Get plants, real ones if you can because they make it much homier. That will add a bunch of green. Then get orange colored small lights instead of using a big light. Lots of ambient lighting. Makes the walls different colors without having to paint them. Start with some blankets and pillows on your couch in the colors you want. I would suggest going to tj maxx or home goods if you can, its better to see things in person. Then once you have those pops of color you can start building off of them. Get cool rugs.
Swear the thing that CHANGED my apartment was different lighting. I can’t stand white lights so I tend to like the yellower shades more, I like to put little fairy lights on my shelves for decoration & buy the wax melts with the cool lights. Plants will always be the answer tho lol if you genuinely just buy a few of different varieties & sizes, you’ll already start to feel better.
Lights make such a difference. I've slowly replaced all my lightbulbs with programmable LEDS, and added strips under my cabinets, behind TV etc (Govee brand for anyone curious). Do I want purple lights? Cand-toned RGB vomit? Blue "filtered" light? I'll just open the app and do that. And I seldom think about turning them on/off thanks to the schedules they're on.
Great advice! It’s amazing how these small additions and accents change your environment. The nice part is that you can change the accents as often as you change your mind! 🪴
Quality faux plants have the same effect on our mood/alleviate our stress through the same neural pathways as real plants. It’s all about perception of nature and some green in the peripheral. And you don’t have to stress out about killing them!
This! A new leaf is always a joy to see and sign your plants are happy. My aloe has 3 new babies that came up not too long ago. It definitely is a treat lol.
I have pothos, monstera, petra croton, a couple snake plants and a couple dracaena plants. All fairly low maintenance, as I have them on a schedule of watering every 14 days, with reminder to check them in between. Aloe is on an every 21 days water schedule. They all seem happy, and I can go a few extra days between watering. The croton gets a little dramatic, but always perks back up. Lol
Succulents are low maintenance USUALLY! Make sure to do a quick Google search of the species before you buy. If you’re looking for something bigger, small trees are always nice. I have a money tree and an umbrella tree and they’re both pretty tough. I forget to water them for a couple weeks at a time sometimes because I’m like “well it’s still alive” lol
My shroom one came with 3d glasses plus when i use my projector lights it literally creates a optical illusion of them swirling and stuff as the lights change so do the mushies
Garage sales ... just grab a bunch of old framed posters, prints and paintings. Don't judge, just collect. Focus on doing that over the next 30 days.
Scatter them around the place. Then chill for about 30 days. Let them and your eyes settle in. Move them room to room.
You will then be surprised what starts to feel right in different rooms. Then gently expand with other 2nd hand offerings to mix and match. Furniture, accessories, colours, textures and whatnot.
Once you've got stuff on your walls, you'll then turn the rest into a 'treasure hunt' of sorts. It is no longer a panic to fill the white space.
It becomes fun. Bring along friends with a flair for decorating.
This process could take a year or so depending upon your work-life schedule.
This is the fun part. Don't stress. Find your style.
Adding to this, I repaint over canvas in colors I love, jsut random stuff ( hold me over until I was able to start puttign stuff on our walls we liked)
heavy on the year part, i struggled all year and finally decided to focus on one room at a time. holidays are especially hard for me because i have a little one and want to have the homey decorated feel of holidays in my home. but after that year mark and just gathering what i felt would be a good fit, it truly started to feel like home. finding little things here and there, then furniture that added to the space making it more “home.” it takes time!
Plants, rugs, curtains, pictures, wall decoration, plaids, cushions... and if you have any hobbies, have your hobby stuff in your home if possible. If you are overwhelmed just choose one thing at a time to get for your place. E.g. a plant: You get a pot you like in your preferred green or sunset color, you get a plant that fits it. And if you don't have a table or window sill for it you get a little table for your plant. For wall decoration decide for yourself: are there any artworks you like? Or do you like looking at colors, or landscapes, or flowers? Or do you want to add something cosy and warming like a tapestry? I crochet in my free time so I have a basket with my favorite colorful yarn in my living room, I crocheted some stuffed animals and a wall hanging. I find that as you collect stuff over time, it will look more organic :) try to have fun with it, it is okay if you don't have a completely decorated home months after moving
Your apt might allow you(or use task rabbit) to paint. Will have to paint it back when you move out.
Other than art, Get colorful furniture. Figured out what is your design style (s). I lean heavily into mid century modem while still incorporating color. My couch is pastel green, pink arm chairs, blue bar stools. Slowly add trinkets to your place, try finding a local home goods store
I bought a stick on wall mural from Amazon. It's supposed to come off easily but I haven't tried yet. I got one to look like a brick wall and I love it
I can try, it was my old apartment and I don't have a great picture. But it is in the background of this one. If I even know how to attach pictures, I'll try. Lol [bamboo](https://photos.app.goo.gl/ddxLkXQ1PivfNpWU9)
Oh my!! Thank you!! The girls and I can do that and have a great time while at it. Thank you for the idea and the picture.
I’m currently babysitting my Grandpuppy that is identical to your black pup on the bed. Her name is Cocoa and the middle of the bed and taking up the most room possible is her favorite place.
Two very simple things you can add are wall decorations and plants. Immediate, cheap boosts available at most stores. Don’t overlook thrift stores for wall art, either! Some of my favorite pieces came from Goodwill.
It’s my first time being alone as well. It’s taken a few but I’m kinda starting to LOVE it. I have a doggie. But not having a man trying to control me, spy on me, watch me with cameras and make me feel uncomfortable in my own home is really nice. If only he’d cut the shit with logging into my iphone with my Apple ID nd stop changing my passwords that would be super! Do you have any animals or can you get one?
Edit: btw congrats!!! You got this. I, we are all proud of you. :)
After being with someone for 5 years and the last 8mo of it him being crazy, stuck in permanent psychosis, convinced he's a TI (targeted individual), starting over and being on my own is so nice.
I’ve done a lot of reading about all of that on quora. If you don’t mind me asking what sort of things were happening to him if anything to make him think like that? I’m glad U2 are separated and that sucks for him. Hopefully, he gets the help he needs and is able to work through it. Tried to do a lot of that to me and his claimed a fame was they’ll never find evidence. They’ll never be proof as I think most of us smart people have come to realize don’t ever say never…
He told me that our life was "so fucking boring now" and that he wanted to "actually have a fun life and not be a loser", so he decided he wanted to do meth. He did it for 4.5 months and it left him with permanent psychosis, delusions and paranoia. He lives in a homeless shelter now and he is *very* convinced it's all real:/
I fled abuse, 32 years of it between two husbands. I know about crazy! My last went off the deep end. I find so much comfort in my little apartment, it's been over 11 years and I still am so grateful for the peace I've built in here. I hope yall do to!
Same here. Back to back. Only my last relationship he was stalking me. Then he’s tried to gaslight me into believing that I’m completely insane. I think I’m actually gonna write about it in this sub.
Yes of course. But the first few times he blocked me. Plus I contacted the fbi, Apple, TmObile called the police and put a restraining order on him and his response to me was I am sick. I’m insane blah blah blah but if I explained the story from beginning to end, everyone would more easily understand and have a better understanding as to what exactly is going on as a matter fact I’m going to do just that.
And all fairness maybe I am crazy. Maybe I am insane, but when the writing is on the wall, it’s hard not to see it.
I am sorry. You are not insane. Repeating that old story will only keep that energy around you. Start telling your story as you want it to be, feel the emotion of your new, improved story, and the energy will improve (Law of Attraction, Abraham-Hicks).
Many Blessings 🙏🏻
Haha. I’ve been listening to LOA for almost a decade. And I truly believe falling asleep with meditation playing definitely works on your subconscious and does wonders but thank you for your input and that’s definitely something I need to start doing by the way it’s kind of not old. I’m still going through everything even down to having to go to court this coming Monday.
Bright blessings
B
Rugs, color changing lights ( I use hue), things on walls, curtains, displaying your favorite items, a pet, keeping the place clean, a couch and a recliner.
hit up those thrift stores and find some cool old art and or frames if you want to make your own art. you can even do something as simple as framing a piece of fabric you find that you like. my apartment is almost entirely thrifted and I love it so much
Most apartments actually allow you to paint the walls, as long as you paint them to the orginal color. It may not be in your lease, just reach out to your landlord. No harm in asking :)
That impulse-buy section when you first walk into Target usually has some cute seasonal trinkets. I bought a bunch of little ceramic pumpkins for the fall one year and set them around the apartment, on shelves, the TV stand, etc. I swap them with little snowmen and trees for winter. It freshens the place up when the seasons change and takes minimal effort.
Dollar stores and Aldi's "aisle of shame" are great places for seasonal items, too, and not as expensive as Target.
Any kind of string lights will make your home feel cozy and add some color. LEDs preferred because they are more energy-efficient and don't get hot (we have scorch marks on the walls from an old set of incandescent Christmas lights my MIL gave us that we'll have to paint over when we move). I use lantern lights most of the year, and I found maple leaf lights on Amazon to put up for the fall and Christmas lights for winter. I also found fairy lights on Amazon you can stick in old wine bottles, and these make cute little lights for the kitchen counter. I don't know the lighting situation in your apartment, but having different lights like these hung up gives you softer lighting at night that's not as bright or harsh as overhead light.
Thrift stores and discount stores like Ross are great places to find wall art to break up your white walls. It takes some treasure hunting and might take a couple of tries to find something that you like, but it won't break the bank.
Hope this helps!
I’m the exact same, I love sunset & green colors. They make sunset lamps & you can get a ton of plants. Also covering the walls with a ton of personal items like photos, decor, etc makes it feel more like home.
This is some pics of my room with some examples of how I styled it. I also can’t stand the white color of the walls so I never rly use my overhead light & instead have 2 lamps that connect to each other that can be any color thru a remote & 1 sunset lamp. You can also opt to just switch your overhead lightbulbs with the color changing ones but I just already had the lamps.
https://imgur.com/gallery/yYjZFck
I got a bunch of old family photos that hung in our grandparents house. No one wanted them when the house sold. I made a gallery wall of my whole family, everyone I love
Lamps, candles, rugs. I just got the Govee floor lamp, a usb sun sent lamp from Amazon, and the “Teamson Home Arquer 66.93" Arc Floor Lamp for Living Rooms, Home Offices, Dining Rooms, Bedrooms with Faux Black Marble Base and Black Bell Shade” also from Amazon, with Govee light bulbs. It’s nice because then u don’t have to individually turn every light on manually, just one click on your phone. I was in the same boat and as soon as I got these things it felt instantly homier. I also got this fake olive tree for my kitchen which is kind of trendy but I like it and it adds a pop of green (Realead Faux Olive Tree 7ft - Realistic Tall Silk Olive Trees Artificial Indoor Decor - Large Potted Fake Olive Tree with Branches and Fruits - Artificial Olive Trees for Home Office Decor Indoor). Im hoping to add some real plants but with the stress of moving I figured I’d wait to start on that. For candles, TJ max will be your best friend. I really like DW “lava” for my bathroom (: I forget my living room one but I’ll come back and add it!
