Moving into a new apartment is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming, especially if this is your first apartment. You will have to figure out how to arrange your belongings in your new living space, get used to a new neighbourhood, and create a new daily routine.
If you also want to decorate your apartment, you should first have a good idea of what you want to do. Do you have all the furniture you need, or would you like to shop for more? Do you have a colour scheme or a decor style in mind? Where should you start?
Well, the first thing you should do is learn how to decorate a new apartment. Here are some tips:
Jump to:
- 1. Speak with your landlord
- 2. Take a good look at the space you have
- 3. Determine a few colours and patterns you like
- 4. Consider making your decorative items with DIY projects
- 5. Hang mirrors for light and more space
- 6. Find creative ways to hide things you don’t like
- 7. Prevent future clutter by adding storage space
1. Speak with your landlord
If you haven’t already, you should have a discussion with your landlord. Ask them what you can and can’t do to personalize your new apartment rentals.
For example, some landlords won’t allow their tenants to paint the walls of their apartments. There might be restrictions about hanging items on the walls with nails or screws. It’s best to know from the start if you cannot do specific renovations, unless you don’t mind losing your security deposit.
2. Take a good look at the space you have
Next, you should take the time to take a good look at your apartment. Is it small? If so, you might have to get rid of some furniture or replace a few pieces with multi-functional ones. You might also want to look for ways to make the rooms feel larger than they really are.
If you have plenty of space in your new apartment, think about how you will occupy and divide this space. Large area rugs could be used to define different areas, especially if your apartment has an open layout.
You should also consider your budget if you need to shop for furniture and decorative items. If you don’t have a big budget to spend on your decor, or if you want truly unique pieces, buying second-hand items is a good idea.
3. Determine a few colours and patterns you like
When choosing colours, patterns, and textures for your new decor, you can look at some items you already own for inspiration. If you have a beautiful red chair, you could use it as a focal point in your living room and add other red items to your decor.
You can also start on a clean slate, choose a colour scheme, and look for the right furniture and accessories. Just make sure you don’t add too many colours or patterns to your decor to avoid a crowded and confusing result.
4. Consider making your decorative items with DIY projects
Decorating a new apartment is all about making it feel like your home. And what could be more personalized and unique than something you made yourself?
If you have an artistic side, you could paint or draw your own wall art instead of buying it. Whether it’s refinishing an old piece of furniture or crafting a stylish spice rack, you can find some valuable instructions online. The internet is full of DIY projects waiting to be discovered.
5. Hang mirrors for light and more space
Hanging wall art and photos is not the only way you can decorate the walls of your apartment. If you feel like your new living space could use more light, hanging a large mirror close to a window or a lamp will allow it to reflect light and make any room brighter.
Mirrors can also make a small room appear larger and a low ceiling seem higher. They create the illusion of space, which can be helpful in a small apartment.
6. Find creative ways to hide things you don’t like
Are there features you don’t like in your new apartment? Maybe you can find a way to hide them and make them look better.
For example, if you have old and unsightly shelves in your kitchen, you could cover their surface with a removable vinyl liner. You could hide open shelves behind a curtain, cover a wall heater with a decorative grate, or hang a frame in front of an outlet that isn’t working anymore.
7. Prevent future clutter by adding storage space
Your new apartment will look clean and tidy after you are done moving in and decorating it. However, it might quickly get cluttered if you don’t have enough storage space to organize your belongings.
To prevent future clutter, you should add some clever storage solutions to your decor. It could be a stylish ottoman that doubles as a storage box. It could be a bookshelf with decorative baskets in which you can organize many items. Similarly, it could be floating shelves that allow you to store and display items.
