At the turn of each new season, I love making easy interior design updates to give our space a quick and low maintenance refresh. The overall scheme of our place in Dumbo is quite neutral (see our full apartment tour here), which makes for a great backdrop to add color with seasonal florals, updated objects and interesting art. Of course, like any New Yorker, I daydream of a day when we have his & hers sinks, a massive soaking tub and a kitchen the size of our entire apartment. Until then though, here are the five ways I updated our living room and bedroom this fall—from investment pieces, like our new cheetah rug, to affordable yet luxe upgrades, like candles from Brooklyn Candle Studio. Because there’s nothing better than a zen space, regardless of its size.

1 – Add height with florals.

When Becca Interiors installed our space a couple of years ago, she put cherry blossoms in this vase, so I’ve always loved a bit of height on this credenza. For a more fall-appropriate version, I picked up some eucalyptus from Whole Foods for a whopping $8. Done and done.

2 – Upgrade your candle collection with Brooklyn Candle Studio.

apartment updates

I’m obsessed with the minimalistic typography on Brooklyn Candle Studio’s candles and long matches. They add an elevated and polished touch to any corner of the home, and they burn really fragrantly. My favorite scents are the Santal and the Montana Forest, which is the perfect candle to burn from now through the holiday season (think Christmas vibes, but not too overpowering). I also added the Wild Peony scent to my bathroom, which is the perfect fresh fragrance for a long, relaxing bath.

3 – Bookend it.

I updated the table that sits between our velvet chairs with these great vintage marble bookends from One Kings Lane. I loved the rich emerald color, and it created a chic way for me to store a few books that were overflowing our book drawer (which is in our TV stand!). New York-living at it’s finest, folks.

4 – Rug refresh.

We initially had a simple neutral rug in this space for a long time, but when it started to get run down I took the opportunity to put something a bit more exciting in its place. I love that the subtle cheetah print gave our Netflix and chill space an instant face lift.

5 – Turn up the volume.

We recently got this Marshall speaker for our living room, and I love how the vintage-inspired vibe instantly upgraded this little nook. I’m such a music person, and would honestly choose a good playlist over watching TV any day of the week (much to Chris’ annoyance). Cue music.