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The Best Furniture Stores in the Greater New Orleans Area

If you’re looking to update your New Orleans apartment’s decor, there are great furniture stores in the area for you to explore!

And it’s not just in the city center. Kenner, Metairie, and River Ridge all have a great selection of furniture and home decor stores you can shop to find your new style.

Unique, one-of-a-kind pieces? Antique or modern looks? Casual and traditional styles? The Greater New Orleans Area has your look covered. Here are a few of our favorite furniture spots in the area:

Christian Street Furniture is a great furniture store to check out if you're shopping for furniture for your New Orleans apartment

Photo by @christianstreetfurniture via Instagram

Christian Street Furniture

Christian Street Furniture is a locally-owned, family-run furniture store with two locations, one in Baton Rouge and one in Metairie.

They carry a large selection of unique, reclaimed looks for the artesian aesthetic. You can customize with multiple pieces from Christian Street Furniture, which makes it a fun place to find your perfect look.

If you're in the market for new furniture, you need to check out Hurwitz Mintz, a furniture store that suits every style.

Photo by @hurwitzmintz via Instagram

Hurwitz Mintz

You might get lost in Metairie’s furniture megastore, Hurwitz Mintz. But it’s totally worth it! They don’t call it the south’s largest furniture store for nothing.

Their Airline Drive location is two stories, which means you have plenty of furniture options to choose from. Hurwitz Mintz is another locally-owned store, and it’s been serving this area for over 90 years.

They carry a large portion of traditional and timeless styles, so if that’s what you’re interested in, check out Hurwitz Mintz!

One of the best furniture stores to shop in New Orleans is World Market, where you can find tons of styles for your apartment.

Photo by @worldmarket via Instagram

Cost Plus World Market

If you’re going for the Bohemian look, head to Elmwood Shopping Center! Cost Plus World Market is a bright and bold furniture store with styles curated from countries around the world.

Eclectic decor? Check! Eccentric artwork? Check! Eco-conscious furniture? Check and check! If you want your 1st Lake apartment to look like a fabulous hippy hideaway, snag some furniture from World Market.

For an easy and stylish furniture store, check out Rooms To Go for all your New Orleans apartment decor needs!

Photo by @roomstogo via Instagram

Rooms To Go

Rooms To Go is designed to make furnishing a space easy. The store introduced the concept of “displaying and packaging furniture in complete room settings” all the way down to the accent items, which allows the shopper to literally pick the room they want.

Instead of assembling your room one purchase at a time, why not knock out the whole thing? That’s where this Metairie store comes into play!

Do you have a favorite furniture store in the Greater New Orleans Area? Share your tips with us on Facebook or Instagram!


Cozy Up to Fall Decor for the Mantel and More

Your pumpkin is carved, and your seasonal wreath is on the door. But what about your mantel? Several of our 1st Lake Properties feature wood-burning fireplaces, like Sawmill Creek and Willow Creek. The fireplace mantel is a natural focal point of a room, drawing the eye upward and providing an opportunity to flex your decorating muscle. In fact, spruced-up mantels are one of the top fall decor trends.

If you don’t have a fireplace, don’t worry! These fall mantel décor items work just as well anywhere else in the home, whether at the front door or in the living room. (Plus, keep scrolling for even more fall trends.)

Fall Decor: Mantel Trends

Thumbtack Gourds

Gourds and pumpkins are an obvious choice for the mantel, but the addition of metallic thumbtacks can transform a natural design-scape into a totally glamorous one. Add gold or silver thumbtacks to plain gourds, or paint the gourds to match your existing interior design before you add the thumbtacks. Let these awesome designs lead the way for pattern inspiration.

Elegant Upcycling

An easy, cost-effective way to decorate for fall is to use items you already have on hand. Cut paper bags into petal shapes, crease them, and use a bit of hot glue to hold them together. The result is a paper flower that pulls in fall colors and makes a major impact above the mantel, whether alone or in clusters.

An Everlasting Pumpkin

Cinderella’s coach turned into a pumpkin at midnight, but these cute fall decorations won’t turn into a rotten mess after Halloween. Leave these Mason jar pumpkins on the mantel through Thanksgiving, and save them for years to come. The addition of a cinnamon stick lends a fragrant, autumnal touch.

Borrow from Other Seasons

Another way to save on fall décor is to repurpose decorations from previous holidays. Fourth of July bandanas lend a harvest vibe when draped across the mantel, especially in shades of red, rust, and orange. Mardi Gras beads can create a quick garland, and winter holiday decorations like pinecones and acorns look just as appropriate in fall.

Even More Fall Decor Trends

Country Living is one of our favorite sources for interior inspiration, so it’s no wonder we’d look to them for all the latest on other fall trends. Here’s a rundown on what they’re seeing this season:

  • Go (dark) green. For fall, think about incorporating lush tones of emerald or a softer sage green into your decor.
  • All about that brass. Whereas copper was a big trend in recent years, trade rosy metals for true gold tones with brass hardware like hooks and doorknobs.
  • Va-va-voom velvet. This lush texture is perfect for fall and can carry your interior decor into winter as well. We’re loving deep shades of navy blue and slate gray rendered in rich velvet.


Our Favorite Things To Do in Covington

With looks like this, it might be hard to leave our newest apartment community in Covington, but outside of Artesia’s gates is a town filled with tons of great attractions for adults and kids alike. If you love the outdoors, the Northshore is a great place to venture out and explore. You’re in close proximity to picturesque waterways, scenic state parks, and canopied bike paths that wind through the area’s townships. Thinking of indoor options? Test your wits at an escape room or go on a date to the movies.

