Want to have the apartment of your dreams? Here are some fun, easy, and affordable ideas to give you design inspiration. You’re going to love them!
Having trouble decorating your apartment? Can’t figure out what kind of furniture or layout you want to have?
Below, you’ll find seven ideas for inspiration.
Whether you use one of them or all of them, they’ll help you design the apartment of your dreams.
Pick a Color Scheme (And Stick to It)
Every room needs a color scheme.
Even if you love every color of the rainbow, you shouldn’t use them all in the same room.
Clashing too many together will make your home feel cluttered and may even induce anxiety.
So, pick a central color for your room, then use that as the basis for your color scheme.
If your bedroom walls are light pink, for instance, buy furniture and decor that look good with it.
Or, if you have a green sofa you love, use that to guide you in your other color choices.
This doesn’t mean that every room in your home should have a monochrome theme.
But if you restrain yourself from decorating with things that look out of place, you’ll have a much more cohesive and harmonious layout.
Customize Your Storage
You could go to the store and buy freestanding shelving units.
Or, you could design custom shelves for each room.
By building bespoke shelves (or having a handy friend craft them for you), you can take advantage of the unique nooks and crannies in your apartment.
Everyone has at least one cubby or corner they can’t figure out what to do with — and this is the perfect solution.
Not only will it look great, but it allows you to use every square inch of your apartment.
Mount Your TV to the Wall
There’s no need for a large, clunky entertainment center anymore.
And unless you’re desperate for storage space, there’s not even a need for a TV console stand.
You can save a lot of space by mounting your television to the wall with brackets.
It’ll free up a few square feet in front of the monitor, making your room feel more spacious.
Just make sure to use a level when you hang it. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck staring at a crooked screen (and no one wants that).
Get Some Mirrors
Mirrors are an interior designer’s best friend. Because they reflect the space across from them, they create the illusion of depth, making the room look bigger.
Hang a large one above your couch to open up your living room, or on your closet door to make your bedroom feel bigger than it really is.
You can even hang one in your kitchen if things feel a little too cramped in there.
Oh, and if you mount a mirror across from a window, it’ll reflect the outside, making it seem like there’s even more space.
Take Advantage of Every Surface
You can put every flat surface in your apartment to use, even if you just display decorations on them.
Have a windowsill in your bedroom? Place a few small plants or trinkets on it!
Have a few feet of space above your refrigerator? Display some decorative bowls up there!
Now, we’re not saying to clutter your apartment with odds and ends.
But incorporating every surface into your apartment design will create a more balanced look.
Use Room Dividers
If you live in a studio or have an open floor plan, use room dividers to break up the space.
For instance, you can use an accordion wall to separate your kitchen area from your “living room” area, or you can wall off your “bedroom” with curtains.
Room dividers don’t have to be literal dividers, though.
You can create visual divisions in the space by placing different colored carpets in separate sections of the room.
You might have a thick, monochrome shag rug under your couch and coffee table on one side of the apartment.
Then a light, woven runner under your dining table. It’ll feel like you have a multi-room apartment, even if it’s a one-room unit.
Create a Gallery Wall
There’s no better way to show off your personality than to hang a gallery of images on your wall.
You can combine photographs, drawings, print-outs, and personal items to create a wall-sized collage.
Your guests will know exactly who you are by looking at it, and it’ll bring a smile to your face every time you see it.
They look great in every room, too, whether it’s your bedroom, home office, or kitchen.
You can even hang a bunch of stuff in your entryway to welcome you home!
Put a Bench Near Your Front Door
Speaking of entryways, you’ll want a spot to sit while you lace up your shoes in the morning.
And if you live in a cold climate, you’ll need a place to put on your boots before you trek out into the winter weather.
Keeping a bench by the front door is smart because you won’t have to sit on the couch when you put your shoes on (dragging dirt through your clean apartment).
Plus, if you get one with hidden storage or shelving underneath, you’ll have a neat spot to keep your footwear. It’s the perfect functional decoration!
Display a Collection (But Maybe Not the Whole Thing)
Do you collect rocks from walks on the beach? Salt and pepper shakers from antique stores?
Baseball cards? Postcards? Vintage olive oil cans?
Whatever you’re into — put it on display. Collections make great conversation pieces, plus they’re fun to look at.
However, depending on the size of your collection, you might only want to display some of it. Otherwise, it could end up looking like clutter.
If you’re short on space or are going for a more boutique look with your design, sift through your collection and pick a few of your favorites.
Curate a selection, display it for a while, and rotate them out whenever you get new ones!
Conclusion
Decorating feels stressful sometimes, but it shouldn’t. This is your opportunity to create a space that reflects you and your wonderful personality.
Whenever you feel lost, refer to these tips. They won’t all work for you, but some of them may help you design the apartment of your dreams.
Author Bio:
Caitlin Sinclair is the Business Manager at The Rylan.
With over five years of property management experience, she begins and ends each day loving what she does.
She finds joy in helping current and future residents and makes The Rylan a place everyone loves to call home