Furnish Your Home at The Louis

Image courtesy Pixabay

Once you have signed the lease and start packing the moving boxes to move into The Louis, then comes the fun task of...shopping! How do you want to decorate your new space? What vibe do you want it to have? Luckily, in the 14th & U area, there are many home furnishing stores to find beautiful new pieces of furniture and other decor items for your new apartment home. If you are unsure where to begin, here are some of our favorites:

Home Rule | 1807 14th St. NW

If you share the philosophy that you can never own too many kitchen gadgets, then Home Rule is going to be your new best friend! USA ice cube tray? Check. Contoured ice cream scoops for the perfect scoop? Check. Do you need these things? Maybe not, but you'll buy them anyway. Home Rule is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m.

Room & Board | 14th & T St.

It's pretty easy to spend hours upon hours inside Room & Board. Located in a restored Ford Motors showroom, there are 4 floors to explore. If you're in search of a new sofa, Room & Board offers an extensive selection of fabrics. Many of the pieces you'll find at Room & Board are made in America! Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Salt & Sundry | 1401 S St.

If you have more of a boho decor affinity, you will find plenty of pieces to complete your rooms at Salt & Sundry. While the store offers tables, most of their decor consists of accent/complementary pieces of furniture, including bar carts and fixings to go on it, candles, throws and more. Visit the store Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

West Elm | 1728 14th St., NW

West Elm carries a wide variety bedding, furniture, home decor, lighting and kitchenware in fun and modern designs. Get lost in the store's two floors of home decor! The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If none of these stores have quite the pieces you're looking for, consider checking out the District Flea, which is held on Saturdays through October! With so many stores and shops in our area, it is difficult to list them all, but it's almost impossible to go a block without seeing a home furnishing/decor store! 

What do you think are our area's hidden home decor gems? Follow The Louis' Facebook and Twitter pages and share yours!

Additional sources consulted:

Borderstan

DC Racked

Washingtonian

Living Without a Closet

"two-twenty-six/three-sixty-five" by Laura Bittner is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Apartment living does not always offer ideal storage space, especially if you’re a shopaholic. While most apartments include closet space, more often than not, the available closet isn’t big enough, leaving us to find other, more creative ways to store our clothing and accessories. What are some alternatives to a closet? Apartment Guide offers some solutions:

An Armoire or Dresser

One of the most obvious solutions is to buy a large armoire or dresser to store clothes in. What’s great about armoires over dressers is that they offer a place to hang any clothing that you’d rather not fold.

Dresses, blouses and easily wrinkled items won’t have to be shoved into a dresser drawer, which could potentially save you from having to pull out the iron every day before work.

Dressers, on the other hand, are great for people with a lot of foldable clothes. Either piece of furniture comes in various sizes, so those who live in a small space will be able to easily find something that fits their room.

A Clothing Rack

Stores like Target and Ikea sell clothing racks of all different shapes and sizes. You’ll easily be able to find smaller standing clothing racks that have a single bar on which to hang your clothes.

There are also full closet organizers that you can mount to a wall with multiple shelves and rods great for holding an entire wardrobe. Though not as affordable, these are a one-and-done solution to not having a closet, and they’re pretty easy to install on the wall.

Bookcases

The variety of bookshelves available in stores and online is truly amazing, so they’re a great organization option for bedrooms with nonexistent closets. The bookshelves with cube-shaped cubbies are particularly useful for organizing different types of clothing and accessories.

If you’re planning on using bookshelves in place of a closet, be sure to buy plenty of baskets and bins that will help you keep the shelves neat and uncluttered.

Floating Shelves

Floating shelves are another useful storage option, and they’re especially great because they can fit onto walls of any size. Hang floating shelves across the width of an entire wall, or stack them from floor to ceiling. You can even install dividers on your shelves to keep all of your clothing items separated.

Under the Bed

Installing drawers under the bed is both practical and unobtrusive, so it’s a perfect solution for people who live in a small space. You can also inexpensively lift your bed to create even more storage space under it, using store-bought bed risers.

Consider storing shoes, handbags and other less-often-used items under the bed so you don’t have to get down on the floor every time you change clothes.