Throw pillows, rugs and art. Use command strips to hang the art so you don’t get dinged for holes in the wall on your security deposit. If there is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near you they often have great rugs cheap, along with coffee tables, chairs and couches. Goodwill for the art and HomeGoods for the pillows.
I now live in an old cabin with live edge wood everywhere. In my previous apartment it was white everywhere. I put this huge tapestry up in my living room and it made a huge difference. Now I’ve got pics of my kids and I up as it’s hard to decorate without flat walls.
if you have those horrible panel type blinds on a sliding glass door you should push them to the side and add real curtains. it makes such a difference
Inspirational ideas can be found on Pinterest too. You could search: apartment living, color ideas w your favorite colors. And you can also go to Home Depot in the Paint Dept they have an interactive screen where you can input your colors & other color suggestions/ideas. Even if you're not going to paint.
Wishing you a peaceful life & the feeling of security in your 1st adult home. Everyone deserves to feel happy in their home. It's your place so have fun n it can always be repainted or changed. 🩷
Even though I'm not supposed to, I painted my walls (they were white before). This really helped my apartment feel like home because I chose soothing colours.
If I ever move out, I'll have to pay a fee to have the walls re-painted. But I'm okay with that, if it's the price of my mental relaxation.
1. Lighting. That will be a huge fix. Get some lamps, maybe a Peel and stick wall sconce or two. Buy the lightbulbs that feel more like a restaurant and less like a Target.
2. Peel and stick wallpaper--Stick it on the back of shelves if you are nervous about a big change. If you are worried it will mess up paint there are some great hacks for putting it up on TikTok.
3. Got a rug? Rugs make a big difference. Make sure you get the right proportions for the room.
4. Plants, throw blankets, candles, art
5. Make sure your furniture feels intentional. If you have a bunch of random little pieces it will feel off balance even if you don't realize it.
Get some cheap plants at your local plant nursery (or home Depot/ Walmart if that's what you have available) find plants that have zero bugs on them. Look close. Don't be afraid to inspect them. Only get plants if you have some decent sunshine coming in all day. Otherwise stick to fun non living things at your local resale shops. You can get so many fun lil things there that you like. See what tickles your fancy. Look Into wall decor and chimes and beautiful glass art to hang in your windows to catch the light and throw it around on the white walls.
Tapestries and fabric wall hanging decorations are really good to muffle sounds but make things look lovely and keep it cozy. Think what space would make you the happiest, then start finding items to add. Don't think about how other people would do it. Just make you happy and make it work well for your daily routines.
Do you have a cluttered table? Get yourself a knick knack tray (or a serving tray of your choice) they look nice and you can move a bunch of stuff at once when you need a clear space fast.
Clear drawer dividers for drawers filled with a lot of tiny things that get mixed together easily. You can find those at your local resale shops as well for way cheap and they still look nice.
Do you like to sit with a pillow in your lap? If so how big? Texture preference? Find the details that you want in your passing moments. A nice cozy throw blanket. A cute desk for whatever work you do at home if any. Or maybe some fun wall sticker mirror panels you can put on your walls in fun designs that are easy to remove at the end of your lease. Find fun rugs and kitchen appliances that you think would be a daily thing for yourself. If you're a fan of photos with friends, get yourself big multi photo wall frames that hold 10 to 15 photos so you can see the fun times you share. Fun lamps and light decorations are super fun and useful. Decorative boxes for car keys and cute lil candy dishes. Cookie jars in fun shapes. I have a lot of beautiful stones and candles. I have skull shaped decor all over.
You can use your favorite books to decorate your coffee table or side tables with. Get a book shelf for cheap at your local resale shops. If you don't have much storage, coat racks are fantastic so you have an easy spot to toss your outdoor stuff coming in and out. Also looks fun imo. Get fun towels that suit you. Have different colored hand towels and rags for different things like green for dishes, blue for bathrooms, white for skin, brown for animals if any, etc. mixing those up can cause irritation on your skin if you use the same rags on you as harsh home cleaners.
A lot of things you think of you can just look up online to see if they exist in your style and color and see where you can find them for the price you need near you. 🤷🏻♀️ Idk if that was too much in the wrong direction but I kinda understand where you're at. I've been finally getting to truly pick my decor for the first time in my life now that I have a place to call my own and decorate. It's really cool getting to find your own home decor style.
Tapestries on the walls can liven things up. There are removable wall decals and murals you can get. I’m actually waiting for some to deliver today from Amazon.
Bright accessories : throw pillows, throw blanket,
If you aren’t allowed to use nails, we use the Velcro command strips to hang pictures and other things on the walls.
If your landlord doesn't allow you to paint, see about getting some damage-free wallpaper. It's basically just giant rolls of contact paper and comes down off your walls easily. Can be pricey though, depending on what you get. As others have suggested you can also get plants, wall tapestries, curtains, pillows for the furniture.
The thing that did it for me though was collecting artworks, and putting up family photos. Everything is hung using command strips and so will come off with little to no damage.
Scarves, surprisingly. Big scarves I will never wear but were cheap somewhere and I rotate out on surfaces.
Having mini places where certain hobbies belong, even when living in studios. A spot reserved for a hobby somehow feels very homey.
When I buy a new bed covering, it is always something both fun and simple. Last time I bought a king sized one for my single bed. It is reversible, but also one half of one side has a red hue and the other has a blue hue. It's almost like 3 in one. Before that it was a reasonable sized but pretty covering.
My own coffee pot. Brewing coffee at home and waking early enough to sit in my favorite spot to enjoy and just breathe. Home is in part about feeling safe and relaxed. I find mornings to be the most peaceful and take advantage of that.
Sometimes fragrances, whether candle or incense or something sprayed.
I allow myself to be fun and whimsical when buying decor because I'm usually just so practical minded that I know I'll default to boring. And having a home where I've got little things that allow for every facet of my personality is nice, even if I don't always have those things out. I'm not talking about going all out, but I am talking about buying the occasional item (once a year? Once every few years?) that a part of you adores but usually you won't allow yourself. Your home should be a place you permit yourself to reflect yourself. And that does help immensely.
Do you have a Hobby Lobby near you? They’re really great for decorations. When I decorated my apartment, I went in and bought the things that made me happy to look at them.
Drapes! I have lovely light taupe drapery in living and bedroom, they reduce noise and light (and keep the heat or a/c in). Makes my little place look so comfy.
>Drapes! I have lovely light taupe drapery in living and bedroom, they reduce noise
Do you think they do? Did you get them made up or buy off the shelf?
I made some signs and got signs made of my kids’ baby pics and birth stats. I also have sports banners and signs. Some family pictures and other crafty things! In my bedroom/office I have some signs, my degrees and certificates up on the wall. I also have a bulletin board with different odds and ends on it.
I like to have lots of cozy blankets, fuzzy, colorful rugs to break up the awful cream carpet, and led light strips along the walls to add mood lightning. I also put rainbow maker stickers on the windows, since I get a lot of sun and they also help birds see the windows and avoid them.
In college I would hang white Christmas lights and then wrap sheer colorful curtains loosely around the strands. Also accent walls of just floor to ceiling posters/paintings/sign. Tapestries and coloring pages and paintings I made.. etc
Wall decals and wall art (tapestry size) stickers could be a way to cover large surfaces without paint. Large bookcases (Wayfair) can break up the space. I also break up the space with picture frame ledges (60”) which let me rearrange picture frames/artwork if I get bored. Craft stores also have sales on artwork - you could do a gallery wall. Mixtiles are cool too if you’ve got your own photos you want to put up.
Real plants, bright accents, art on the walls. Pops of color everywhere. Haunt free sites where people are getting rid of stuff. And congratulations on your new home!
I bought pendants for each room and hired an electrician to swap every light fixture out. High quality furniture that’s appropriating scaled for the space. You need to research how to scale correctly, for example:
If you have low ceilings, buy low-slung furniture
Learn how to scale rugs to your room size
Coffee tables should be a certain number of inches lower than and distance from your couch
Less is more - don’t crowd with knickknacks.
Learn your color wheel and how to layer complimentary colors and patterns
Plants
Rugs
Plants, pictures or paintings, candles and diffusers, cute blanket for couch, ambient lighting, custom stuff like outside mat and keyholder. Lil decor stuff I have crystals, stones, bouquets of flowers, macrame and Himalayan salt tapestries. My boyfriend has tons of sports memorabilia.
Go to a craft/artisan market or to a thrift store or to even Ross / HomeGoods.
I LOVE Etsy for decor but it’s hard to start there.
Go in person to somewhere And just buy something decorative for the wall that you like. Don’t get overwhelmed or think you need to build a full gallery wall. You’re just getting started. Go somewhrrr in person and buy something you enjoy looking at. It will build.
I live in a white apartment, but i actually prefer white walls, tou dont have to design around a specific wall color if you want to change things up. I thrift and find things at estate sales. Almost my entire home is second hand stuff, and i get compliments all the time. To ground all that white I would recommend rugs, plants, art (a salon wall approach can help if the white is too much for you). Bring in color with throw pillows. Ikea has started to come back in fashion here, particularly the limited edition lines they are doing with higher end designers. I have found really beautiful original art for a fraction of what its worth, just take your time and resist running out and buying a bunch of stuff from one or two places, otherwise it will feel My point is you can do a lot without spending a lot.
Painting for your walls; you can find them at Ross, Walmart, Hobby Lobby and all sorts of places. Online as well. Command strips will be your bestie in an apartment.
To add personality, you can also get green throw blankets, and other pillows that speak to you (if you have a sofa).
Use your books to decorate and collect plants to bring the space to life 🌱
I am so excited for you! Congratulations on your new home!
I painted....I always paint, and ill just paint before I move out or take the couple hundred dollar hit to feel homey for years. Also, artwork.....lots of it (I thrift mine mostly)
I've always found that adding curtains IMMEDIATELY makes a room feel comfier. Even if you never close them, or you just buy sheer white drapes--it makes the space feel so much cozier in seconds. HIGHLY recommend.
