to buffing a car, apply a small amount of the clear wax to a clean cloth and begin in circular motions all over painted and sanded areas. After this has layer has dried (which shouldn't be any more than ten minutes), begin the wax process once more with your antiquing can. You are on your way to Joanna Gaines status.

DRESS IT UP

To me, replacing the knobs is the best part of this process. You can really add your own flair with colorful designs and patterns. PLUS, they're replaceable! So if you repaint a room, or want to change up your original design, you can simply swap out the knobs.

GO FOR IT!

The end result of your piece will look perfect wherever you decide to place it. And, even better, no one in the world has the exact same one! Without the use of antique wax, this project cost me about $75 total-- yard-sale dresser included. It’s a conversational piece (because you know you’re going to want everyone who sees it to know that you were the creator of its beauty) and it’s functional, of course!

You’re on your way to the next episode of Fixer Upper! Share your DIY projects with me! I'd love to see what one-of-a-kind pieces you come up with.

For more DIY projects, home decor finds and tips on channeling your inner Joanna Gaines, keep up with my Home blog!

Stay smilin'.

--Steph