A Trunk

For a storage solution that’s part decorative and part amazingly effective, find an antique or vintage trunk to keep at the foot of your bed.

Trunks are very spacious, so you’ll be able to store a lot of your wardrobe in just the one area. Use it for bulky items like sweaters, sweatshirts and sweatpants that don’t stack as easily on shelves.

Create Pretty Decor

Some of the prettiest and most colorful items in a person’s apartment can be found in their closet, like shoes, handbags, scarves and jewelry. Instead of tucking those items away into storage, find creative ways to display them around the room and apartment.

Buy a small coat rack just for your scarves and hang them by the front door. Line pretty high heels and handbags along the bookshelves in your living room or entryway. Hang your statement necklaces from pretty hooks on the wall above your toilet, rather than using that space for a piece of art.

Use a Curtain

Many of the storage solutions in this survival guide will leave your clothing out in the open or on display, but simply hanging a curtain can help you tuck your wardrobe out of sight. Attach a curtain to your bookshelves or simply hang one from the ceiling in front of your shelves to hide your clothing.

Mix and Match
If you have one wall in particular that would work well for a “closet,” mix and match the ideas to create exactly what you need for storing your own personal belongings. Hang floating shelves across the entire wall, then attach a closet rod to the wall beneath them. Or, find two small armoires and put them on either side of a short bookshelf.

Maximize Your Kitchen Space

"counter space!" by Maggie Hoffman is
licensed under CC BY 2.0

Regardless of the size of your apartment’s kitchen, it seems like there is never enough space for cooking, not to mention storage. If you are especially pressed for space to cook, storing your kitchen utensils in an organized and efficient way is paramount. Get creative with maximizing the space in your kitchen with these storage ideas from The Kitchn:

Add shelving anywhere you can: When space is at a minimum, you have to make the most of whatever you can find. That will likely mean adding shelving or a hanging cabinet to spaces that might otherwise go unused. Just make sure you have stylish storage containers if you opt for open shelving.

Hang your pots and pans: By storing your pots and pans vertically, you’ll free up cabinet, shelf, and drawer space for more pantry storage. We’d much rather see a beautiful Calphalon or All-Clad pan than a box of cereal or a bag of chips.

Make use of your cabinet doors: The inside of your cabinet doors are a woefully underused resource. Use them for storing spices or small kitchen utensils to free up even more space for larger items.

Put even narrow spaces to use: Think an awesome skinny storage rack is out of your reach? Think again! Find out how you can easily DIY a rolling pantry that is designed to fit whatever space your kitchen has to offer.

Organize in tiers: A simple and inexpensive addition, risers in your cabinets will not only make use of the vertical space on your shelves, but they’ll help you know what you already have and avoid buying duplicates.

Add a cart: If you have more space near your oven than you do in your pantry, keep a rolling cart with all your essential items at hand. You can move it around to wherever you’re cooking or stash it away when you have guests over and need more floor space.

Don’t forget about the space under your cabinets: Steal a trick from woodworking workshops, and affix lids to the bottom of your cabinets to keep jars of your most used items handy. Just be sure your cabinet is sturdy enough to hold the jars when they are full.

How do you make the most of the space in your kitchen? Share your tips with us!

Create a Zen Bedroom

"Bedroom Curtains" by Emily May is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Your bedroom should be a place where you feel relaxed and ready to rest, and your decor will influence your pre-bedtime mindset. Remember as a kid when your mom told you not to study in bed? That was because you would either fall asleep, or not be able to sleep other nights when you didn’t have to study. The same goes for adulthood--your bedroom should be a work-free zone! Here are some other tips from Apartment Therapy on bringing calm to your bedroom.

1. Be natural. Check the tags on your sheets, blankets, pillow covers. Are they of natural fibers? If not, seek out some good, basic sets of natural fiber bedding. Take it a step further with the mattress and your pillows, though this can get pricey. Also consider the materials of your furnishings and rugs. Are there a lot of synthetics like plastic and polystyrene furnishing your bedroom or natural materials like wood and wool?