Homegoods Homesense TJ Maxx Marshall’s Burlington Ollies SHEIN etc. also you can get renter friendly wallpaper contact paper for counters peel & stick removable tiles + texture paper ! 🥰
lots of decor personal to you, things you like to cover up the prison white walls and fill in awkward empty space. the thrift is great for finding cheap knick-knacks that look like they came from grandmas house that feel like home lol
I have found the best way to find art you LOVE for your space? Make it yourself! There’s a ton of super simple ways to make some super colorful and fun pieces that you would find in a store for a ridiculous price. My favorite I found on Pinterest FOREVER ago and I’ve kept the paintings ever since. You just take painters tape, tape up the canvas into sections with some fun triangle shapes, and then paint inside the uncovered spots, making sure not to put two colors that match next to each other. Wait for it to dry, remove the tape, and viola a wonderful abstract piece that can go in any room! (Depending on the colors used)
I went to goodwill and the like, (Temu now, too, I guess)
I bought some damaged art, then, some acrylics,(walmart sells folk art acrylics for like a dollar or two) and I cleaned them up, covered the damage, used complimenting colors so all the art went together.
Got some throw pillows, a throw blanket, lamps, and a clock. (All featuring similar colors to those I added to the art)
(*I did wait on a rug as those were expensive and not great secondhand, but, that was a huge change, it felt so much cozier and warmer with one.)
While nothing stood out to me, I knew it feeling cohesive would help. (It did!) I told myself it wasn't permanent, I'd change things when I could.
Just pulling the space together, having it feel cohesive, less empty, it really helped.
(I did the living room first, as I cuddle up in there at the end of the day, and it's where I read.
Whatever space you use to relax (bathroom, bedroom, entry, whatever) just a few small things can make a huge difference.
Collect what you can whenever you can! You'd be surprised at how many opportunities present themselves that you never even noticed before. I got myself into the routine of checking out the decor section of every store I went to for a while, and now sometimes I'll just go out to stores to browse decor sections for fun in my free time. Stopping to observe street artists and check their stuff out is almost always a good idea. I've also taken "hand-me-down" furniture and decor from friends, family, friends of family, and even coworkers, just because it was free. I got a huge sturdy wooden bookcase from one of my jobs just because they were getting rid of it in an office remodel and I asked if I could take it. Got a set list from a little band I liked just by asking for it after a show. Just take advantage of as many opportunities that comes across your path as you can.
I also recommend finding art styles that you like and looking for those specifically, whether online or at events/stores in person. Twitter used to have great small artist presence but it's dropped a lot since Elon took over. A great start would be looking up local market event/festival listings and taking a few hours every now and then to go check one out - there's probably artists in your area making things you'll fall in love with, and it feels so much better to directly support a creator instead of a corporation. You might have to be willing to drive a little ways to get to the event(s), depending on where you live, but make it into a fun little trip and know it's worth it to see local art, especially if you come away with something!
Also check for estate sales. Do a Google search for estate sales near you and you can get on their email lists. A friend got a $600 pottery barn rug at an estate sale for $20.
Blankets have honestly been a big part of my decor. Having super big, fluffy blankets in bright colors have made my grey apartment feel warm.
Pets also help, but I know that's not something everyone can do
We got pictures and I feel like that made it a more homey feel. Also in my kids rooms I hung led lights and decorations and nice throw rugs... I feel like things like that make it a more homey feel!
Hit up thrift stores and garage sales. There is renter friendly removable wallpaper. Colorful throw rugs.
I have a group on FB called Broke Boho for people who like colorful decorating on the cheap, if you want to take a look.
Big tapestries they are pretty affordable, and some are big enough to nearly cover whole walls, they are colorful and fun but can be taken down when moving!
Idk if anyone does this anymore but print out pictures of friends and families and frame them up. Put out souvenirs that you bought from trips. Use books as decorations. I personally love legos so there’s a wall shelf of legos. I think a home should be what makes you you; don’t buy too many things from Amazon or Target just to copy others home style.
In my daughter’s room there used to be a window seat. We strung LED fairy lights across her entire ceiling, hung a small curtain rod inside the window seat to put up short room darkening curtains, hung a couple Harry Potter art pieces on the walls just inside the window seat, and added a bench cushion and throw pillows. Now she has soft lighting in her room and a reading spot.
The living room I have sheer curtains doubled with a blue over white. My complex requires white curtains if you have blinds open, so they have white visible from outside and the blue I wanted inside. The walls are grey with white trim and the furniture is white with natural wood tops, the sofa is blue, the recliner is grey. The only furniture that doesn’t conform to that is the stuff in the one end of the living room I have set up as a home office And the 2 antique cabinets I have for collectibles.
We’re getting art for the living room, and I have portraits of my daughters on the wall going up the stairs. They tease me that it’s “the white woman wall”. With a few throws and pillows it’s getting pretty cozy.
Thrift stores and FB marketplace. Don’t be in a rush to make it feel like home, get what you need and then slowly accumulate stuff you love. Resist the urge to go the generic “finished and put together route”. It takes some time, but it’s so worth it when your home is filled with cool unique stuff that speaks to you! That’s what makes it feel like hime. I put 25 in a savings account from every pay cheque so that when I find something I love I have a little money available to splurge!
Wall decor to get rid of the lonely echo. I have a couple of tapestry blankets on my walls for this reason. They take up a bunch of space, take away the echo easily, and they come in so many different styles. They're also decently priced ($20-$50), which is cheap compared to a painting from Walmart or something that would take up the same amount of space. You could also just use regular blankets with funky patterns, getting a color that matches your furniture helps too.
i have shit ALL OVER every wall in my apartment! i’m a maximalist at heart so if that isn’t your thing, just add a few posters of your fave artist, some artworks, etc
Start buying artwork to hang on your walls. Go to thrift shops, yard sales, Home Goods. Hang some mirrors, as well. The mirrors will reflect the artwork if placed correctly. Try to add a piece or two per month if you can afford it. Also, I’d look for a colorful rug. Look on Amazon for indoor/outdoor rugs. They have very affordable ones, eg, under $100.
Warm white light bulbs make the white feel less sterile. Putting up large framed pictures (i get my 16x20 from walmart and prints off etsy) to take up space on the wall. Lots of trees. Colorful curtains and plants
Room by room! You can pick a theme each room too. I had a disco bathroom and it was fun to decorate and have a non grown up space in my grown up place :)
I moved in January and have been so stubborn to put up paintings and art because I’m so bad at it and they are never level.
I finally did it. And it finally feels like someone lives there, specifically it finally feels like I live there.
You’ve got some great ideas. If it hasn’t already been mentioned try printing photos that you like. Places you’ve been or hope to go. People who matter. Textures that intrigue you. Printing at a drugstore isn’t that expensive and you won’t feel guilty when you need a change and want to take them down. There are items on Amazon where you can string 4x6 photos together along a wall.
We use Christmas lights in different rooms. Our bathroom is purple with disco ball lights, living room has hot pink wrapped LED strip around the tv, bedroom has blue and orange LED strips under the bed, even the cats litter box is lined with blue because we read they really only see blues anyways. It’s like a hideaway cabinet lined with lights. And then artwork galore, a record player for the vintage vibe, all furniture is vintage looking, also our carpet came from Etsy so it’s not that traditional like old people looking rug but more like a color block weird pattern. Fuck plants, ours had dead bugs falling from them so we replaced them with fakes. Just as refreshing. Some nice curtains but the black out WITH sheer on the outside so when you want the windows open but curtains shut, you can use the sheer to let light in/change the room color. Or sheer ones are burnt orange. We also chose to do 60/70s vibe beforehand so anything we see that matches is a yes and we don’t need to ask before buying. Oh and bookshelf with fake plants/books/ 90s toys. Quick edit, we also are planning to buy fake brick wallpaper
We were told we CAN paint our walls different colors, BUT when we leave, we have to paint them back to their original color. Not sure what you are permitted to do.
For me, simply hanging my artwork, family photos and even decorative plates on the walls has helped make my walls more homelike. But I also have a lot of plants. And a aquarium. I have newer furniture but also some vintage pieces I love. All of these puts my stamp on my apartment.
Lots and lots of pictures. Shelves with knick knacks. My husband and I collect records and I put them up on the wall with a kaleidoscope light lamp underneath and it’s super cool looking. All of my shelves are painted different colors. I’ve saved the flowers he’s bought me over the years and dried them, I put them in vases above my kitchen cabinets with different color glass bottles and it looks so nice (imo).
I'd recommend peel and stick wallpaper that can be easily removed maybe for maybe like have a focal wall. I put up some gift wrap paper as faux wallpaper in it gave my living room wall a pop of color.
I also did something similar in my kitchen where I use the gift wrap paper with a pattern on it and some double-sided tape and made a fake black backsplash. I'd recommend colorful works of art, photos, you can even play with different colored frames to give your photos a pop of color. For example you could have black and white photos in different colored frames and that could make them pop as well.
Hanging planters with fake plants might work or string lights if you're into that. Framed movie posters or framed posters in general of anything you enjoy might be a way to go to.
Something small that makes a surprising amount of difference is outlet and light switch plates. Home improvement stores have tons of different colors, you can find different shapes and designs online including custom ones, and you could even paint them yourself. A subtle but effective way to break up monotony
Just be sure to turn off the power to the room while you're changing them out
I highly recommend going into high end decorator shops and seeing what they have that you like and then try to replicate it on your budget. Then his thrift stores and estate sales and fill you space with what makes you happy. Plants also make a room feel homey.
Find some wall art you like on Etsy - I like to add a bunch of things to the cart so I can quickly scroll through and imagine how they would look together. Dont stress too much about a theme or anything, just get things you like and maybe try to stick to a color scheme. Get some cheap frames from Amazon. Goodwill also usually has lots of framed art for cheap but you might have to look around at more than one to find something you like.
Green pothos plants are invincible even if you don’t have a green thumb. Just root them in a vase of water or a small pot and they will live forever, they really don’t even need much light. There are plenty of other easy plants to pick but pothos are just the easiest and cheapest.
When I rented an apartment, I had the same problem. White walls, bland flooring, and no personality. It's just a matter of getting creative. I used shelf paper to liven up the kitchen cabinet doors and the bathroom floor, used removable hooks to hang a lot of small, cheap pieces of art in clusters on the walls, and made use of area rugs. You might even try jazzing up the doors with some molding attached with removable double sided tape.
