By now, most of you know we moved to Dallas. Reading each of your comments about our new home is just heartwarming. Moving into this stunning apartment still feels like a whirlwind. Especially with Vietnamese New Year being right after our move-in date, things have been so hectic to make sure we get our place clean and settled properly. We wouldn’t want to ring in the new Lunar New Year in a bad way! While our home is far from finished, I want to share an apartment decor update with y’all. This way you can see the space as it comes together and see our process. Clearly, I’m no expert but I love to add things as I feel they’re needed. Plus, I believe keeping an open mind is key. Being in this apartment has taught us a few things when it comes to layout and design.

One thing we both truly love about this apartment is how much natural light there is! Even on cloudy days, the apartment looks beautiful. There are tons of windows. For me, I know light really affects my mood – so this was crucial to us. Also, I really dislike having to turn on the lights during the day! On paper, this apartment is bigger than the one we had in Fort Worth, but the layout is quite different. While it was a challenge, we embraced it and are growing to really appreciate the space and how we use it. Plus, it makes finding apartment decor even more fun.

LIVING SPACE

I’ve never had to “float” a sofa before. In all my previous apartments there has been a deciding wall to put it against. However, here that was not the case. Johnny and I decided to use our Article Sofa (full review here) to separate our living room from our kitchen. It fits perfectly while still allowing space to walk between both rooms with ease. The weekend we moved into our Dallas apartment, this sofa was put to the test. It the “landing place” for boxes and things to be put away. Also, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were happening and my family, Johnny and I sat on this comfy sofa to watch Nathan Chen capture his 3rd U.S. Championships. It’s kind of crazy to think about it, but this sofa was perfect. We were all sitting there, as a family watching Nathan skate in complete awe. It made me really see how a sofa can be such an important part of a home.

This coffee table always elicits a lot of questions. It’s a favorite of mine and I’ve had it for years. It’s the first piece of apartment decor I got. The storage component is what sold me but the pop-up top acts as the perfect workspace, dining table…anything you need. Inside, we usually store knick-knacks, tissues, the remote and other items we can’t seem to find a place for. The surface is so easy to clean. Every week or so, I wipe it down with cleaner and it’s good to go! I honestly can’t recommend this coffee table enough. While I have lusted after others…I always go back to how practical and functional this one is and stick with it.

Finally, we love hidden storage so we use these pretty storage boxes to hide paperwork, mementos, some tech gear and more. One box actually holds medication, ha. It’s an easy way to spruce up your apartment decor but still keep things accessible.

We’re still just as in love with our dining table as when we first got it. This marble and gold beauty is quite the statement piece in our home. We love it for breakfast and/or lunch together when it’s just us. When we have company over, it’s perfect to seat four. This past Sunday, I took some time to plan and schedule things for the busy week ahead. Writing things down into a planner is a must for me, otherwise, I completely lose track. These metal dining chairs comfortable and I feel add a slightly tougher look to what can feel like such a feminine space. Currently, these peach blossoms from Johnny’s Dad are taking over, ha! We don’t really mind losing our table to these – their blooms are a sign of good luck and prosperity for the new year!

BEDROOM

We have a lot of work to do in our bedroom, but one area I’m starting to love is my dresser. Johnny recently got me a print of my favorite Fitzgerald quote and we put it in a gold frame to match the bedroom theme. By no means is it an expensive piece of apartment decor but it’s meaningful and unique to us. The print anchors the rest of the dresser area, which mainly displays my jewelry. I have quite the Kendra Scott collection, being a Texas girl. I remember years ago being a student reporter at UT and reaching out the store on South Congress in Austin. They graciously sent me a few jewels to wear. Then, years later when I competed at Miss USA, they sent me more stunning pieces to proudly wear. Kendra’s story is one of inspiration and when I see her pieces and wear them, it motivates me to craft my own unique story.

It’s no surprise earrings are my favorite. For dangling earrings, I use a jewelry stand to display them in color order. I originally got mine years ago. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it because the bar is too big for dangling earrings. Sometimes my earrings fall off or I have to reshape the metal a bit, which I’m not a fan of. I’m saving up for Kendra Scott’s stand, which you can actually put earrings through. For bigger earrings or post-style, I keep them on display in a shadow box.

Don’t be afraid to make space for sentimental items, too! I have one of my favorite memories with Johnny framed. It’s from when we went to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. I remember Johnny taking pictures of me in front of the Gangneung Ice Arena. Two strangers walked up and asked if we wanted a photo together and that moment was forever captured. It’s probably one of my favorite apartment decor pieces.