A place we call home

Our First Apartment Home

a lifestyle is a means of forging a sense of self and to create cultural symbols that resonate with personal identity. 

My husband and I recently moved into our very first apartment. As newlyweds or marrieds, with passion stemming from strong interests in art, home decor, and entertainment, I find myself putting my heart into decorating our home. Although true home for me will always be where my parents are and the city in which I spent most of my life, it was time to build a new home. We started our search for a place that would reflect the day to day lifestyle we seek. After months of searching and planning, we finally found the one. ​

We wanted to reside in a neighborhood with a close proximity to restaurants, life, and community. We wanted the city life without having to move too far from the suburb. Which is what brought us to Downtown, Maryland. The new neighborhood and the beautifully decorated, convenient amenities helped this choice win out over all the other homes. The up-and-coming neighborhood is deserving of attention and a shout-out. Yes, you can say I'm slightly biased as it’s my first home with my husband. ​

From an artist's perspective, decorating an empty place is like being handed over a blank canvas. It’s nerve-wracking but also exhilarating. From life's perspective, it was turning a new leaf and a place into a home. From stylistic perspective, it is one that is to denote or reflect our way of life and resonate with our personal identity. The challenge was to design a space inspired by our personalities, and successfully reflecting our individual and combined sense of style. This means I wanted to decorate the place keeping in mind the lifestyle we seek and the standard by which we would ideally want to live, along with our family. ​

I believe a home is a place where you want to come back to -  a place that makes you feel relaxed, proud, and happy to be in it. Incorporating both of our personalities and connections into the design process was important, so we not only feel proud to live in our home but also enjoy sharing it with others. I hope to share with you some insights into the design process of our small two-bedroom apartment. ​

We chose a two-bedroom apartment in order to have an extra room for when the parents and families visit. My husband and I crave and adore fun loving company. We keep our circle of close friends small and meaningful, and we love having them over. Both my mom and my dad have been a blessing for us - always there for my husband and I throughout our journey and struggles. They've been a true source of strength and inspiration for both of us. Always there to cheer us on at every step of the way. We wanted to ensure their presence in our lives, as much as possible, and to have room for them in our lives and our home. So, whenever they come over to spend some quality time with us, they can feel relaxed and right at home.

I grew up in a household where entertaining was at the heart of our family. My parents are known for their hospitality and frequent family gatherings.They always came together as a team whenever they hosted an event for their families and friends. My dad is a family-oriented man, who also loves entertaining, and my mom is no exception. I know I get my love for entertainment from my folks and my passion for home-decor from my mom. I was always called upon to prettify things. I have enjoyed decorating for my mother and helping my parents with event planning whenever possible. If a project involved art or aesthetics, there was a  pretty good chance I was involved in it.

So when it came to decorating a new home as a newly married couple, I was naturally pretty invested in this new adventure. My husband and I often found ourselves gravitating towards mid-century and vintage decor, but I felt the call to create an interior also inspired by the truly modern aesthetic of Bozzuto, a real estate development company. As I embark on this home decor journey, I would love for you to tag along with me. Please send me your comments, feedback, suggestions, or just some love ;) 

Lets live life with a dash of panache!