Get some live plants and hang them around using those crocheted hangers, or put them in cute little pots on ledges and nooks that get light, use them as centerpieces in side-tables, use them to fill the empty space on top of furniture like bookcases or wardrobes.
Rotate vases with cut flowers- you can get really affordable flowers at Trader Joe’s.
They have pre-made bouquets, and single-type bunches that you can combine to make your own bouquets. They’ll last a week or more easily.
Hang paintings, photos, shadowboxes, sconces, curios, etc. Find knickknacks and curios that bring you joy, that tie in to your interests and put them on display. Get nice statement furniture- large pieces like book cases, or a large ornate entertainment center. I’ve converted some nice antique china hutches that I got for free from elderly folks into bookcases- the built in lighting and the wood/glass “it almost belongs in a cathedral” aesthetic just feels very homey for me in a cottage core way I can’t quite explain.
Try and coordinate a color scheme you like throughout the house. For me, I love my home to be full of fall colors- oranges, reds, browns, just a touch of gold, with dark stainless appliances.
Coordinate with rugs, curtains, curtain ties, blankets and pillows, couches and chairs, furniture finishes, etc.
Don’t be afraid to play with textures, too.
With the flowers I mentioned earlier, you can further coordinate colors and textures that accent the scheme you go with.
Finally, lighting. You want “warm” lighting in the home and you want to avoid anywhere being too dark and cavernous, while also not over-illuminating which can be distracting. More small accent lighting is good because it can be dynamic- you can create different feelings by having different combinations of lights on or off together. For example, my den is L shaped, with the small outcropping of the L being a reading nook with his-and-hers corners to curl up in. Normally, it’s just lit by a lamp on a side table. It makes it dimly illuminated enough to see what we’ve done with the space, but not distract from the rest of the entertaining space of the den. When we want to use the reading nook, we change the lighting and its dimmer in the entertainment space, with the reading nook being light up by smaller twinkling fairy lights we’ve hung discreetly around the room to create a sort of mystical candlelight feeling to read by. The lighting changes the focus and ambiance of the space completely.
Plants and postcards & small prints. Plants gives the feel of life. Pick a small wall and tape up dozens of postcards and prints with an overhead light. You can switch them up depending on season or mood. Bulk postcards can be bought online cheaply.
Edit: I forgot, chalk or drawable removable wallpaper. I’ve used it for years to draw and leave messages.
my bf and i bought a green couch on amazon, bought a rustic brown coffee table, shelves to put on the walls and added crystals and stuff, also just random paintings we liked at home goods (: we hated our apt at first but now it def feels more homie
Tapestries, PLANTS, cool lighting! Whatever your vibe is. I like stained glass lamps, salt rock lamps, and those color customizable ones. Soft, warm lighting makes a world of difference. Also, scents! Candles, oil diffusers, incense. After a while the smells kinda stick to things and your apartment will smell subtly sweet all the time.
Soft things! Blankets and throw pillows, maybe a recliner or something. I guess what I'm getting at are to utilize things that appeal to the senses. People love that cozy, homey feel
I got a bunch of lights from Govee. I live in the PNW and my boyfriend gets pretty bad seasonal depression during the gloomier months. I’ve got a couple curtain lights, some bulbs, and a tv backlight from their site and I leave them on pretty much 24/7 and it’s just made the space really cozy and it really helps his mood.
The backlight came with a camera that scans the colors onscreen and translates them into the backlight and other lights in the room so sometimes I just turn on nature docs. Makes for really nice ambience.
OMG CONGRATS!!!! I’m living on my own for the first time too! And I’ve never had the chance to decorate my own space eitherEven when I was growing up! I have so many plans for my space including making a vision board for one of my living room walls.
I also have ideas for making a backsplash over my kitchen counters with like contact paper(or. whatever it’s called) that’s easy to peel off in the event that I move out.
I’ve only been in here a month and I really like this place. So I don’t plan on moving anytime soon.
I’ve been homeless most of my adult life and I’m just SO tired of moving around!
I’m looking forward to seeing posts of what you come up with!! 🤗
If you are willing to pay at least $52, I would recommend hiring an interior designer. I stumbled upon @obtainedvisions on TikTok and love her work. She makes it very affordable to hire an interior designer. She has a couple of options in terms of options for what you need so check her out! I’m waiting to move to my next place so I can hire her to help me out with my living room and bedroom
I second what some of the others are saying. Live real plants 🌱is such a game changer. I joined this website hey horti which mails me a differnt one every three months. So is focusing on bring in color in other ways besides wall art. At my first place I got a red toaster and a red coffee machine for my kitchen. Sunny yellow bedding for my bedroom. I took my own photos of the city and the beaches and printed them at cvs and put those in frames that hung in the walls. Same with photos of my friends were all on my fridge.
Figuring out actual art or posters or paintings for my walls I did last and over time because same as you - everything felt blahhh that I was seeing. Focus on walking around tj max or Marshall’s or something and finding things at you like they aren’t necessarily for the walls but will bring some much personality and color and warmth into the home. My first real wall art purchase was actually a giant world map that you stick pins in on places you have been to or places you want to go.
In addition to everything else said, I'm going to add souvenirs. When I travel (even for a day trip), I find local stores and buy art and knickknacks and stuff. You support local businesses while decorating your home. And then you get to remember the place every time you look at the thing.
I recommend finding some tapestries that you like. You can slowly build an aesthetic/theme in your apartment. I got a a few forest ones, a trippy cowboy one, and got a cool bear placard for the wall. These along with a bunch of other little things I’ve added over time makes my apartment feel like a cozy cabin in the woods
Get some wall decals (like wall art or wall decor), and f it get some wall tapestry I love those in my home. Some cute lights it’ll all come together I know the feeling I’ve been in my place for a little over a year now myself!!
I have tons of free posters from events I’ve gone to. Like free listening parties for new records of musicians I like. Frames are always buy one get two free at the Michael’s by my house
I got plants and games and homemade blankets and everytime I craft something i make sure to hang it up or somehow display it ! my home has really become my home
I’m in the same position, this is the first place of my own, congratulations! When I finally get everything settled I’m gonna start painting canvases and find some old picture frames to make a little collage
I went old school a printed out photos of me and friends and family. I learned that the art I bought I didn't have any connection to and it just overall didn't make me feel better it was just more stuff I had to move. Alot of people don't have pictures on their wall like that anymore because everything is digital
Yes, the old white wall paint, so boring. I'm so glad that my last and most recent apartments only had white walls in certain rooms. But definitely hang some things up and get sone plants. A couple mirrors can make a big difference.
you can get renter friendly wallpapers that peel off if its the white walls bothering you.
command strip some wall decorations
plants- real ones make the space feel better but if you cant/ dont want to upkeep it fake ones are just fine
Make your own art and put it in a frame. I did that with my boring white walls starting with four monochromatic oil pastel sketches that are more modern art scribbles than anything else. The style has evolved over the years and now I have a collection of 25 in a gallery layout and it’s stunning on the white.
Buy frames and paint from the dollar store, decorate them, and put in pictures of the things you love. People, animals, places you've been/dream of going, stuff that have good memories like event tickets, etc. Also, command strips are your best friends when renting. I'd also say wander around a thrift store. You'd be amazed at what you can find for a decent price.
A little drawer mounted to the wall at the top of the stairs that I put my keys and wallet in. A spot I put my shoes when I come home and my coffee stirring spoon always in the same spot. These 3 little pieces of consistency give me a sense of safeness, possession and the comfort that this little spot on earth is my home. It’s very VERY enjoyable :)
Get plants, real ones if you can because they make it much homier. That will add a bunch of green. Then get orange colored small lights instead of using a big light. Lots of ambient lighting. Makes the walls different colors without having to paint them. Start with some blankets and pillows on your couch in the colors you want. I would suggest going to tj maxx or home goods if you can, its better to see things in person. Then once you have those pops of color you can start building off of them. Get cool rugs.
Swear the thing that CHANGED my apartment was different lighting. I can’t stand white lights so I tend to like the yellower shades more, I like to put little fairy lights on my shelves for decoration & buy the wax melts with the cool lights. Plants will always be the answer tho lol if you genuinely just buy a few of different varieties & sizes, you’ll already start to feel better.
Lights make such a difference. I've slowly replaced all my lightbulbs with programmable LEDS, and added strips under my cabinets, behind TV etc (Govee brand for anyone curious). Do I want purple lights? Cand-toned RGB vomit? Blue "filtered" light? I'll just open the app and do that. And I seldom think about turning them on/off thanks to the schedules they're on.
Great advice! It’s amazing how these small additions and accents change your environment. The nice part is that you can change the accents as often as you change your mind! 🪴
Quality faux plants have the same effect on our mood/alleviate our stress through the same neural pathways as real plants. It’s all about perception of nature and some green in the peripheral. And you don’t have to stress out about killing them!
True but the joy you get when your plant grows a new leaf 🍃 is unmatched 🥰
This! A new leaf is always a joy to see and sign your plants are happy. My aloe has 3 new babies that came up not too long ago. It definitely is a treat lol.
Get low maintenance plants
Never owned a plant in my life - can you recommend some low maintenance plants?
snake plant
I have pothos, monstera, petra croton, a couple snake plants and a couple dracaena plants. All fairly low maintenance, as I have them on a schedule of watering every 14 days, with reminder to check them in between. Aloe is on an every 21 days water schedule. They all seem happy, and I can go a few extra days between watering. The croton gets a little dramatic, but always perks back up. Lol
Succulents are low maintenance USUALLY! Make sure to do a quick Google search of the species before you buy. If you’re looking for something bigger, small trees are always nice. I have a money tree and an umbrella tree and they’re both pretty tough. I forget to water them for a couple weeks at a time sometimes because I’m like “well it’s still alive” lol
Tapestries tables plants and ik what u mean going thru divorce on top of adjusting to apartment life
Tapestries take up so much space and make everything colorful! It also gives an living space an artsy vibe. I love tapestries!
My shroom one came with 3d glasses plus when i use my projector lights it literally creates a optical illusion of them swirling and stuff as the lights change so do the mushies
Yes nice fabrics
My cat.
