Making your apartment feel like home can be a challenge. Of course, you want it to be comfortable and inviting, but you also don’t want to spend much money or time on it. So here are some simple tips to help you create a cosy space without too much effort.
Avoid “White Wall Syndrome”
Many apartments and rentals come with unappealing white walls. Although some apartment communities offer tenants the option of choosing custom accent wall colours, there’s also a chance you’ll find a benevolent landlord. He will agree to let you personalise a wall or two with paint.
If a painted accent wall is totally out of the question and you’re stuck with boring white, you can still get creative without the risk of losing your deposit. Removable wallpaper is one solution, but you can get the same effect with a less expensive DIY project.
Easy Fabric Magic
Lightweight fabrics are a great way to add colour to bland apartment walls. Purchase clearance decorator fabric and apply it as a wall covering using liquid starch (do not use regular wallpaper or fabric adhesive). If you’ve never hung wallpaper, enlist the help of an experienced friend. Test a swatch of fabric for colourfastness before proceeding. Then, dampen the fabric with a wet sponge to remove it. Your landlord will be none the wiser.
Inexpensive Artwork To The Rescue
Another way to add colour to your walls is with the artwork. A few well-chosen pieces will give your stark walls new life. Try these personal design secrets to decorate your walls with things you may already have on hand:
For this project, all you need is a couple of inexpensive ribbon memo boards to create a collage of cards or photos that coordinate with the colours in your room. These pastel paint chips from the home improvement centre add subtle hues to the bedroom wall and coordinate with the room’s soft colour scheme.
Plate up a super easy fix for your dreary apartment walls. Dust off those decorative dessert plates hiding in your cupboard and show them off. Or head to the thrift store and pick up a few plates to give your white walls some pzazz. These fanciful floral plates create a lovely display above a bedroom headboard.
How do you hang a plate? Try adhesive plate hangers. They are much more stable than the jiggly wire versions. These adhesive coated discs come in multiple sizes and adhere directly to the back of your plates. If you want to remove the discs, soak the plates in warm water to dissolve the glue.
Stylish Storage Solutions
When shopping for apartment storage options, look for textural pieces to add interest to bland rooms. Avoid hanging heavy shelving that might damage your drywall. Instead, use decorative baskets or cloth bins to organise books, magazines, closets, bedroom and bath items. Purchase lidded plastic tubs under bed storage for off-season clothing and seldom-used items—inexpensive bed risers will give you extra under bed storage space.
Frugal Accent Tables
Coffee tables, end tables, and nightstands can complicate your decorating budget. Here are a couple of creative solutions that won’t break the bank and round out your apartment’s stylish design.
Chic Nightstands
Check out your neighbourhood discount retailer for inexpensive nightstand options. These black wooden TV trays are adorable and budget-friendly. If you don’t require drawers, they are the perfect spot for bedside lamps, an alarm clock, and a phone.
Instant Coffee Table
The inspiration for this coffee table sprung from the pages of a home decor magazine. This round, skirted table is a classic look that will work with almost any decor style. And guess what? You can easily create this coffee table from a basic 30-inch round particle board table.
Cut the legs down to size, add a round tablecloth and top it with a glass protector, and you have the perfect perch for your morning coffee and a few decorative items. Want to recycle a round tablecloth but don’t have a sewing machine? Use iron-on fusible web tape for a no-sew hemming job! If you don’t want to go to the trouble of hemming, cut the legs of your 30-inch round table to a height of 20 inches. A 70-inch round tablecloth is a perfect size for these dimensions.
Window Coverings
We all know landlords typically skimp on window coverings. Nice wood blinds or shutters would be great, right? Unfortunately, most come with dreaded builder-grade minis. Nothing says “rental” like horrendous off-white metal or plastic mini blinds.
Hanging Curtains Without A Rod
Curtain hardware is often a no-no in rentals because of the holes in the wall created by mounting hardware. Here’s a great idea for hanging stationary curtain panels on either side of a window using common picture wire and small nails. (Note: two sets of hands will come in handy for this project.) Upon moving out, fill the nail holes with spackle, and your landlord will be none the wiser.
Beautify A Cramped Kitchen
Apartments are notorious for having less-than-roomy kitchen work surfaces, drawers and cabinets. Once you put a toaster and coffee maker on the counter, it leaves little room for anything else. Likewise, cabinets and drawers can easily become overcrowded with basic kitchenware. Go minimal for a clean, organised look.
