I have a question for the universe: why is it that the finishing touches for a room are always the hardest to find? I find that I'm so quick to buy the basic, big-ticket items. But what about the things that really pull everything together?

If you're keeping track on Instagram, I'm 90% through a bedroom refresh. Have I only been living in my apartment for five months? Yes... but, I was living in a space that didn't feel like me. Most of the items were donations from my parents. Of course, I'm keeping that ones that mean something real to me - the pieces I look at and am reminded of either a memory, or a person, or an example of an awesome marriage and life. But, it was time to really make my very first solo apartment mine. You can see what is used to look like here.

Ignore the grainy photos for now. I promise a full reveal soon! BECAUSE... drum roll. I have found the final two pieces that I needed to complete this space, thanks to Furniture.com. Now, I'm willing to bet if you all are anything like me, you guys can search for hours for the right items at good prices. I find those awesome sentimental, handmade, or thrifted pieces first.

Then, I used Furniture.com to source the rest - on sale!!

Their awesome "Find Local Sales" tool hooked me up with deals in the Washington, D.C. area. And what did I find??

Here is the space. Almost there, right? Can you guys guess what the finishing touches are?
You'll have it wait to find out, but until then, check out Furniture.com for your own finishing touches or complete projects!

Let me be upfront about this: I live in a basement rental right in the middle of Washington, D.C. There are two windows - well, one, but my front door has a plane of glass that I lovingly refer to as a window. It's a massive 600 square feet. Gray walls in every room. And, I LOVE it.

You already know a little bit about me from this introduction, but I'd love to show you around and share some more about myself.

My space is 100% mine - for the first time ever, I live alone. Each pile of laundry, dirty plate, and, most excitingly, design choice is mine. While design for me is never done, my space right now is perfectly illustrative of my "mid-century / industrial / glam aesthetic." You already know that I love gold, and nothing proves it better than my living room!

That being said, my living room is the source of my latest internal struggle: symmetry or asymmetry? Note: the pillow asymmetry on the couch is not intentional. The other orange pillow is just housed in my bedroom to hold while I sleep. Design has to be practical, right?

Something else I love about my apartment: how it smells. Let's call it "Apartment Quality #2 that I love." I have a huge bundle of dyed eucalyptus that smacks me in the face every time I walk in the door. And then there's my favorite candle ever - the LA Noir - one of five scents from Scenthouse LA.

From Scenthouse owner CJ:

“These are subtle but highly cognitive fragrances that are designed to set a mood. We’ve all had different experiences that inform what memories are recalled when we smell something – so if I can evoke a reaction, positive or negative, then I’ve done my job.”

To me, this candle - with its hint of lily, French perfume, dust, and tobacco - takes me back to one of my two favorite vacation destinations: Palm Springs, CA (the other is Copenhagen, Denmark, in case you were wondering). I think traveling to Palm Springs with my parents when I was little girl subconsciously embedded a love of mid-century design deep in my soul...

Now, on to "Apartment Quality #3 that I love" - there are so many great stories. The amazing orange lamps were a gift from my parents (by gift, I mean they no longer had a need for them in their new condo), and the bar cart is a pass down from my great-grandmother. It was made in the 1930's and cycled through several colors before returning to its original bronze. Every time I look at it, I feel incredibly nostalgic.

That bedside table - or what we actually think is a 1920's phone table - was purchased by my parents in an estate sale in Richmond in 1986, the year they got married. It had many layers of paint, which my dad meticulously stripped off to uncover that beautiful oak. And the stainless steel bed has been in my room since I was nine years old. That beautiful giclée above my bed was painted by my boyfriend's very talented uncle.