2. Unplug. Banish electronics from the bedroom. Seriously. That means phones, computers, television. Nothing sucks the lovely out of a bedroom faster than electronic devices. If it plugs in, take it out (except the reading lamps, of course). You'll get better sleep and your room will be a calm respite from digital life.

3. Keep it clean… Furnish and decorate sparely. And clean often. If things are kept simple as far as furnishings and decor, it should be a rather quick job to clean the bedroom. Wash linens at least once weekly and be sure to dust between the head of the bed and the wall.

4. …and serene. Are natural woods and cool colors relaxing to you? Then use them in the decor of your bedroom. Prefer deep, dark black or brown? Incorporate that. Whatever puts you at ease, use it in the decor of your bedroom.

5. Get personal. This is the room for displaying cherished personal possessions. Have an heirloom wedding pic of your ancestors? That could also be well-suited here. If you have personal items you've collected but don't feel comfortable displaying front and center in the living room, make your bedroom the place for these things. The bedroom's a private area of the home and it will make you happy to see things in it that are meaningful to you but perhaps not to everyone.

What do you use to create your bedroom zen? Share your tips with us!

Decorating Myths Debunked

We’ve all heard the famous “no white pants after Labor Day,” but there are plenty of myths floating around about home decor, too. Ultimately, your decor is your choice and should be a reflection of you and what makes you happy. However, if you’re curious about some common interior design fact and fiction, Elle Decor (courtesy of House Beautiful) will give you the truth.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: Throw pillows must appear in odd numbers only

REALITY: It's more about what you feel works in the room. Here, in a Long Island home, designer Robert Stilin alternates two pairs of pillows in a similar color scheme for a look that's perfectly serene and symmetrical.

Photo courtesy Simon Upton

MYTH: Trends should be incorporated only in the form of small, replaceable accessories

REALITY: If a trend—say, metallics—speaks to you, you should feel full license to use it with abandon. Here, Jean-Louis Deniot's hammered silver kitchen cabinets show that going big on a trend you love can end up being the most show-stopping part of a home.

Photo courtesy William Abranowicz

MYTH: Collections are only meant to be decorative

REALITY: A collection can be something as simple, beloved, and downright useful as a stack of magazines, as seen here in Eric Hughes and Nathan Turner's Malibu apartment.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: Choose one pattern to be the star of the room

REALITY: Through artful pairing you can feature two, three—even five!—fabulous patterns as long as you keep the color scheme similar, and get creative with scale.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: Your ceilings must be white

REALITY: A dramatic color can actually draw the eye upward, plus it gives you an extra surface to make a major impression, as Richard Mishaan illustrates in a Westchester home.

Photo courtesy Eric Piasecki

MYTH: All 4 chair legs must be on (or off) the rug

REALITY: It's more important that the space can morph and adapt to however guests configure themselves. In Michael Leva's Manhattan apartment, a flexible seating arrangement is constantly in flux to make room for everything from cocktail to dance parties.

Photo courtesy William Waldron

MYTH: All "ugly" architecture must be hidden

REALITY: Even something like exposed ductwork, as seen here in a D.C. apartment decorated by Nestor Santa Cruz, can be embraced for what it is. "It gives a rhythm and movement that flows through the rooms," says Santa Cruz. Something to consider before taking on a massive cover-up process.

Photo courtesy Richard Powers

MYTH: All artwork must be at eye level

REALITY: Art can live wherever it feels at home—to your eye, at least. In Susan Hable Smith's Georgia home, a piece tucked up at the top corner of the room offers a moment of surprise beauty, while silk screens and drawings add pizzazz even from the floor.

Photo courtesy Richard Powers

MYTH: Once is enough, when it comes to a busy pattern

REALITY: If you truly love a pattern, why limit it to only one surface? In Alex Papachristidis's Manhattan apartment, the same cotton fabric covers the walls, sofa, canopy, and curtains...and still looks fresh and modern thanks to the artfully-chosen prints that balance the entire room.

Photo courtesy William Abranowicz

MYTH: The most expensive piece in a room should get pride of place

REALITY: It's the piece with the most character, not highest price tag, that deserves the spotlight. For example, this chair, in William Abranowicz's entry hall, was found in the dumpster!



What other myths have you heard? Do you believe them to be true?