Clear The Counters
Free up counter space by setting your sights higher. For example, an under-mount paper towel holder and spice rack leave more room for food prep. If your knife block is carving out too much of your counter space, install a strong magnetic strip on the wall to keep kitchen knives off the countertop and within easy reach.
Find A Perch
Take advantage of large expanses of space above your kitchen cabinets. Large pots and seldom-used small appliances will fit perfectly atop upper cabinets. Keep a step stool handy when you need to access these items.
Make A Backsplash
Apartment kitchens seldom include a backsplash, contributing to their barren, mass-produced feel. Instead, buy a roll or two of low-tack contact paper at the dollar store and apply it along the wall between the cabinets and countertop. Choose a pattern that reflects your design style and the kitchen’s colour palette.
Size Matters
Make sure your furniture is the appropriate scale for your space. Don’t try to cram a big sectional into a tiny space or fit a tiny futon in a large sitting area. Many furniture brands now have apartment lines, designing sofas at a smaller scale to fit the constraints of an apartment.
For smaller spaces, I also recommend looking for floor lamps that have a big design impact but smaller bases – like the one pictured here – so they don’t take up too much floor space in your room.
Find Furniture That Pulls Double Duty
If you’re in a smaller space, look for dual-purpose furniture to stretch your dollars and maximise your space. For example, pull-out sofas are a great way to have guests over without worrying about inflating and deflating an air mattress.
And it’s not just sofas that can pull double duty. For example, if you work from home or are working extra hours out of the office, dining areas are an easy solution that can double as a workstation, so you don’t need to worry about cramming a desk.
Add Sneaky Storage
When it comes to smaller spaces, storage is a must! Only have one closet? No problem. Look for beds with built-in storage or space underneath to place storage bins. Bring in bookshelves that match your style to keep books and knick-knacks organised.
I love finding cool baskets or ottomans with hidden storage for hiding clutter, my dog’s toys, and things you don’t want to put on display.
Show Some Personality
Bring your personality into the space through art and decor. Don’t worry about spending too much on new prints or expensive mirrors for your first apartment. Instead, consider putting photos of friends and family into new frames and hanging your diploma and other accolades front and centre.
And add in any art or decor you’ve collected on trips and travels! Then, sprinkle in a few smaller pieces to round things out – whether it’s a throw pillow with personality, a special print, or a sculptural knick-knack that caught your eye.
Beware Of Freebies
When you’re on a tight budget, it’s tempting to take free items from family or Craigslist. But I’d encourage you to be picky with hand-me-downs, so your space still feels like a reflection of you. For example, if you can’t afford a new sofa, look for new pillows and throws that can freshen up the one you inherited and cover any wear and tear.
The same goes for other key pieces like bookshelves or coffee tables. A new coat of paint can often make something feel like new – and you can cover any dents or scratches with fresh flowers or small decor pieces.
Layer On The Textiles
Make your space feel lived in with layers. Pile pillows and throw them on the sofa for a comfortable feel. Layer rugs to bring in colour or texture to the floor. Add a curated gallery wall to bring in pops of colour. Mixing different textures and materials will make your space feel designed and well-thought-out.
Add Cosy Lighting
Is your space windowless or just feeling kind of drab? Use lighting to make it feel homier. Combine task, overhead, and table lighting for different intensities. Lamps are also a great way to add style and personality to your space. And you can layer in candles for mood lighting, too!
Make Impermanent Changes
Often landlords aren’t keen on tenants painting walls. But a bad wall colour can negatively impact a space! My favourite (and affordable) way to freshen up a room is to use removable wallpaper. It can add a pop of colour and pattern to a room and boldly showcase your style. I’d recommend just doing a single wallpapered wall as an accent to your room.
Add Natural Elements
Bring life into your space through greenery! A boho style majors in greenery and natural textures and is perfect for all budget types and design styles. Place plants on shelves, bar carts, or even hang one from the ceiling to add texture everywhere you look.
Plants improve the oxygen quality in your home and add brightness and colour to your space. Just make sure you look for plants suited for the types of light you get in your apartment. And if you’re afraid of killing your leafy friends, faux succulents and fiddle leaf fig trees are an affordable way to get the look without the effort.
