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1st Lake Blog

Best Apartments for Young Professionals in New Orleans: Bella Ridge

With startups, medical hubs, and entrepreneurial opportunities, New Orleans is increasingly becoming a global destination for young professionals. Many millennials are moving to the city, and with a new move comes a new consideration: where should I live? We’re a bit biased, but think Bella Ridge is a great choice. We’ve already explored why renting is such a great option, but today we’re taking a closer look at three reasons why Bella Ridge is among the best apartments for young professionals in New Orleans. Read on for why these River Ridge luxury apartments are an ideal place to rent.

The cozy club room at Bella Ridge.

The cozy club room at Bella Ridge.

Proximity

The city of New Orleans has dozens of iconic neighborhoods like the Garden District and the French Quarter, but longtime residents know that life in one of these historic sectors has both pros and cons. Sure, you’re living in a historic space, but that also means living in outdated confines without modern amenities. Other issues include no dedicated parking and sub-par road conditions. Conversely, Bella Ridge offers proximity to New Orleans – it’s just about 10 minutes from the French Quarter – without all the headaches. As a brand-new construction, Bella features state-of-the-art amenities and a dedicated, covered parking garage. It’s also spacious and energy efficient. In addition to being near downtown New Orleans, Bella Ridge also boasts close proximity to major shops and restaurants.

Affordability

Living just outside downtown New Orleans gives young professionals a lot more bang for their buck. We recently compared a downtown property to our Bella Ridge property, and in terms of value, the results were staggering. Bella Ridge offered 100 additional square feet, better amenities, and free parking for nearly $1,000 less per month than a comparable downtown property. If you add in parking (which isn’t included in downtown apartments) the value differential increases even more.

Lifestyle Perks

We mentioned how Bella Ridge offers better amenities than comparable downtown apartments – but what exactly does that mean? First and foremost is free covered parking. You’ll never have to fight for a spot, and you’ll never get stuck in inclement weather. Our parking garage is clean, lighted, and a great way to add a layer of ease into your daily routine. Bella Ridge also features a beautiful outdoor pool with a built-in tanning ledge plus a state-of-the-art fitness facility. If you have a dog, you’re in luck: we’re big animal lovers at 1st Lake Properties, which is why we’ve included an on-site dog park called Bella Bark at our Bella Ridge property.

All in all, if you’re looking for the best apartments for young professionals in New Orleans, put Bella Ridge at the top of your list! Learn more today about specials and other promotions – we’d love to hear from you.


Going Green: Home Décor with Plants

There are so many reasons to incorporate houseplants into your design scheme: they enhance oxygen and purify the air, they can improve attentiveness and focus, most of all, they’re just plain pretty.

Home décor with plants is stylish and easier than you might think – just see our decorating tips below.

Transform a corner with an air purifying plant.

Large fig (ficus) trees are some of the most purifying plants you can bring into your home, and because of their size, they’re a great way to brighten up a corner.

Instead of placing an occasional chair in an empty corner, try a fiddle leaf fig tree in an attractive ceramic pot.

A Rubber Tree is another variety of ficus that looks great indoors due to its glossy, thick leaves.

Decorate a desk with succulents.

Have an at-home office space? Beautify it with low-maintenance succulent plants that require very little watering.

Depending on which vessel you choose to house the plant, you can achieve different types of décor. Try a rustic terracotta pot for a traditional look, or opt for a high-gloss, pure white ceramic pot for a minimalist and modern feel.

You can also make your own terrarium for a similar effect.

Make plants moveable.

We’ve already discussed how a large fig tree can bring life (literally!) to a corner – but what if you want to move it to another room later on?

A rolling plant caddy is an easy and affordable solution.

Beautify the bathroom with orchids.

There’s nothing quite like a long, hot shower at the end of a long day. Take advantage of all that humidity by placing a beautiful orchid in the bathroom.

Orchids love steamy environments, so they’ll thrive in the bathroom while also adding a pop of color.

Remember, these plants also enjoy light, so move them to a light-filled room from time to time if needed.

Try a topiary.

Rows of topiaries look great on the mantle, particularly for those who prefer a romantic or traditional design style.

Live ivy topiaries are affordable and reasonably low-maintenance – as they grow, they give off a whimsical, fairytale ambience.

You can also copy the look with faux topiaries (we won’t tell!).

P.S. What if you’re worried your thumb isn’t so green?

Check out our definitive guide to caring for indoor plants.

Find Your New Home Today!

Explore our 1st Lake communities and find the one that meets your needs!


Pampering On Pennies

Everyone loves a little pampering now and then, but weekly trips to the spa can rack up hefty bills very quickly. Luckily, the 21st century abounds with affordable and accessible tricks and recipes that can turn any home bathroom into a Zen oasis.

Beauty Treatments

If you enjoy the gentle scent of roses with your beauty treatments, you needn’t purchase expensive, pre-bottled rose water to even your skin tone. For a less expensive, but equally fragrant, substitute, add packed rose petals to boiled water in a ratio of 1:2. Allow the mixture to steep until cool, then simply strain the petals from the water, store the liquid in a clean, airtight container, and use as needed. You’ll have fresher, younger looking skin in no time!

To exfoliate your way to brighter skin, try mixing equal parts oatmeal, brown sugar, and olive oil to make a gentle body scrub. Simply rub the mixture on your skin to remove dead cells, then rinse. You can also mix white sugar and vitamin oil into a paste and use it the same way.

A favorite trick from our grandmothers’ day: soften and lighten skin on your elbows and knees by rubbing the areas with freshly cut lemon. (This nifty trick is also seen in the ultra-famous movie 16 Candles.)

Spa Tricks

Massages and facials are the bees’ knees as far as treats for the self, but some of the best aspects of a spa treatment are the little things – warm towels, fresh scents, and other amenities are integral to the experience and easily replicated at home.

For example, to achieve the warm, viscous consistency of spa lotion, set your bottle of lotion on a heater or radiator while you’re in the shower. When you emerge you’ll have warm lotion to sate your thirsty skin – just make sure to keep an eye on plastic lotion bottles so they don’t melt!

To create the sauna atmosphere popular amongst salons the world over, run the hottest water possible through your shower for 10 minutes. Spritz a wash cloth with a relaxing chamomile or lavender scent to put over your face in the shower. Breathing in a fresh, relaxing scent will add to your sauna experience and can be an ultra-relaxing way to get ready for bed. If you’re coordinated enough you can even turn off the fluorescents and light candles instead!