5 Ways Your Apartment Can Boost Your Mood

"Living Room" by Jeremy Levine is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Your apartment should be your oasis. After a stressful day, there is nothing better than coming home to a comfortable, calming place. There are ways you can arrange and decorate your apartment so that you get the ultimate mood boost when you get home. As we all know, even though your work day may be over, there is always dinner to cook and things to clean. Why not have an apartment that energizes you to get these chores done? Apartment Therapy provides tips on ways your apartment can boost your mood.

1. Light — Natural light is an amazing antidote to the blues. Although there are many studies linking darkness and depression, you don't need science to tell you that walking into a dark room doesn't exactly lift your spirits. Don't wallow in darkness; throw open the drapes and soak up some rays. Or if it's already dark out, light a calming candle and chill.

2. Color — You know that certain colors just make you feel alive: think reds and yellows. There's no need to overdo it — just a few touches of cheerful color will help to give you an unconscious lift when you walk in the door. Bonus: brights tend to encourage social behavior so using them in a public space like the living room is a plus.

3. Scent — Thanks to a part of your brain called the amygdala, scent is strongly linked to your memories and emotions, but it can also affect the current emotions in your brain. Choose smells like lavender and jasmine for calming and soothing, lemon and orange for energizing, or basil and mint to help improve your mood.

4. Pets/Plants — Ahhh, the healing power of a pet. When you walk in the door after a rough day, a wagging tail is guaranteed to lift your spirits. Can't have a pet? A plant is also a great idea. Nurturing something and watching it thrive is a human necessity that will always make us feel good.

5. Soft Geometry — This is a new one on us, but we all know that Oprah is never wrong. O magazine reports that choosing decor with curves may actually make you feel more content, thanks, once again, to that good ole' amygdala. Designer Johnny Grey puts it like this: "The reason has to do with your peripheral vision...if you were to walk down a dark, narrow tunnel lined with sharp rocks, you wouldn't be able to think about anything except avoiding getting hurt. If the key pieces and places are curved, that makes the body relax." Makes sense to us.

Setting Up a User-Friendly Kitchen

Photo courtesy Erika Tracy

When you first move into a new apartment, one of the first things that makes you feel at home is to preparing a meal. In order to do this, you need to set up your kitchen first. How can you do so in a way that is conducive to cooking? Apartment Therapy offers these tips for putting together a ready-to-use kitchen.

1. Organize. Arrange the pantry, tools, dishware in a way that works for you. Use containers for pantry staples that are appealing to you even if your kitchen isn't.

2. Deep clean. Before loading the cabinets with your belongings, give their interiors a good scrubbing. Cabinet exteriors are often wiped down but the inside might be overlooked. Clean the floors (even under appliances) and the appliances themselves. By deep-cleaning the kitchen when you're setting up home, you'll make it a truly fresh start.

3. Accessorize. See those nice woven baskets in the photo above? They aren't expensive or hard to come by, but they contribute to making that kitchen something special. Same with the vintage rug and curtains. Pick out storage and decor accessories that will help make your kitchen lovely even if the bones aren't what you would choose given a blank slate.

4. Use it. Eating out every night and leaving your kitchen unused isn't going to make it feel like a loved space. Instead, put it to use! Choose quality ingredients and cook meals with care at home and you'll see that even just doing that can make a kitchen feel better.

5. Go freestanding. If lack of storage or counter space is what's holding your kitchen back, make it lovely by repurposing a freestanding piece of furniture. Both kitchens pictured above are fine examples of this move. Even the tiniest of kitchens probably has someplace you can work this in, even if it's just a small wall-mounted shelf.

What’s something you must to have in your kitchen before you’re ready to cook in it?

10 Home Items to Own by 30

Photos (L-R) courtesy Samantha Marx and Ines Hegedus-Garcia

Nobody is blaming you for the inexpensive items you had to buy as a college student or post-grad to furnish your dorm or apartment. However, once you hit your late 20s, it’s time to invest in some more substantial pieces and furnishings for your home. You know more about your personal style and taste, which your decor should reflect. This article from ELLE Decor guides you through adding some sophistication to your style.