Make Smart Investments
If your budget allows, invest in a piece of furniture that can be a statement piece for your space. What do you want to be the topic of conversation when guests enter your home? Is it an inviting velvet sofa for wine and cheese nights? A well-styled bar cart or a luxuriously cosy-looking bed?
My design philosophy is all about investing in one high-quality piece that you can take with you to your next apartment and beyond. And, if you’re unsure where you’ll be in a few years, pieces like this often have a high resale value, so you don’t have to stress about moving it!
Unpack One Room At A Time
If every room is in disarray, there’s nowhere in your apartment you can go to feel sane. The bedroom is a great place to start. Get your bed set up with your favourite sheets and pillow in their proper place. If it makes you more comfortable, add your night table, reading lamp and any books or photographs.
It will give you somewhere to retreat when you’re overwhelmed and some help in handling the rest of the rooms. You may also want to make sure the bedroom is free of boxes before you go to bed, so you don’t have the obvious reminder of more unpacking as you’re drifting off to sleep or waking up the next day.
Get Boxes And Junk Out Of The Way.
Tripping over boxes or even just looking at them will stress you out. Instead, break down the boxes and get them out of the way as you get things unpacked. It can mean recycling or throwing them away but depending on how much progress you’ve made, and you might be best just throwing them in another room to take care of later. It’s not the best option over the long term but can initially help out.
Plan Lighting
Lighting is a powerful and often under-appreciated element that can make your apartment feel different immediately. The right lighting turns a drab space into a cozy one. Here are some tips for using lighting to make your new apartment feel like home.
Many interior designers agree that every room should have at least three lighting sources to help create zones. Each of the three must be a task or decorative lighting, as these types create pools of illumination — the ceiling light that came with the apartment doesn’t count. You can add a lamp to your side table that makes reading at night possible, place a standing lamp in the corner or decorate with string lights.
Look for compact fluorescent light bulbs that produce warm, gentle light, similar to incandescent bulbs, but last longer and use energy more efficiently.
Don’t Forget The Walls.
Bright lighting can lose its impact if it collides with dark or drab walls. So if you’re looking to make the room bright, make sure that the walls are painted accordingly.
If you can’t paint the walls because of your lease, viable alternatives can be removable wallpaper or lighter decorations hung on the wall.
Decorate Based On Your Style
Remember that this is your space now, so decorate it with that in mind. What do you want to hang on the walls? Pictures of your friends and family? Does the artwork do you like? The artwork you’ve made? These things can be a starting point to feeling more like you’re really at home.
Be picky about how you decorate — only use items that match your overall decor scheme and fit your tastes. Don’t just pick something up because you like it when shopping for items. It should be cohesive with the rest of your belongings. It will feel out of place if it’s not, and you may not get much use out of it.
Conclusion
Moving into a new apartment can be both an exciting and daunting experience. It’s easy to get lost trying to make your new place feel like home, but with a few simple tips, you can create a cosy space that feels just like you. We hope these ideas have helped, and please let us know if you have any questions about making your apartment feel like home.
Faqs
What Makes An Apartment Cosy?
Introducing More Texture. Adding more texture is a quick way to create a resonating sense of cosiness in your apartment space. Using the right combination of throw pillows, blankets, and rugs will quickly set the mood.
How Can I Make My Apartment Feel Empty?
Make a space feel alive by literally infusing it with life. For example, cluster small plants on shelves and decorate the floor with big bushy plants in fun planters and baskets. These pops of green will instantly make your room feel fuller and happier.
How Can I Make My Apartment Look More Put Together?
Add a rug – one of the best ways to make your room more aesthetically pleasing is to add a rug. A large rug does a good job of pulling other pieces together. In addition, it serves as a really good anchor.
What Makes A House Luxurious?
A luxury, or high-end, home is typically valued within the top 10% of properties on the local real estate market. High-end homes tend to be considerable in size, located in optimal areas, constructed and finished with high-end materials and designed with uncommon architectural details and exceptional amenities.
What Makes A Home Comfortable?
Water in the home is tranquil and meditative. Consider a fountain, or even looking at a pool or lake out your window can bring comfort. Natural materials such as wood, natural stone, living plants and natural textiles feel good to the touch and are visually appealing.