We’ve just returned from spending Christmas in West Virginia and are excited to share the third and final installment of our “Places We Used to Live” video series. This edition highlights a new city—Richmond, VA—and a new life arrangement: our first apartment together. It was an important step for us, full of small joys, DIY solutions, and the relief of more space without the New York City price tag.
Our First Apartment Together in Richmond was a simple one-bedroom unit in a typical suburban complex. It wasn’t glamorous, but it felt like home the moment we moved in. The apartment gave us breathing room and the chance to experiment with shared living—combining possessions, arranging furniture, learning each other’s routines, and figuring out how two people make a single space work. We were thrilled to finally have a place to call our own together.
Here are some details and highlights from that apartment that still make us smile:
- The unmistakable giddiness in Sherry’s voice when she excitedly points out small features she loved about the place. Those tiny moments of joy are what turned an ordinary apartment into a meaningful home.
- Our eclectic mix of free and donated furniture. Moving out of NYC with just a minivan meant we embraced thrifted, hand-me-down, and temporary solutions. The mismatched pieces became part of the apartment’s charm and told the story of our transition.
- The high ceilings, which were one of the main reasons we chose the third-floor unit. High ceilings added openness and made the living area feel larger and airier, a welcome contrast to the compact rooms we were used to in the city.
- A much more fully stocked kitchen than Sherry’s small NYC kitchen. Having space for basic cookware, a few favorite tools, and a place to store groceries felt luxurious and made everyday cooking more enjoyable.
- More visible album cover artwork—thanks to a few favorite bands, including OK Go—that we displayed around the living area. Personal art and music memorabilia helped the space feel more like us.
- Our DIY approach to bird wall decals: rather than buying a set, we cut bird silhouettes from blue manila folders and taped them to the wall. It was inexpensive, playful, and made the walls feel unique without permanent changes.
We documented the apartment in that video so you could see the small, lived-in details that made it ours. From the way we arranged seating to how we stored kitchen supplies, each choice reflected the practical compromises and creative fixes of two people learning to share a home.
Moving from a small NYC apartment to a more conventional, suburban layout in Richmond taught us a lot about priorities: valuing open space, finding ways to make inexpensive furniture look intentional, and making the most of a more functional kitchen. Cohabitation also meant figuring out new routines together—who does which chores, how we plan meals, and where each item belongs—small adjustments that build a shared life over time.
Now that we’re back from the holidays, we promise to shift our focus to current projects and content. Expect upcoming posts about the gifts we gave each other, thoughtful presents we received from friends and family, and the items we picked up during post-holiday sales. Those posts will continue the theme of everyday life and practical design—how to create a comfortable, personal home on a budget and with plenty of heart.
Thanks for following along with our Places We Used to Live series. Sharing these old homes has helped us reflect on how far we’ve come and how the ordinary details of a small apartment can hold big memories. We look forward to sharing more present-day updates and decorating ideas inspired by those early days together.