Came to say my dog
Garage sales ... just grab a bunch of old framed posters, prints and paintings. Don't judge, just collect. Focus on doing that over the next 30 days. Scatter them around the place. Then chill for about 30 days. Let them and your eyes settle in. Move them room to room. You will then be surprised what starts to feel right in different rooms. Then gently expand with other 2nd hand offerings to mix and match. Furniture, accessories, colours, textures and whatnot. Once you've got stuff on your walls, you'll then turn the rest into a 'treasure hunt' of sorts. It is no longer a panic to fill the white space. It becomes fun. Bring along friends with a flair for decorating. This process could take a year or so depending upon your work-life schedule. This is the fun part. Don't stress. Find your style.
I love this idea. I struggle getting wall art because I don't know if I'm going to like it a month or 6 months from now. I'm going to try this.
Adding to this, I repaint over canvas in colors I love, jsut random stuff ( hold me over until I was able to start puttign stuff on our walls we liked)
heavy on the year part, i struggled all year and finally decided to focus on one room at a time. holidays are especially hard for me because i have a little one and want to have the homey decorated feel of holidays in my home. but after that year mark and just gathering what i felt would be a good fit, it truly started to feel like home. finding little things here and there, then furniture that added to the space making it more “home.” it takes time!
Decorating this way is so much fun! You find unique pieces that no one else has and your home becomes your personality, not a trend.
Plants, rugs, curtains, pictures, wall decoration, plaids, cushions... and if you have any hobbies, have your hobby stuff in your home if possible. If you are overwhelmed just choose one thing at a time to get for your place. E.g. a plant: You get a pot you like in your preferred green or sunset color, you get a plant that fits it. And if you don't have a table or window sill for it you get a little table for your plant. For wall decoration decide for yourself: are there any artworks you like? Or do you like looking at colors, or landscapes, or flowers? Or do you want to add something cosy and warming like a tapestry? I crochet in my free time so I have a basket with my favorite colorful yarn in my living room, I crocheted some stuffed animals and a wall hanging. I find that as you collect stuff over time, it will look more organic :) try to have fun with it, it is okay if you don't have a completely decorated home months after moving
Your apt might allow you(or use task rabbit) to paint. Will have to paint it back when you move out. Other than art, Get colorful furniture. Figured out what is your design style (s). I lean heavily into mid century modem while still incorporating color. My couch is pastel green, pink arm chairs, blue bar stools. Slowly add trinkets to your place, try finding a local home goods store
I bought a stick on wall mural from Amazon. It's supposed to come off easily but I haven't tried yet. I got one to look like a brick wall and I love it
I made one of bamboo using black electrical tape and the picture of one for sale on Amazon as a guide. It did come off easily and cleanly.
I love the fact that you made your wall art and it sounds amazing. Can you post a picture, please? The girls and I love making things for our home.
I can try, it was my old apartment and I don't have a great picture. But it is in the background of this one. If I even know how to attach pictures, I'll try. Lol [bamboo](https://photos.app.goo.gl/ddxLkXQ1PivfNpWU9)
Oh my!! Thank you!! The girls and I can do that and have a great time while at it. Thank you for the idea and the picture. I’m currently babysitting my Grandpuppy that is identical to your black pup on the bed. Her name is Cocoa and the middle of the bed and taking up the most room possible is her favorite place.
Two very simple things you can add are wall decorations and plants. Immediate, cheap boosts available at most stores. Don’t overlook thrift stores for wall art, either! Some of my favorite pieces came from Goodwill.
Find out if there is a local “buy nothing” group on facebook, people are always giving away art and things you can hang on your walls.
It’s my first time being alone as well. It’s taken a few but I’m kinda starting to LOVE it. I have a doggie. But not having a man trying to control me, spy on me, watch me with cameras and make me feel uncomfortable in my own home is really nice. If only he’d cut the shit with logging into my iphone with my Apple ID nd stop changing my passwords that would be super! Do you have any animals or can you get one? Edit: btw congrats!!! You got this. I, we are all proud of you. :)
After being with someone for 5 years and the last 8mo of it him being crazy, stuck in permanent psychosis, convinced he's a TI (targeted individual), starting over and being on my own is so nice.
I’ve done a lot of reading about all of that on quora. If you don’t mind me asking what sort of things were happening to him if anything to make him think like that? I’m glad U2 are separated and that sucks for him. Hopefully, he gets the help he needs and is able to work through it. Tried to do a lot of that to me and his claimed a fame was they’ll never find evidence. They’ll never be proof as I think most of us smart people have come to realize don’t ever say never…
He told me that our life was "so fucking boring now" and that he wanted to "actually have a fun life and not be a loser", so he decided he wanted to do meth. He did it for 4.5 months and it left him with permanent psychosis, delusions and paranoia. He lives in a homeless shelter now and he is *very* convinced it's all real:/
I fled abuse, 32 years of it between two husbands. I know about crazy! My last went off the deep end. I find so much comfort in my little apartment, it's been over 11 years and I still am so grateful for the peace I've built in here. I hope yall do to!
Same here. Back to back. Only my last relationship he was stalking me. Then he’s tried to gaslight me into believing that I’m completely insane. I think I’m actually gonna write about it in this sub.
Is there a way for you to change your Apple ID so he can’t try to control you from the ethers?
Yes of course. But the first few times he blocked me. Plus I contacted the fbi, Apple, TmObile called the police and put a restraining order on him and his response to me was I am sick. I’m insane blah blah blah but if I explained the story from beginning to end, everyone would more easily understand and have a better understanding as to what exactly is going on as a matter fact I’m going to do just that. And all fairness maybe I am crazy. Maybe I am insane, but when the writing is on the wall, it’s hard not to see it.
I am sorry. You are not insane. Repeating that old story will only keep that energy around you. Start telling your story as you want it to be, feel the emotion of your new, improved story, and the energy will improve (Law of Attraction, Abraham-Hicks). Many Blessings 🙏🏻
Haha. I’ve been listening to LOA for almost a decade. And I truly believe falling asleep with meditation playing definitely works on your subconscious and does wonders but thank you for your input and that’s definitely something I need to start doing by the way it’s kind of not old. I’m still going through everything even down to having to go to court this coming Monday. Bright blessings B
Change your apple password
Colored lights on amazon. Also I get a lot of ideas on Pinterest. I type in my own search and don’t click on suggestions to avoid it being all ads.
CAT
Rugs (my apartment has tile floor which felt very unhomey so this helped a lot), artwork, some lamps and plants.
A curation of decor not everything being from Amazon and decor that shows or has quality.
Get stuff off Facebook marketplace.
Plants, rugs, pictures and posters on the walls. Go thrift store shopping and you’ll find tons of awesome vintage pics and old art for cheap.
Rugs, color changing lights ( I use hue), things on walls, curtains, displaying your favorite items, a pet, keeping the place clean, a couch and a recliner.
hit up those thrift stores and find some cool old art and or frames if you want to make your own art. you can even do something as simple as framing a piece of fabric you find that you like. my apartment is almost entirely thrifted and I love it so much
Most apartments actually allow you to paint the walls, as long as you paint them to the orginal color. It may not be in your lease, just reach out to your landlord. No harm in asking :)
magnets for the fridge
That impulse-buy section when you first walk into Target usually has some cute seasonal trinkets. I bought a bunch of little ceramic pumpkins for the fall one year and set them around the apartment, on shelves, the TV stand, etc. I swap them with little snowmen and trees for winter. It freshens the place up when the seasons change and takes minimal effort. Dollar stores and Aldi's "aisle of shame" are great places for seasonal items, too, and not as expensive as Target. Any kind of string lights will make your home feel cozy and add some color. LEDs preferred because they are more energy-efficient and don't get hot (we have scorch marks on the walls from an old set of incandescent Christmas lights my MIL gave us that we'll have to paint over when we move). I use lantern lights most of the year, and I found maple leaf lights on Amazon to put up for the fall and Christmas lights for winter. I also found fairy lights on Amazon you can stick in old wine bottles, and these make cute little lights for the kitchen counter. I don't know the lighting situation in your apartment, but having different lights like these hung up gives you softer lighting at night that's not as bright or harsh as overhead light. Thrift stores and discount stores like Ross are great places to find wall art to break up your white walls. It takes some treasure hunting and might take a couple of tries to find something that you like, but it won't break the bank. Hope this helps!
I’m 56 and can’t style my apartment to save my life, so don’t feel bad 🙃😁
Look for some really good photos from your phone, have it printed to a frame and hang it to your wall.
I’m the exact same, I love sunset & green colors. They make sunset lamps & you can get a ton of plants. Also covering the walls with a ton of personal items like photos, decor, etc makes it feel more like home. This is some pics of my room with some examples of how I styled it. I also can’t stand the white color of the walls so I never rly use my overhead light & instead have 2 lamps that connect to each other that can be any color thru a remote & 1 sunset lamp. You can also opt to just switch your overhead lightbulbs with the color changing ones but I just already had the lamps. https://imgur.com/gallery/yYjZFck
I got a bunch of old family photos that hung in our grandparents house. No one wanted them when the house sold. I made a gallery wall of my whole family, everyone I love
Lamps, candles, rugs. I just got the Govee floor lamp, a usb sun sent lamp from Amazon, and the “Teamson Home Arquer 66.93" Arc Floor Lamp for Living Rooms, Home Offices, Dining Rooms, Bedrooms with Faux Black Marble Base and Black Bell Shade” also from Amazon, with Govee light bulbs. It’s nice because then u don’t have to individually turn every light on manually, just one click on your phone. I was in the same boat and as soon as I got these things it felt instantly homier. I also got this fake olive tree for my kitchen which is kind of trendy but I like it and it adds a pop of green (Realead Faux Olive Tree 7ft - Realistic Tall Silk Olive Trees Artificial Indoor Decor - Large Potted Fake Olive Tree with Branches and Fruits - Artificial Olive Trees for Home Office Decor Indoor). Im hoping to add some real plants but with the stress of moving I figured I’d wait to start on that. For candles, TJ max will be your best friend. I really like DW “lava” for my bathroom (: I forget my living room one but I’ll come back and add it!
Lamps with warm white globes and rugs brings warmth to a room
My wife
Facebook Marketplace!
Throw pillows, rugs and art. Use command strips to hang the art so you don’t get dinged for holes in the wall on your security deposit. If there is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore near you they often have great rugs cheap, along with coffee tables, chairs and couches. Goodwill for the art and HomeGoods for the pillows.
