As I continue to refresh my home for the Spring season -- new season, new beginnings -- in addition to assessing our needs, I started to take stock in just some basic decor essentials that we needed, specifically for the Spring season.

A huge design priority of mine is the balcony, specifically, investing in creating a space where we can relax and enjoy both indoor & outdoor living. I want inside the apartment to feel connected to the outdoors, creating a calm Hygge atmosphere; while I want outside to be an extension of our home -- Hygge inspired, cozy, and inviting.

Because the kitchen opens up directly to the dining & living areas, which is then connected to the balcony, I know I can't design each area in a bubble. Yes, they may each have their own individual style, but holistically, they should all feel the same, for one cohesive design.

Starting in the kitchen, I decided what better way to connect it to outside than to soften it up with a lighter runner. I decided to go with a natural white cotton runner with charcoal grey stripes, that would compliment the warm wood tones of the kitchen, while also serving to introduce a neutral textile to really ground the space.

While already full of wood tones, I believe no kitchen can have too many wood cutting boards, so both a pragmatic & aesthetic purchase, I purchased a 7" x 12.5" wood cutting board, to layer with our existing would cutting board. The similar yet different shapes, and contrasting sizes would not only serve us for actual cutting but would also add depth & visual interest to an otherwise pretty basic looking kitchen.

Lastly, for the kitchen but not really for the kitchen, in the spirit of Easter, I couldn't resist getting this white rabbit soap dispenser. On the counter I keep lotion & hand sanitizer -- I'm always, obsessively cleaning & moisturizing my hands; and while I was able to use the glass jar from my 1st Grove Collaborative order to house the hand lotion from that same order, the hand sanitizer was just there, in it's ugly branded bottle.

Yuck!

So again, thinking about our needs in addition to what looks nice, this was the perfect opportunity to swap out the regular hand sanitizer bottle for something prettier, that was also perfectly adorable for the season!

Kind of but not really leaving the kitchen, I knew there was very little I needed to do in the dining area, especially since I already plan on swapping my most recent Spring tablescaping for something a smidgen more Easter-esque. I did, however, spot the most Springlike 4 pack of scented candles featuring a palm leaf print -- JUST PERF -- that I knew I could use one or two in the dining & kitchen area to introduce a smidge more greenery if I felt like it was missing that final touch.

I also decided to go ahead a grab 2 new glass carafes with cork stoppers, but to be honest I'll have to see if I want them to live at the bar or in the fridge to minimize how much space our juices take up in their original bottles. So while I didn't know exactly where, I knew either way these carafes would have a home -- it's just a question of the best home.

Enter the living room!

Admittedly, I want to say the living room is as dressed up as it's gonna be! While there are a few major tweaks currently underway, it's hardly anything that called for new decor -- at least not this time around! But, like with the soap dispenser, I couldn't resist grabbing a white photo frame with bunny ears for our side table! I also knew that 2 of those scented candles would be a perfect pop of greenery on our mantle! Done and done!

Now we move outside, which was really the catalyst & inspiration for this ENTIRE haul. While I won't dive toooooooo much into what my plans for the balcony are just yet, I did decide it was going to be my featured space for the upcoming Spring One Room Challenge! So with that in mind, I knew there were going to be some decorative accents that I have to have for an outdoor transformation, including lighting!

I am not short on lighting by any means, because if there is one element of Hygge decor that I am very serious about it's my lighting! We already have bulb lights outside (that are in much need of some attention by the way) but I really wanted to set a mood outside that would parallel that living room.

For the Spring season, I packed away my 3 pack of large flameless black candles, however, after seeing these 2 lanterns on the H&M Home site, I knew they were the perfect companion to my candles!

The charcoal gray large candle lantern features the most beautiful braided surround -- monochromatic yet still textural. As denoted by the name, the actual diameter of the candle hold was perfect for one of my large candles! The large metal candle holder, also in charcoal gray, with its perforated sides what the perfect contrast to the braided hyacinth lantern. I knew it would be perfect for either one (or both) of the other 2 candles OR for my black & gold flameless tea light candles.

With both lanterns, I knew that their dark exteriors would sort of camouflage the candles inside of em, allowing the flameless flames to really "burn" bright, creating the perfect soothing ambiance on the balcony -- one on the side table from my IKEA haul and the either on the floor.

The final touch (from this haul at least) for outside was for the pillows! Ya'll know how seriously I take my pillows & more than that, how much I stan for the H&M covers assortment. So when I saw these leaf patterned slub weave covers, excited isn't even the word!

No setting is completely styled with some GORGEOUSLY dressed pillows to round it out!

These covers hit all the Hygge check marks with the vidid green print and the soft neutral backdrop. But my fav feature -- the oh so subtle gold glam that reads:

Simple Is Beautiful

Indeed it is. Indeed it is.

Rounding out the haul was a pair of floral printed, Spring inspired velour guest towels. Now I'll be honest -- I didn't know if I wanted these as kitchen towels, bathroom towels, or some other decorative endeavor, but I saw them and knew I had to had em because they're effing gorgeous!