The Great Outdoors

The Northshore is home to several bayous and streams, which are ideal for an afternoon kayak ride. Beautiful cypress trees and diverse wildlife make paddling the Cane River or Tchefuncte River a relaxing experience. You can rent kayaks from a number of local outfitters, and use Louisiana Northshore’s list of launch sites for your personal watercrafts. Bogue Chitto State Park has great hiking paths and riverside beaches, and Fontainebleau State Park’s 2,800-acre space has boardwalk pavilions, and beautiful, renovated cabins for rent (make sure to book in advance, as they fill quickly). Did someone say, “Staycation?”

If you really want to get wild, head to the Global Wildlife Center for a safari ride alongside giraffes, zebras, kangaroos, and bison! You’ll ride in an open-air bus and get the opportunity to feed the animals by hand. Be careful with those giraffe tongues, though!

If you’re looking for a different kind of outdoor fun, the Tammany Tracy Bike Trail stretches from Abita Springs to Covington down to Mandeville, and into Slidell’s Camp Salmen Nature Park. End your light ride from Covington to Abita Springs with a beer at the Abita Brewery, or coast down to the Mandeville lakefront for a sunset stroll.

The Great Indoors

It’s still a tad hot outside, so you’re thinking of holding off on all things outdoors until later this season…That’s ok! There is plenty of indoor fun for everyone in the family. If you’re due for a date night with your loved one, the Movie Tavern is both the dinner and the movie. Take a seat and let a server bring you dinner while you watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Or you can clue into one of the Northshore’s escape rooms like The Escape or Escapology and race against the clock to free yourself from the enclosed space.

Altitude Trampoline Park is an indoor trampoline park with tons of high-flying fun. We love this place as a solution to rainy-day woes, and there are plenty of different bouncy options to keep your kids engaged until exhaustion.

Artesia is at the Center

Artesia’s centralized location gives you easy access to all of the Northshore’s best entertainment and attractions. Whether you’re looking to hit the water or hail the waiter, Covington has everything you need for your outdoor adventure or your indoor indulgences.

 

 


Preparing Your Apartment for Fall

Fall is here, which means new produce will be in season, the weather will (hopefully) cool down, and holidays will be here before you know it. Here are some ways to acclimate your apartment for the change in season.

fall decor

Wreaths and deep, jewel tones are two ways to add affordable fall decor to your apartment. (Photo via Flickr Creative Commons)

Fall Decorating Ideas for the Apartment

Autumn Wreaths – Get in the fall spirit and add a festive fall wreath either inside your apartment, on the front door, or both! Wreaths made out of twigs and foliage are always nice for fall and add that autumn touch that signals the season. Check out stores like Michael’s and T.J. Maxx for faux wreaths, or consider ordering a fresh wreath from a local florist!

Tabletop Decor – Placing pumpkins throughout your apartment, including your dining table, mantle, or fireplace, is the perfect representation of fall. You can even set up a basket of pinecones in your living room and a cornucopia on your counter for that additional touch.

Color scheme – Consider changing your drapes, sheets, and wardrobe to more fall-friendly colors like jewel and earth tones to really embrace the season. Or, add small pops of color through autumnal accessories like throw pillows and scarves.

Whether you use all of these ideas or pick and choose, adding fall decor to your apartment is the perfect way to bring extra coziness and warmth to your home for the season.


The Best Ways to Use Essential Oils in Your Home

Essential oils have become a popular addition to self-care regimens, but they’re also useful for a number of household needs. So, what is an essential oil? According to Wikipedia, they’re “concentrated hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aroma compounds from plants.” Essential oils have been traditionally used for aromatherapy, but more and more people are incorporating them into their day-to-day lives. The great thing about these concentrated liquids is their versatility. They’re also a great natural alternative to chemical cleaners.

Essential Oils To Use

There are dozens of essential oils you can choose from, but there are a few specific options that are ideal for home use. According to Keeper of the Home, they are:

  • Lavender
  • Eucalyptus
  • Lemon
  • Peppermint
  • Frankincense
  • Tea Tree
  • Oregano
  • Wild Orange

Lavender is a staple scent, and you can find lavender perfumes and house sprays at almost any home goods store. It’s a soothing scent, but it’s also a great topical agent for fresh cuts. It acts as an antibacterial serum when applied undiluted. Burned yourself cooking? Apply lavender to ease the pain. Heading out to walk down one of our garden paths? Use it to ward off insects as a natural repellant.

If you combine 5 drops of eucalyptus and 5 drops of tea tree oil to a 16-ounce water bottle, you have a mold-fighting bathroom spray that smells great. Lemon oil disinfects quick, which can prolong the life of your dish sponges, and it disintegrates stubborn substances like wax, sticker residue, and gum.  Peppermint can keep bugs away from your home. Use a cotton swab to brush your windows and doors with the crisp, minty oil and those flying pests will stay away.

Tea tree oil has a lot of great topical uses, but it’s also an amazing antifungal and antibacterial cleaning option. Mix it with water and lemon oil to clean your high traffic areas with ease. After you’re done fighting germs, soothing burns, and stopping bugs from invading your space, take your favorite scent and diffuse it for a relaxing end to your essential oil home improvement project. You deserve it!