Blog

Design Tips for Apartment Living

Today it’s all about Design Tips for Apartment Living.  Apartment living can be a challenge to personalize but with a few tips you can make the space your own with a small budget.

DO update hardware in a tired kitchen. It can change the whole feel of a tired kitchen with little investment. This one is from Home Depot and is only $2.22.

DO paint or wallpaper one accent wall. It is a small job to repaint that one wall when you move but will add a nice hit of colour or accent to an otherwise simple apartment.

Vinyl wall stickers are also easy to apply and remove. See the three images below.

If you aren’t allowed to paint a wall you can paint a very large canvas in a stunning colour and it will act as art.

DO add curtains. Adding curtains will make the apartment feel much more like home. Many big box stores have ready-made curtains these days and many come in different lengths so you may not even have to hem them.

DO change the light fixture in the dining area if you can. Save the one that came with the apartment so you can put it back when you move out. Hanging your own fixture in the dining area will add so much to your space. Ikea has one of my favourites for adding personality to an apartment. I’ve used it several times. It’s called the Fillsta and is only $40!

Make sure you use a licensed electrician to do any electrical work.

DO change the ceiling lights to track lights. (Remember save the originals). This also adds so much to the space because you can use the directional light to accent art work on the walls and you do can use the same junction box that the original light was connected to. Track lights are an inexpensive upgrade nad can be found at any big box hardware store.

And while we are talking about lighting, DO add dimmer switches to all the overhead lights. It will make a huge difference to all the lighting!

DO look for storage pieces that are also nice to look at and will add to your décor. Baskets are a great way to do this.

Do use cushions and artwork to add colour and interest. These cushions are from Homesense and the artwork is from Ikea.

DO install a shelf on top of the radiator to add to the storage.

DO paint some furniture if you’re not allowed to paint the walls. This will certainly inject some personality into your space. Try some funky new colour on a vintage find or other inexpensive piece. The colour will go a long way.

DO change the kitchen and bathroom faucets. If you are going to be there for a while and the bathroom and kitchen look tired, changing the faucets will make a huge difference and are not an expensive upgrade. Home Depot has a wide selection of well priced faucets.

With a little elbow grease and some creativity you can inject your box apartment with your personality.

Let us know what you’ve done to your apartment to make it your own!

These images are copyrighted by their respective owners. We are showcasing them as illustrations for the content presented. Please click on the photos to be taken to the original post. We appreciate being able to use them.