1. ART YOU LOVE

"Art stays with you for a lifetime, and each piece marks a place and a memory," says Todd Nickey of Nickey Kehoe. "Start collecting when you're young—it doesn't have to cost a fortune, it just has to speak to you."

2. AN ORGANIZED BOOKSHELF

Consider the bookshelf an inspirational place to display everything that's uniquely you—then you can personalize and change it over the years as you see fit.

3. MATCHING TOWELS

Buy at least two sets of towels that you're happy to use and proud to lend to house guests.

4. A PLANT

"Even if you're in a rental, a plant will make your home feel more permanent," says designer Grant K. Gibson, who recommends choosing something tall and substantial over many smaller houseplants.

5. A NICE MATTRESS AND HEADBOARD

"Invest in your bed during your adult life," says Gibson. You'll want to choose a quality mattress for comfort, and a headboard for character.

6. A COLLECTION

"Start a collection when you're young," says designer Sara Story. "It's great to pick up things you love from your travels—especially art and furniture."

7. BATHROOM ACCESSORIES (THAT AREN'T PLASTIC)

It's time to say goodbye to anything you bought at a dollar store and upgrade to something with real heft and beauty.

8. A FAVORITE CANDLE (OR THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'RE NOT A SCENT PERSON)

"A beautiful candle adds scent and personality to a room," says Gibson. Of course, this tip is the ultimate personal preference—if adding a candle to your home is your worst nightmare, stick with your instincts.

9. TWO BEDSIDE TABLES

A bedside table on each side provides optimal personal balance (according to Feng Shui) and a mature, cohesive look.

10. A LUXURIOUS THROW

"A good throw is an investment that adds a finishing touch to your sofa or chair—even if they're not your 'forever pieces,'" says Gibson.

Spare Bedroom Solutions

Terms of use: These works are licensed under a Creative Commons 2.0 Generic
License. They are attributed to Maegan Tintari (L) and kori monster (R).

If you find yourself with a spare room, maybe your roommate just moved out or you’ve upgraded to a 2 BR apartment, it can be tricky to figure out just what you should do with that space. Depending on your interests, you can customize that space to be completely you! Do yoga a lot? Make it a meditation room! Here are some ideas from Apartment Guide to inspire you!

1. Get Crafty

If you love to spend your down time getting creative, an extra bedroom is the perfect place to put your hobby to good use. A sewing machine table, a drafting table for drawing or scrapbooking, or a canvas for your latest painting could be the centerpiece of your spare room. And with all that space, you’ll have plenty of room for art supply storage.

If you’re just looking for something new and crafty to try, check out our Pinterest board: DIY Inspiration for Your Apartment!

2. Create a Workspace

If you work from home, it’s nice to have a dedicated workspace that you can leave at the end of each day. A spare bedroom is the perfect place for a home office or, if you’re a student, a studying nook. Even if you’re hunting for a job, having a special space that’s organized just the way you like it, with all your necessities within easy reach, will make the process go a lot more smoothly.

Read more: How to Create a Job-Searching Space at Home

3. Give Your Pets Their Own Playroom

If you’ve got a dog that loves his toys, or a cat that just wants to be left alone, your spare bedroom is a good place to create a pet paradise. If you’re the type to buy your pet a lot of toys to chew on or pillows to lie on, this is a good way to get that stuff out of your living space and tucked away for when guests come over.

Read more: Catify Your Crib (or How to Create an Awesome Cat Wonderland in Your Apartment)

"yoga" by Natalie Lucier is licensed under CC BY 2.0

4. Get Fit

If you like to work out in the privacy of your own home, it can be hard to do it in your living room – maybe your coffee table always needs to be moved out of the way, or you’re always dodging furniture. Using a spare bedroom as your workout room will give you all the space you need to get in shape, without having to worry about knocking into stuff.

Read more: How Your Apartment Can Help You Lose Weight

5. Turn It Into a Guest Room

A spare bedroom that’s used as a bedroom … crazy, right? A nice bed, some curtains and some creative wall decorations can make your extra room a cozy space for your guests. Heck, you might even curl up in there yourself sometimes.

How have you transformed the spare bedroom in your apartment? Share your pictures and ideas with us!