My 2024 DIY Project List
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I accomplished a lot last year, from undoing everything at my studio apartment to the office makeover and wallpapering a 30 ft . hallway, I ticked off a number of projects. But, I'm ready for some more. I’m tired of living in a half-baked apartment and I’m ready to give y’all the beautiful, fully furnished home tour that you all deserve (more on that later in the blog). So I’ve made my list of projects I need to get done and I want to share. Let me know your thoughts below in the comments.
Apartment Layout; not drawn to scale
2024 DIY Project List
Primary Bedroom
I did a lot in this room in 2023, but not as much as I would have wanted. I picked an incredible paint color, paired it with beautifully painted nightstands, and purchased my PAX wardrobe, but there is still more to do. And the plans have changed slightly since last I shared the moodboard and design plans.
I want to elevate my work and make this room feel cohesive. I'm replacing the little nightstand on the right side of my bed with a makeup vanity, also painted Renew Blue, and getting pretty acrylic storage containers for all my makeup. Months ago, I purchased a vanity on the Facebook Marketplace for $30 to use in the living room, but the scale was off, so it’s getting repurposed for my bedroom.
Next, I need to upgrade the rug. Right now, I'm rocking the Nina Takesh Seine rug from Ruggable. It's been great, especially as Sal has started a "pee in the house" campaign, which has resulted in two washes in two months. Still looks good, tho!
That said, the color is too cool against the warmth of the bedframe, and I want something vintage with a hint of red. A bigger rug would be more appropriate for the space as well. Currently, I'm rocking a 6x9, and it's a fine choice, but since my bedroom is on the larger side, an 8x10 would be more aligned with my rug placement guide. I'll be searching flea markets and eBay for the next few weeks - I'll let you know what I find.
The last *significant* upgrade in this space will be finishing the PAX wardrobe so it will have that built-in look and be properly secured to the wall. Y'all helped me decide which layout would be best, and I appreciate it, but I've got to make traction on this project. I've already sourced the paint, door handles, and wood I need to finish the project; I just need to do it. This is on the calendar for March/April, so watch out for this on the feed.
Bathroom
This makeover was supposed to start last year (and is already in progress), but I put it on pause because, at the time, I wanted to use this blue wallpaper, but a few months later, I found out my peel-and-stick wallpaper collection with Otto Studio was dropping, and wanted to use Drunken Chevron in Rose instead. I was heavily inspired by the pink and blue kitchens on Pinterest and thought this dusky pink wallpaper would look so good next to the two-toned blue tiles.
In addition, I want a new light fixture, more storage, and beautiful textiles to bring it all together. So far, I've found the perfect brushed brass fixture and will be reusing this mirror from my "Bridgerton-inspired" photoshoot with Domino. I picked up the Elfa Over-The-Door Rack to gain more storage because, y’all know it's my favorite.
This may become a later-in-the-year-type project, but I'd like to upgrade the flooring, as well. I don't know who my landlord got to put down these tiles, but they suck. They need to be leveled, and on top of all that, I hate sleek, blue, marble-looking tiles. I would much rather have the black and white tiles I had in my studio apartment. But this changes are much more expensive, so it will have to wait until these brand checks start clearing. Ya heard me.
The toilet is also a concern. This is a very petty complaint, but toilets with all those curves and shit in the back are impossible to clean, and I’d rather have a skirted toilet instead. I prefer the look of more traditional toilets with a straight top and wood toilet seat with brass accents, but after trying the TOTO bidet/toilet seat at a friends house I kinda want it.
It has a bidet for your pooter and your cooter, a drying feature, and a seat warmer, but shelling out $400 for a TOILET SEAT is an expense I’m not to be prepared to incur. Also, this thing looks like a freaking spaceship when strapped to a regular toilet. It looks a little better on a modern toilet, but is that my vibe?
And if I get the whole TOTO set up, it's well over $1200... And even as someone who's spent nearly $30,000 on an apartment, that feels like a lot.
But what do you think, Homies? Is $400 too much for a toilet seat?
Living Room
This room got no love in 2023, and that was by design. The reality of decorating on a budget is that everything can't be done at the same time. Some things will have to wait, and since my plans here are extensive, expensive, and require much more thought since this room connects with the hallway and kitchen, I wanted to wait until 2024.
During a weekly Q&A, I shared the moodboard. While the specifics may change, this is the general direction I plan to go in. The mint color for the walls is meant to pick up on the orange in the kitchen and contrast nicely with the brown and cream wallpaper in the hallway.
While I like this couch from Anthropologie, I still love the comfort and feel of the Farlov sofa (how dare they discontinue this baby), so maybe I’ll just get a new cover from Bemz. They have some beautiful options, and the price is decent.
The mirror - a potential DIY of the Anthropologie Fern mirror is also in the works. I've picked out the legs and the base mirror, but I still need to figure out how to curve wood to get that iconic thick curve at the top. Any thoughts, Homies?
The star of the living room is the same one I laid out in last year's design plan - an intricate media unit with long-coat storage, a space for my TV, and integrated lighting. I'm still deciding whether to do this using one of The Containers Stores lines or trying my hand at a BILLY bookcase DIY with doors and such.
But, before anything happens in here, I need to finish the kitchen...
Kitchen
My last Instagram post should tell you something BIG is happening in my kitchen. Due to the presence of a few *mice*, I had an stress-induced blackout and ripped out a cabinet and my dishwasher to find the source, and now I need an entirely new kitchen.
After a long, long, long conversation between my landlord, a handyman, an unhelpful property manager, and me, we've decided to do a complete kitchen reno, including new flooring, cabinets, appliances, and countertops. That's so weird to say because this apartment is still a rental, but as I said when I signed the lease way back in May 2023, "I'm gonna rip out this entire fucking kitchen." Lol.
This process will get its dedicated blog post and I am filming everything for YouTube, so be sure to subscribe. The paint color, Cattle Drive by Valspar, and the GE dishwasher will stay, but everything else will be new. I've spent hours using the IKEA Kitchen Planner to maximize the space, which is good, but I recommend going in-store and working with a specialist if you've never done anything like this before.
The demo has already begun, so I need to jump on this ASAP. The first step is source flooring. Should I do stone tile or peel-and-stick tile?
Can We Get A Home Tour?
In addition to these big projects, I plan to make more minor additions and upgrades throughout the year. I'm still looking for the perfect vintage piece for my entryway and a nice light fixture for the hallway. But these projects listed above are the big things!
And, because I'm a merciful DIY creator who understands that everyone is waiting with bated breath to see a complete apartment tour, I'm here to tell you that you will get a nicely produced video tour of my apartment around October 2024. One of my favorite home decor YouTube channels reached out about doing a shoot and we’re locked in for later this years. So, I'm on a deadline and need to get to work ASAP.
xoxo,
Imani
