Inside the unassuming Centre Place apartment building on Lucinda Avenue is the sophisticated pad of newlyweds Brandon and Amber Wirtz.

Entering the living space of Brandon, a senior family and child studies major, and Amber, a junior child development major, is like walking into a design show, as warmth and style saturate the apartment.

“We wanted it to be contemporary, yet cozy,” Amber said. “I think that’s what we did.”

The apartment consists of a living room, eat-in kitchen, one bedroom, bathroom and a closet converted into a study. The rooms are filled with streamlined furniture, candles and lots of rugs.

On the main wall of the living room hang Brandon’s three prized guitars. Although they make a striking statement, they are entirely functional, Brandon said.

“I play them,” he said. “It just seemed like the best way to store them. I use them all and I have a couple more in cases. It keeps them out of the way but easily accessible.”

Much of the apartment’s furnishings were actually wedding presents. Even the couches in the living room were given to them by a relative. Brandon’s favorite things are the two bamboo touch lamps that sit on the entertainment center.

“They are my favorite things from the wedding list,” Brandon said. “They have that earthy look.”

Although they received many items as gifts, the couple still had to buy much of their furniture. In order to stay stylish, but maintain their budget, they threw on their walking shoes and headed for IKEA, mecca of cheap Swedish design.

Though “some assembly” was required, the Wirtzs haven’t had trouble with any of their furniture except for the coffee table, Amber said.

“We move it around so much the legs are breaking off,” Brandon said.

They were able to achieve their style goal, but the couple feels apartment living has its limitations.

“It would be nice to have some color beside white [on the walls],” Brandon said.

Although their building does not allow them to paint their walls, Amber found a way to add color and spice to the bedroom walls without causing trouble with the landlord. Hanging above the bed is a deep red mosquito net canopy that drapes behind the headboard.

“It just adds a splash of color and romance,” Amber said.

As fabulous as the apartment looks, it took a lot of work to get it there. The couple expected to be able to move everything in within one night, just like moving into the residence halls. However, the process took them much longer and caused a bit of shopping stress for them both.

“At first, it was so much fun to buy everything, but after the first week, I just started to hate shopping,” Brandon said. “I am starting to get over it [now] 10 months later.”

The experience was apparently more traumatic for Brandon than it was for Amber, who said she was over her shopping-angst a week later. In the world of heavy-duty shopping, only the strong survive.