College Apartment Makeover: Part II

Part II: Making a College Apartment Feel Like Home

Finding the Farmhouse Vibe Amid the Pre-Furnishings

In Part II, I’m sharing how we transformed the apartment’s shared living spaces—from the entryway to the kitchen and living room—into a warm, welcoming place that feels more like home than student housing.

Bless this kitchen… and also bless the person who chose the extremely bold, gray multi-tone tile wall because it definitely made this space the most creatively challenging.

Add in the default black fridge, black dishwasher, and black stove, and we had a whole lot of visual weight in a tight space.

But instead of fighting it, I leaned into it.

I brought in warmth with:

• A wooden island for extra prep + seating
• Natural wood stools
• Soft greenery to break up the grays
• Warm, neutral décor pieces
• Simple countertop styling

And yes… I absolutely incorporated a few Buffalo plaid touches because

1. it’s just so farmhouse,
2. it ties in their city in the cutest, punniest way,
3. and my cheesy English teacher heart just couldn’t resist.

One thing I knew this apartment needed was a dedicated coffee bar.

The year before, Emma and I had surprised Tyler with an espresso machine for Christmas, after his hobby-barista phase started becoming a genuine passion. What began as making the occasional latte quickly turned into researching beans, perfecting espresso shots, and learning the art of milk frothing.

Thankfully, the kitchen had a large alcove that seemed made for the job.

A simple cabinet provided storage, while warm wood accents, coffee-themed décor, and his espresso setup transformed the empty wall into one of my favorite spaces in the apartment. It feels functional, personal, and a little bit elevated—exactly what we were hoping for.

And judging by the number of lattes, cappuccinos, and iced coffees that have been made there since move-in day, I’d say it was worth every inch of space.

The living room presented a different challenge altogether.

Unlike the entryway, kitchen, and dining area, we weren’t starting with an empty space. The apartment came furnished with black leather couches, a coffee table, and a TV stand—all perfectly practical for college life, but not exactly the cozy farmhouse vibe I had in mind.

Rather than fight what was already there, I decided to work with it.

The black furniture gave the room plenty of visual weight, so the goal became balancing it with lighter, softer elements. Cream pillows, chunky knit throws, a bright textured rug, simple neutral artwork, and a few touches of greenery helped warm up the space without spending a fortune.

The result felt less like a furnished apartment and more like a place that actually belonged to the people living there.

The goal was a cozy farmhouse vibe, and I think this room hits the mark. It’s comfortable without being cluttered—intentionally finished rather than simply furnished.

And okay, yes—Dylan’s fish tank ended up on the windowsill despite my gentle protests. Not exactly in keeping with the design, but it was a hill he was willing to die on and one I certainly wasn’t.

Up Next!

So far, I’ve walked you through how I tackled Dylan’s space and transformed the apartment’s shared living areas into something warm, functional, and welcoming.

Coming Up: Tyler and Emma’s bedroom and bathroom.

Designing for one college student was challenging enough. Designing for two students sharing one small room—with two desks, two personalities, and twice the stuff—was an entirely different project.

I’ll share all the solutions, storage ideas, and lessons I learned in Part III.