I now live in an old cabin with live edge wood everywhere. In my previous apartment it was white everywhere. I put this huge tapestry up in my living room and it made a huge difference. Now I’ve got pics of my kids and I up as it’s hard to decorate without flat walls.
cats good luck
Peel and stick wallpaper. Comes right off when you move and adds some color to a starkly white room.
if you have those horrible panel type blinds on a sliding glass door you should push them to the side and add real curtains. it makes such a difference
Inspirational ideas can be found on Pinterest too. You could search: apartment living, color ideas w your favorite colors. And you can also go to Home Depot in the Paint Dept they have an interactive screen where you can input your colors & other color suggestions/ideas. Even if you're not going to paint. Wishing you a peaceful life & the feeling of security in your 1st adult home. Everyone deserves to feel happy in their home. It's your place so have fun n it can always be repainted or changed. 🩷
Even though I'm not supposed to, I painted my walls (they were white before). This really helped my apartment feel like home because I chose soothing colours. If I ever move out, I'll have to pay a fee to have the walls re-painted. But I'm okay with that, if it's the price of my mental relaxation.
1. Lighting. That will be a huge fix. Get some lamps, maybe a Peel and stick wall sconce or two. Buy the lightbulbs that feel more like a restaurant and less like a Target. 2. Peel and stick wallpaper--Stick it on the back of shelves if you are nervous about a big change. If you are worried it will mess up paint there are some great hacks for putting it up on TikTok. 3. Got a rug? Rugs make a big difference. Make sure you get the right proportions for the room. 4. Plants, throw blankets, candles, art 5. Make sure your furniture feels intentional. If you have a bunch of random little pieces it will feel off balance even if you don't realize it.
Get some cheap plants at your local plant nursery (or home Depot/ Walmart if that's what you have available) find plants that have zero bugs on them. Look close. Don't be afraid to inspect them. Only get plants if you have some decent sunshine coming in all day. Otherwise stick to fun non living things at your local resale shops. You can get so many fun lil things there that you like. See what tickles your fancy. Look Into wall decor and chimes and beautiful glass art to hang in your windows to catch the light and throw it around on the white walls. Tapestries and fabric wall hanging decorations are really good to muffle sounds but make things look lovely and keep it cozy. Think what space would make you the happiest, then start finding items to add. Don't think about how other people would do it. Just make you happy and make it work well for your daily routines. Do you have a cluttered table? Get yourself a knick knack tray (or a serving tray of your choice) they look nice and you can move a bunch of stuff at once when you need a clear space fast. Clear drawer dividers for drawers filled with a lot of tiny things that get mixed together easily. You can find those at your local resale shops as well for way cheap and they still look nice. Do you like to sit with a pillow in your lap? If so how big? Texture preference? Find the details that you want in your passing moments. A nice cozy throw blanket. A cute desk for whatever work you do at home if any. Or maybe some fun wall sticker mirror panels you can put on your walls in fun designs that are easy to remove at the end of your lease. Find fun rugs and kitchen appliances that you think would be a daily thing for yourself. If you're a fan of photos with friends, get yourself big multi photo wall frames that hold 10 to 15 photos so you can see the fun times you share. Fun lamps and light decorations are super fun and useful. Decorative boxes for car keys and cute lil candy dishes. Cookie jars in fun shapes. I have a lot of beautiful stones and candles. I have skull shaped decor all over. You can use your favorite books to decorate your coffee table or side tables with. Get a book shelf for cheap at your local resale shops. If you don't have much storage, coat racks are fantastic so you have an easy spot to toss your outdoor stuff coming in and out. Also looks fun imo. Get fun towels that suit you. Have different colored hand towels and rags for different things like green for dishes, blue for bathrooms, white for skin, brown for animals if any, etc. mixing those up can cause irritation on your skin if you use the same rags on you as harsh home cleaners. A lot of things you think of you can just look up online to see if they exist in your style and color and see where you can find them for the price you need near you. 🤷🏻♀️ Idk if that was too much in the wrong direction but I kinda understand where you're at. I've been finally getting to truly pick my decor for the first time in my life now that I have a place to call my own and decorate. It's really cool getting to find your own home decor style.
Go to thrift stores.
Tapestries on the walls can liven things up. There are removable wall decals and murals you can get. I’m actually waiting for some to deliver today from Amazon. Bright accessories : throw pillows, throw blanket, If you aren’t allowed to use nails, we use the Velcro command strips to hang pictures and other things on the walls.
I have a tapestry, wall prints, several colored lights - including two corner LED lightbars that flash in rainbow patterns.
If your landlord doesn't allow you to paint, see about getting some damage-free wallpaper. It's basically just giant rolls of contact paper and comes down off your walls easily. Can be pricey though, depending on what you get. As others have suggested you can also get plants, wall tapestries, curtains, pillows for the furniture. The thing that did it for me though was collecting artworks, and putting up family photos. Everything is hung using command strips and so will come off with little to no damage.
Scarves, surprisingly. Big scarves I will never wear but were cheap somewhere and I rotate out on surfaces. Having mini places where certain hobbies belong, even when living in studios. A spot reserved for a hobby somehow feels very homey. When I buy a new bed covering, it is always something both fun and simple. Last time I bought a king sized one for my single bed. It is reversible, but also one half of one side has a red hue and the other has a blue hue. It's almost like 3 in one. Before that it was a reasonable sized but pretty covering. My own coffee pot. Brewing coffee at home and waking early enough to sit in my favorite spot to enjoy and just breathe. Home is in part about feeling safe and relaxed. I find mornings to be the most peaceful and take advantage of that. Sometimes fragrances, whether candle or incense or something sprayed. I allow myself to be fun and whimsical when buying decor because I'm usually just so practical minded that I know I'll default to boring. And having a home where I've got little things that allow for every facet of my personality is nice, even if I don't always have those things out. I'm not talking about going all out, but I am talking about buying the occasional item (once a year? Once every few years?) that a part of you adores but usually you won't allow yourself. Your home should be a place you permit yourself to reflect yourself. And that does help immensely.
Do you have a Hobby Lobby near you? They’re really great for decorations. When I decorated my apartment, I went in and bought the things that made me happy to look at them.
Drapes! I have lovely light taupe drapery in living and bedroom, they reduce noise and light (and keep the heat or a/c in). Makes my little place look so comfy.
>Drapes! I have lovely light taupe drapery in living and bedroom, they reduce noise Do you think they do? Did you get them made up or buy off the shelf?
If you have pets, be cautious with plants. Many are poisonous to animals.
Curtains are my #1. Plants and a large area rug if you have hardwood floors.
Art. Plants (some big if they fit). Shelves. Peloton, computer desk. Furniture
Fairy lights, big square tapestries that you can hang and mimic wallpaper, plants (fake are fine), throw pillows on fun colors and area rugs.
I made some signs and got signs made of my kids’ baby pics and birth stats. I also have sports banners and signs. Some family pictures and other crafty things! In my bedroom/office I have some signs, my degrees and certificates up on the wall. I also have a bulletin board with different odds and ends on it.
I like to have lots of cozy blankets, fuzzy, colorful rugs to break up the awful cream carpet, and led light strips along the walls to add mood lightning. I also put rainbow maker stickers on the windows, since I get a lot of sun and they also help birds see the windows and avoid them.
Set the vibe with the right lighting as a start.
In college I would hang white Christmas lights and then wrap sheer colorful curtains loosely around the strands. Also accent walls of just floor to ceiling posters/paintings/sign. Tapestries and coloring pages and paintings I made.. etc
Wall decals and wall art (tapestry size) stickers could be a way to cover large surfaces without paint. Large bookcases (Wayfair) can break up the space. I also break up the space with picture frame ledges (60”) which let me rearrange picture frames/artwork if I get bored. Craft stores also have sales on artwork - you could do a gallery wall. Mixtiles are cool too if you’ve got your own photos you want to put up.
Plants are something that helped my apartment feel less lonely or sterile. They’re also great because they give off oxygen.
The thrift store is a great place to start! Just find things that feel like home and take them there! 🙂
Curtains, or some kind of window treatment. Lighting.
Plants 🪴
Real plants, bright accents, art on the walls. Pops of color everywhere. Haunt free sites where people are getting rid of stuff. And congratulations on your new home!
I bought pendants for each room and hired an electrician to swap every light fixture out. High quality furniture that’s appropriating scaled for the space. You need to research how to scale correctly, for example: If you have low ceilings, buy low-slung furniture Learn how to scale rugs to your room size Coffee tables should be a certain number of inches lower than and distance from your couch Less is more - don’t crowd with knickknacks. Learn your color wheel and how to layer complimentary colors and patterns Plants Rugs
That's called an Appalachian Glaze by most designers
Curtains
Live plants, curtains, rugs, and artwork.
Plants, pictures or paintings, candles and diffusers, cute blanket for couch, ambient lighting, custom stuff like outside mat and keyholder. Lil decor stuff I have crystals, stones, bouquets of flowers, macrame and Himalayan salt tapestries. My boyfriend has tons of sports memorabilia.
Go to a craft/artisan market or to a thrift store or to even Ross / HomeGoods. I LOVE Etsy for decor but it’s hard to start there. Go in person to somewhere And just buy something decorative for the wall that you like. Don’t get overwhelmed or think you need to build a full gallery wall. You’re just getting started. Go somewhrrr in person and buy something you enjoy looking at. It will build.
I live in a white apartment, but i actually prefer white walls, tou dont have to design around a specific wall color if you want to change things up. I thrift and find things at estate sales. Almost my entire home is second hand stuff, and i get compliments all the time. To ground all that white I would recommend rugs, plants, art (a salon wall approach can help if the white is too much for you). Bring in color with throw pillows. Ikea has started to come back in fashion here, particularly the limited edition lines they are doing with higher end designers. I have found really beautiful original art for a fraction of what its worth, just take your time and resist running out and buying a bunch of stuff from one or two places, otherwise it will feel My point is you can do a lot without spending a lot.
Tapestries, plants, posters, art. Mirrors to open the space up.
Painting for your walls; you can find them at Ross, Walmart, Hobby Lobby and all sorts of places. Online as well. Command strips will be your bestie in an apartment. To add personality, you can also get green throw blankets, and other pillows that speak to you (if you have a sofa). Use your books to decorate and collect plants to bring the space to life 🌱 I am so excited for you! Congratulations on your new home!
I painted....I always paint, and ill just paint before I move out or take the couple hundred dollar hit to feel homey for years. Also, artwork.....lots of it (I thrift mine mostly)
I've always found that adding curtains IMMEDIATELY makes a room feel comfier. Even if you never close them, or you just buy sheer white drapes--it makes the space feel so much cozier in seconds. HIGHLY recommend.
