Hi friends! I’m Michaela. I’m happy to be back sharing my home with you. About a year ago I moved across the country from California to Michigan to be with my boyfriend. As an interior designer, I was thrilled to finally have my own apartment to style and make my own after years of sharing spaces with roommates in college. I couldn’t wait to decorate a space that reflected my personality and taste.
When I arrived in Michigan I owned very little furniture. I had a headboard I’d ordered and a vintage mirror I shipped from California, plus a collection of art prints, small accessories and fragile glassware I’d gathered over the years. Many pieces unfortunately broke during the move. When I first stepped into my apartment I was excited, then quickly overwhelmed. My boyfriend brought over an old TV, but without furniture it sat on a cardboard box. I watched from a pouf or from the floor until I could get a couch. My makeshift dining table was a tiny, wobbly card table I tried to disguise with a pretty tablecloth—mostly to keep from crying.
I had imagined that settling in would happen instantly, but of course it didn’t. Even as a designer I underestimated how long it takes to make a space feel like home. Over the past year I learned a lot about moving, patience, and how to build a home slowly and thoughtfully. Below is the evolution of my apartment and a few lessons from the process.
Here’s the apartment the day I moved in:
As you can see, the emptiness made me feel overwhelmed. After a few days with the TV on a box, I bought a media stand that was acceptable but not ideal—I was rushing and made a compromise. I started hanging a gallery wall to make the space feel more like mine. No couch yet, but at least the walls were coming together.
A few months later I realized I’d chosen the wrong media console, so I refreshed it with chalk paint. Changing the finish shifted it from a modern look to a vintage, shabby-chic vibe that fits my style much better. Small updates like that made me fall in love with the apartment all over again.
One of the best pieces of advice I received when I moved in was to finish the bathroom first. It’s the smallest room, so it’s manageable and gives you at least one completed space to enjoy. That helped me tremendously. Recently the apartment’s ownership changed and we were allowed to paint, so my boyfriend and I painted the bathroom in a few hours. We used Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore, and the color brightened the room and made the white shower curtain pop. I also swapped the vanity knobs for prettier ones—small details that make a big difference.
At first I bought a small loveseat because I thought it would fit better in my compact living room. Many “apartment-sized” sofas are advertised as the only option, but often a regular-sized couch or a small sectional can work better and actually make the room feel larger. My boyfriend is 6’3″, so the tiny loveseat was uncomfortable. After a few months I sold it and invested in a small sectional with a reversible chaise from Pottery Barn—the Cameron. The chaise can be moved to either side, which makes it flexible for future moves. The sectional opened up the space and made the room feel more comfortable and inviting.
I also added new pillows sewn by my grandmother, who is an interior designer; her handmade touches added warmth and personality. These small, personal elements help transform a space into a true home.
The biggest lesson for me was accepting that moving is a process. Giving yourself grace in the early weeks and months is essential. Slow decorating lets you make thoughtful choices and enjoy the journey. After a year, my apartment finally feels like a home I love, and the process has been more fun than stressful once I embraced patience. Can you relate to this experience?
Thank you for reading—feel free to visit my blog anytime. I’d love to connect. xoxo
Michaela