I don’t look at my walls lol. If you plastered my walls with artwork, I wouldn’t even notice
Lighting helps. Find some deals on a fun light. Get bulbs you can change the color and temperature of the light.
You can find cute tapestries for cheap on Amazon as well as some LED or fairy lights to hang! Makes a huge difference!
Homegoods Homesense TJ Maxx Marshall’s Burlington Ollies SHEIN etc. also you can get renter friendly wallpaper contact paper for counters peel & stick removable tiles + texture paper ! 🥰
lots of decor personal to you, things you like to cover up the prison white walls and fill in awkward empty space. the thrift is great for finding cheap knick-knacks that look like they came from grandmas house that feel like home lol
I have found the best way to find art you LOVE for your space? Make it yourself! There’s a ton of super simple ways to make some super colorful and fun pieces that you would find in a store for a ridiculous price. My favorite I found on Pinterest FOREVER ago and I’ve kept the paintings ever since. You just take painters tape, tape up the canvas into sections with some fun triangle shapes, and then paint inside the uncovered spots, making sure not to put two colors that match next to each other. Wait for it to dry, remove the tape, and viola a wonderful abstract piece that can go in any room! (Depending on the colors used)
I went to goodwill and the like, (Temu now, too, I guess) I bought some damaged art, then, some acrylics,(walmart sells folk art acrylics for like a dollar or two) and I cleaned them up, covered the damage, used complimenting colors so all the art went together. Got some throw pillows, a throw blanket, lamps, and a clock. (All featuring similar colors to those I added to the art) (*I did wait on a rug as those were expensive and not great secondhand, but, that was a huge change, it felt so much cozier and warmer with one.) While nothing stood out to me, I knew it feeling cohesive would help. (It did!) I told myself it wasn't permanent, I'd change things when I could. Just pulling the space together, having it feel cohesive, less empty, it really helped. (I did the living room first, as I cuddle up in there at the end of the day, and it's where I read. Whatever space you use to relax (bathroom, bedroom, entry, whatever) just a few small things can make a huge difference.
Collect what you can whenever you can! You'd be surprised at how many opportunities present themselves that you never even noticed before. I got myself into the routine of checking out the decor section of every store I went to for a while, and now sometimes I'll just go out to stores to browse decor sections for fun in my free time. Stopping to observe street artists and check their stuff out is almost always a good idea. I've also taken "hand-me-down" furniture and decor from friends, family, friends of family, and even coworkers, just because it was free. I got a huge sturdy wooden bookcase from one of my jobs just because they were getting rid of it in an office remodel and I asked if I could take it. Got a set list from a little band I liked just by asking for it after a show. Just take advantage of as many opportunities that comes across your path as you can. I also recommend finding art styles that you like and looking for those specifically, whether online or at events/stores in person. Twitter used to have great small artist presence but it's dropped a lot since Elon took over. A great start would be looking up local market event/festival listings and taking a few hours every now and then to go check one out - there's probably artists in your area making things you'll fall in love with, and it feels so much better to directly support a creator instead of a corporation. You might have to be willing to drive a little ways to get to the event(s), depending on where you live, but make it into a fun little trip and know it's worth it to see local art, especially if you come away with something!
Also check for estate sales. Do a Google search for estate sales near you and you can get on their email lists. A friend got a $600 pottery barn rug at an estate sale for $20.
Thrift stores are great for inspiring and unusual finds, especially if you like a more eclectic vibe
I got tall fake plants that are similar to the native plants where I’m at. Nice lamps also make a difference
Plants, prints & pillows.
Art on the walls! Pictures make all the difference . It totally changes it
Blankets have honestly been a big part of my decor. Having super big, fluffy blankets in bright colors have made my grey apartment feel warm. Pets also help, but I know that's not something everyone can do
Thrift a bunch of picture frames big and small. Spray paint your fav colors and create a gallery wall with the empty frames.
We got pictures and I feel like that made it a more homey feel. Also in my kids rooms I hung led lights and decorations and nice throw rugs... I feel like things like that make it a more homey feel!
Look into Displate.com!
Hit up thrift stores and garage sales. There is renter friendly removable wallpaper. Colorful throw rugs. I have a group on FB called Broke Boho for people who like colorful decorating on the cheap, if you want to take a look.
Big tapestries they are pretty affordable, and some are big enough to nearly cover whole walls, they are colorful and fun but can be taken down when moving!
Tapestries or posters if you are on a budget. Put up some pictures get some plants etc
Idk if anyone does this anymore but print out pictures of friends and families and frame them up. Put out souvenirs that you bought from trips. Use books as decorations. I personally love legos so there’s a wall shelf of legos. I think a home should be what makes you you; don’t buy too many things from Amazon or Target just to copy others home style.
You can paint!! Just paint it back when you move out :)
Plants, textiles with patterns, photos of friends and family
In my daughter’s room there used to be a window seat. We strung LED fairy lights across her entire ceiling, hung a small curtain rod inside the window seat to put up short room darkening curtains, hung a couple Harry Potter art pieces on the walls just inside the window seat, and added a bench cushion and throw pillows. Now she has soft lighting in her room and a reading spot. The living room I have sheer curtains doubled with a blue over white. My complex requires white curtains if you have blinds open, so they have white visible from outside and the blue I wanted inside. The walls are grey with white trim and the furniture is white with natural wood tops, the sofa is blue, the recliner is grey. The only furniture that doesn’t conform to that is the stuff in the one end of the living room I have set up as a home office And the 2 antique cabinets I have for collectibles. We’re getting art for the living room, and I have portraits of my daughters on the wall going up the stairs. They tease me that it’s “the white woman wall”. With a few throws and pillows it’s getting pretty cozy.
Thrift stores and FB marketplace. Don’t be in a rush to make it feel like home, get what you need and then slowly accumulate stuff you love. Resist the urge to go the generic “finished and put together route”. It takes some time, but it’s so worth it when your home is filled with cool unique stuff that speaks to you! That’s what makes it feel like hime. I put 25 in a savings account from every pay cheque so that when I find something I love I have a little money available to splurge!
Wall decor to get rid of the lonely echo. I have a couple of tapestry blankets on my walls for this reason. They take up a bunch of space, take away the echo easily, and they come in so many different styles. They're also decently priced ($20-$50), which is cheap compared to a painting from Walmart or something that would take up the same amount of space. You could also just use regular blankets with funky patterns, getting a color that matches your furniture helps too.
Wall decor and pillows
i have shit ALL OVER every wall in my apartment! i’m a maximalist at heart so if that isn’t your thing, just add a few posters of your fave artist, some artworks, etc
Plants and pop art prints/canvas
I'm not allowed to paint. I've hung up my degrees, pictures of vacations and placed plants in every room.
Tapestries are cheap and add so much to a room.
Plants
Start buying artwork to hang on your walls. Go to thrift shops, yard sales, Home Goods. Hang some mirrors, as well. The mirrors will reflect the artwork if placed correctly. Try to add a piece or two per month if you can afford it. Also, I’d look for a colorful rug. Look on Amazon for indoor/outdoor rugs. They have very affordable ones, eg, under $100.
It’s said that a decent rug has the potential to really tie the room together. Also 70s posters of Farah Fawcett and Cheryl Tiegs
Warm white light bulbs make the white feel less sterile. Putting up large framed pictures (i get my 16x20 from walmart and prints off etsy) to take up space on the wall. Lots of trees. Colorful curtains and plants
Hue lights can make any white apartment much more comfortable.. it splashes so much color/many colors on the wall.. In so many different ways..
Room by room! You can pick a theme each room too. I had a disco bathroom and it was fun to decorate and have a non grown up space in my grown up place :)
I moved in January and have been so stubborn to put up paintings and art because I’m so bad at it and they are never level. I finally did it. And it finally feels like someone lives there, specifically it finally feels like I live there.
Plushies, posters, and those little plugins with usually a gourmand or clean scent cartridge in it.
I got a couple cheap tapestries and a couple poster and a flag, lol pretty minimal but works for my spot and kinda liven it up
We made use of a wall by using a projector. So tv in one room and a projector in the other
step 1 go to prison step 2 come home step 3 enjoy life
go to your local print shop and have some vinyl prints made with pictures you like, sticks to the wall and comes off when u leave.
You’ve got some great ideas. If it hasn’t already been mentioned try printing photos that you like. Places you’ve been or hope to go. People who matter. Textures that intrigue you. Printing at a drugstore isn’t that expensive and you won’t feel guilty when you need a change and want to take them down. There are items on Amazon where you can string 4x6 photos together along a wall.
We use Christmas lights in different rooms. Our bathroom is purple with disco ball lights, living room has hot pink wrapped LED strip around the tv, bedroom has blue and orange LED strips under the bed, even the cats litter box is lined with blue because we read they really only see blues anyways. It’s like a hideaway cabinet lined with lights. And then artwork galore, a record player for the vintage vibe, all furniture is vintage looking, also our carpet came from Etsy so it’s not that traditional like old people looking rug but more like a color block weird pattern. Fuck plants, ours had dead bugs falling from them so we replaced them with fakes. Just as refreshing. Some nice curtains but the black out WITH sheer on the outside so when you want the windows open but curtains shut, you can use the sheer to let light in/change the room color. Or sheer ones are burnt orange. We also chose to do 60/70s vibe beforehand so anything we see that matches is a yes and we don’t need to ask before buying. Oh and bookshelf with fake plants/books/ 90s toys. Quick edit, we also are planning to buy fake brick wallpaper
Honestly, just my 2 cats
We were told we CAN paint our walls different colors, BUT when we leave, we have to paint them back to their original color. Not sure what you are permitted to do. For me, simply hanging my artwork, family photos and even decorative plates on the walls has helped make my walls more homelike. But I also have a lot of plants. And a aquarium. I have newer furniture but also some vintage pieces I love. All of these puts my stamp on my apartment.
Lots and lots of pictures. Shelves with knick knacks. My husband and I collect records and I put them up on the wall with a kaleidoscope light lamp underneath and it’s super cool looking. All of my shelves are painted different colors. I’ve saved the flowers he’s bought me over the years and dried them, I put them in vases above my kitchen cabinets with different color glass bottles and it looks so nice (imo).
Omg a new shower head. Also check out online auctions for estate sales!!!
I'd recommend peel and stick wallpaper that can be easily removed maybe for maybe like have a focal wall. I put up some gift wrap paper as faux wallpaper in it gave my living room wall a pop of color. I also did something similar in my kitchen where I use the gift wrap paper with a pattern on it and some double-sided tape and made a fake black backsplash. I'd recommend colorful works of art, photos, you can even play with different colored frames to give your photos a pop of color. For example you could have black and white photos in different colored frames and that could make them pop as well. Hanging planters with fake plants might work or string lights if you're into that. Framed movie posters or framed posters in general of anything you enjoy might be a way to go to.
Something small that makes a surprising amount of difference is outlet and light switch plates. Home improvement stores have tons of different colors, you can find different shapes and designs online including custom ones, and you could even paint them yourself. A subtle but effective way to break up monotony Just be sure to turn off the power to the room while you're changing them out
post a photo on r/interiordecorating and let reddit work it's magic! 😍
I highly recommend going into high end decorator shops and seeing what they have that you like and then try to replicate it on your budget. Then his thrift stores and estate sales and fill you space with what makes you happy. Plants also make a room feel homey.
Find some wall art you like on Etsy - I like to add a bunch of things to the cart so I can quickly scroll through and imagine how they would look together. Dont stress too much about a theme or anything, just get things you like and maybe try to stick to a color scheme. Get some cheap frames from Amazon. Goodwill also usually has lots of framed art for cheap but you might have to look around at more than one to find something you like. Green pothos plants are invincible even if you don’t have a green thumb. Just root them in a vase of water or a small pot and they will live forever, they really don’t even need much light. There are plenty of other easy plants to pick but pothos are just the easiest and cheapest.
Go find a good thrift store and go wild.
When I rented an apartment, I had the same problem. White walls, bland flooring, and no personality. It's just a matter of getting creative. I used shelf paper to liven up the kitchen cabinet doors and the bathroom floor, used removable hooks to hang a lot of small, cheap pieces of art in clusters on the walls, and made use of area rugs. You might even try jazzing up the doors with some molding attached with removable double sided tape.
Get some live plants and hang them around using those crocheted hangers, or put them in cute little pots on ledges and nooks that get light, use them as centerpieces in side-tables, use them to fill the empty space on top of furniture like bookcases or wardrobes. Rotate vases with cut flowers- you can get really affordable flowers at Trader Joe’s. They have pre-made bouquets, and single-type bunches that you can combine to make your own bouquets. They’ll last a week or more easily. Hang paintings, photos, shadowboxes, sconces, curios, etc. Find knickknacks and curios that bring you joy, that tie in to your interests and put them on display. Get nice statement furniture- large pieces like book cases, or a large ornate entertainment center. I’ve converted some nice antique china hutches that I got for free from elderly folks into bookcases- the built in lighting and the wood/glass “it almost belongs in a cathedral” aesthetic just feels very homey for me in a cottage core way I can’t quite explain. Try and coordinate a color scheme you like throughout the house. For me, I love my home to be full of fall colors- oranges, reds, browns, just a touch of gold, with dark stainless appliances. Coordinate with rugs, curtains, curtain ties, blankets and pillows, couches and chairs, furniture finishes, etc. Don’t be afraid to play with textures, too. With the flowers I mentioned earlier, you can further coordinate colors and textures that accent the scheme you go with. Finally, lighting. You want “warm” lighting in the home and you want to avoid anywhere being too dark and cavernous, while also not over-illuminating which can be distracting. More small accent lighting is good because it can be dynamic- you can create different feelings by having different combinations of lights on or off together. For example, my den is L shaped, with the small outcropping of the L being a reading nook with his-and-hers corners to curl up in. Normally, it’s just lit by a lamp on a side table. It makes it dimly illuminated enough to see what we’ve done with the space, but not distract from the rest of the entertaining space of the den. When we want to use the reading nook, we change the lighting and its dimmer in the entertainment space, with the reading nook being light up by smaller twinkling fairy lights we’ve hung discreetly around the room to create a sort of mystical candlelight feeling to read by. The lighting changes the focus and ambiance of the space completely.
Buy a photo you like and get a frame for it and hang that sucker up! I have so many autograph pictures on my wall they make me happy!
Buy a photo you like and get a frame for it and hang that sucker up! I have so many autograph pictures on my wall they make me happy!
A chiming clock:)
Look on Pinterest
My fiance's family gifted us a Kit-Kat clock as a move-in gift and it really adds some charm. I should get some plants too.
Plants and postcards & small prints. Plants gives the feel of life. Pick a small wall and tape up dozens of postcards and prints with an overhead light. You can switch them up depending on season or mood. Bulk postcards can be bought online cheaply. Edit: I forgot, chalk or drawable removable wallpaper. I’ve used it for years to draw and leave messages.
my bf and i bought a green couch on amazon, bought a rustic brown coffee table, shelves to put on the walls and added crystals and stuff, also just random paintings we liked at home goods (: we hated our apt at first but now it def feels more homie
Tapestries, PLANTS, cool lighting! Whatever your vibe is. I like stained glass lamps, salt rock lamps, and those color customizable ones. Soft, warm lighting makes a world of difference. Also, scents! Candles, oil diffusers, incense. After a while the smells kinda stick to things and your apartment will smell subtly sweet all the time. Soft things! Blankets and throw pillows, maybe a recliner or something. I guess what I'm getting at are to utilize things that appeal to the senses. People love that cozy, homey feel
The ability to watch porn on most electronic devices in the place
I got a bunch of lights from Govee. I live in the PNW and my boyfriend gets pretty bad seasonal depression during the gloomier months. I’ve got a couple curtain lights, some bulbs, and a tv backlight from their site and I leave them on pretty much 24/7 and it’s just made the space really cozy and it really helps his mood. The backlight came with a camera that scans the colors onscreen and translates them into the backlight and other lights in the room so sometimes I just turn on nature docs. Makes for really nice ambience.
A wife and child
Tapestry and plants.
Having a big, blank wall is a perfect excuse for a projector. that’s what we do! It’s like being at the movies every time we turn it on.
OMG CONGRATS!!!! I’m living on my own for the first time too! And I’ve never had the chance to decorate my own space eitherEven when I was growing up! I have so many plans for my space including making a vision board for one of my living room walls. I also have ideas for making a backsplash over my kitchen counters with like contact paper(or. whatever it’s called) that’s easy to peel off in the event that I move out. I’ve only been in here a month and I really like this place. So I don’t plan on moving anytime soon. I’ve been homeless most of my adult life and I’m just SO tired of moving around! I’m looking forward to seeing posts of what you come up with!! 🤗
If you are willing to pay at least $52, I would recommend hiring an interior designer. I stumbled upon @obtainedvisions on TikTok and love her work. She makes it very affordable to hire an interior designer. She has a couple of options in terms of options for what you need so check her out! I’m waiting to move to my next place so I can hire her to help me out with my living room and bedroom
I second what some of the others are saying. Live real plants 🌱is such a game changer. I joined this website hey horti which mails me a differnt one every three months. So is focusing on bring in color in other ways besides wall art. At my first place I got a red toaster and a red coffee machine for my kitchen. Sunny yellow bedding for my bedroom. I took my own photos of the city and the beaches and printed them at cvs and put those in frames that hung in the walls. Same with photos of my friends were all on my fridge. Figuring out actual art or posters or paintings for my walls I did last and over time because same as you - everything felt blahhh that I was seeing. Focus on walking around tj max or Marshall’s or something and finding things at you like they aren’t necessarily for the walls but will bring some much personality and color and warmth into the home. My first real wall art purchase was actually a giant world map that you stick pins in on places you have been to or places you want to go.
In addition to everything else said, I'm going to add souvenirs. When I travel (even for a day trip), I find local stores and buy art and knickknacks and stuff. You support local businesses while decorating your home. And then you get to remember the place every time you look at the thing.
I recommend finding some tapestries that you like. You can slowly build an aesthetic/theme in your apartment. I got a a few forest ones, a trippy cowboy one, and got a cool bear placard for the wall. These along with a bunch of other little things I’ve added over time makes my apartment feel like a cozy cabin in the woods
Plants! Lots and lots of plants. Currently I have about 150 in a one bedroom. 🤦🏻♀️
Get some wall decals (like wall art or wall decor), and f it get some wall tapestry I love those in my home. Some cute lights it’ll all come together I know the feeling I’ve been in my place for a little over a year now myself!!
nothing
Ross and Marshall’s have nice home decorations and they are very affordable
All my indoor plants and my 15 year old dog. No matter where I live as long as I have my pup to come home to is all that matters
I have tons of free posters from events I’ve gone to. Like free listening parties for new records of musicians I like. Frames are always buy one get two free at the Michael’s by my house
C.R.A.P. - color, rugs, art, plants
I got plants and games and homemade blankets and everytime I craft something i make sure to hang it up or somehow display it ! my home has really become my home
I’m in the same position, this is the first place of my own, congratulations! When I finally get everything settled I’m gonna start painting canvases and find some old picture frames to make a little collage
I went old school a printed out photos of me and friends and family. I learned that the art I bought I didn't have any connection to and it just overall didn't make me feel better it was just more stuff I had to move. Alot of people don't have pictures on their wall like that anymore because everything is digital
Curtains!
Yes, the old white wall paint, so boring. I'm so glad that my last and most recent apartments only had white walls in certain rooms. But definitely hang some things up and get sone plants. A couple mirrors can make a big difference.
you can get renter friendly wallpapers that peel off if its the white walls bothering you. command strip some wall decorations plants- real ones make the space feel better but if you cant/ dont want to upkeep it fake ones are just fine
Make your own art and put it in a frame. I did that with my boring white walls starting with four monochromatic oil pastel sketches that are more modern art scribbles than anything else. The style has evolved over the years and now I have a collection of 25 in a gallery layout and it’s stunning on the white.
Live plants and a 5-10 gallon fish tank. Taking care of things is good for the soul and makes the home feel homey.
Buy frames and paint from the dollar store, decorate them, and put in pictures of the things you love. People, animals, places you've been/dream of going, stuff that have good memories like event tickets, etc. Also, command strips are your best friends when renting. I'd also say wander around a thrift store. You'd be amazed at what you can find for a decent price.
A little drawer mounted to the wall at the top of the stairs that I put my keys and wallet in. A spot I put my shoes when I come home and my coffee stirring spoon always in the same spot. These 3 little pieces of consistency give me a sense of safeness, possession and the comfort that this little spot on earth is my home. It’s very VERY enjoyable :)