Easy Changes To Freshen Up Your Decor

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No matter how much care you took in designing the way that your apartment looks there comes a time when cushions on the couch begin to look a little stale. If you’re beginning to tire of your plain white dishes, there are simple solutions that you can take to avoid starting over and redesigning your whole apartment from scratch. Sprinkle a few visually appealing, eclectic elements throughout your apartment to add a little visual interest.

The changes that you make to your interior design don’t have to be drastic to achieve the desired effect. This article from renters.apartments.com is full of great ideas to add a little exotic spice to your interior decorating. Keep reading to learn more!

Color palette
The heart of an exotic design in décor is mostly achieved through the creation of a vivid backdrop. Indian décor may use saffron or mango colors and textiles in colors such as turquoise, jade, amethyst, orange and fuchsia. A typical Moroccan look can be achieved through turquoise and white tiles and dark wood. African décor, for example, features more earth tones and animal prints. Asian styles focus on faded browns, shiny black, red and white as well as green. Tropical hues include green, bright orange, sky blue, red and lovely bright yellow. Or, you can always go for some mottled green or blue in a traditional French style.

Flowing fabric decorations

Fabrics in lovely tones, loosely draped over the walls can truly transform a given room, giving it a completely new look. Adding a lantern or something similar will allow the lighting to give soft shadows and a different sense of space. This could help make your apartment feel like a Moroccan home – and you easily can find lanterns, sconces and more lighting fixtures at most home good stores.

Its all about the details

Regardless of whether its tiles or something else, the design is mostly felt in the small touches that add character. You can go one step beyond the usual decorations by adding Moorish symbols, changing your interior so it can closely resemble the traditional styles seen in the East and more.

Mosaic tiles

Complex tile work is something of a driving feature in Moroccan design as you can find it pretty much everywhere from floors to tabletops and walls. You can install mosaic tiles that look as close to zillij as possible, so you can achieve the same sense of aesthetic typically seen there. Many stores offer plenty of different opportunities to buy interesting designs when it comes to mosaic tiles.

The use of stencils

Stencils can be used more like an alternate solution you can do yourself so you can create the feel of a zillij tile. Just using a stencil pattern in the according colors can truly transform an entire room for a boring uniform color to something teeming with life and character. If you look up photos of Marrakesh you will see these patterns present in their more traditional interiors.

What Makes Living In An Apartment Community Great?

It’s a great feeling to walk down the hallway and know every face that you pass. Being friendly with your neighbors, along with the comfort and style of your surroundings, can make living in an apartment community one of the best experiences around

This Thanksgiving, let’s take a second to appreciate all the great aspects of living in our apartment complex. This article from apartmentguide.com lists some of the reasons that we all love to live in our close-knit apartment community.

Comfortable places

Comfort and community starts on the inside, which means creating an apartment home where you feel safe and comfortable. As soon as you move in, make an effort to personalize your space and make it your own. Hang your favorite artwork, add fresh flowers or cheery houseplants, and decorate your front door or outdoor space. The faster you feel at home in your apartment, the more you’ll want to explore your apartment community and get involved.

Friendly faces

You can personally have a huge impact on the sense of community between your neighbors. All it takes is a smiling face and a simple hello to create bonds that will lead to a rich community sense for everyone.

Don’t wait for neighbors to speak to you first. Become the MVR (Most Valuable Resident) by practicing consistent, friendly behavior. Wave to fellow residents as you drive through the parking lot, say hello to neighbors you pass in the hallway, stop and pet a dog or two and take a moment to play with the kids.

This kind of generosity and kindness is contagious. By making the first move, you’ll naturally build an apartment life that feels close-knit. Try being extra-friendly for a full week and notice the effect it has on you and your neighbors.

Shared spaces

Don’t be afraid to settle in, both inside your own apartment and in common areas. Shared spaces are a hot spot for community living. Make the most of areas like the pool, fitness room, clubhouse and dog park. The more you hang out in these spots, the easier it will be to make friends and feel like you belong in your community. Even if you don’t have a dog yourself, you might take a quick walk by the pet area and say hello to the folks walking their dogs, for instance.

Also, get involved in any community-sponsored activities and organizations that bring members together. Your community may sponsor social events that are great for mingling and meeting new faces. The support of neighbors is always needed to make events like these successful. When many participate, the energy can really make a difference to the experience of sharing life together in a community.

If you want to take your apartment’s community feel to the next level, host a party of your own. Plan a simple potluck dessert party in a common space and invite everyone to join in. If you live in a building that doesn’t have much shared space, organize a meet-up event for your neighbors at a local coffee shop. If you have a good turnout, make it a monthly gathering or expand it into a book club or wine tasting group.

When you’ve created a cozy living space in your apartment, enjoyed using community spaces and shared a friendly face with your fellow apartment dwellers, the time will come to relax and enjoy being an important part of the wonderful community you helped create!

Creating The Perfect Table

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It’s safe to say that we all have a vision in mind for a room when we decide to start decorating (or redecorating). Regardless of whether or not we've seen the items that we’re looking for, we have a distinct idea of colors and shapes of the furniture and accouterments that we want for our rooms. But what happens if we can’t find that perfect sofa, or perfect kitchen table? One option for the crafty Do-It-Yourselfer would be to update your own personal piece of furniture.

Creating your own table would be a great way to inject your personality into your decorating. Though it can turn into a lengthy project, the look of your room is worth it. This article from renters.apartments.com is full of great ideas to get you started toward the table that’s right for your kitchen. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Reclaimed wood

Furniture made from reclaimed wood is one of the hottest trends right now. Reclaimed wood simply means that the wood is salvaged and repurposed into a piece of furniture. Reclaimed wood dining room tables come in all shapes and sizes. Many have a cool vintage look, but they can also be finished to look like new as well. Rustic dining room tables add a homey touch to your apartment; modern dining room tables add polish. No matter which aesthetic you prefer, there is a reclaimed wood dining room table that will fit the bill. Better yet, build your own.

2. Doors

Making your own dining room table out of a unique-looking door can be a fun DIY project. You will be rewarded with a one-of-a-kind piece that will instantly become the focal point of your room. Doors can be found anywhere from salvage yards to flea markets and can usually be purchased for a pittance. Usually the door will be covered in glass on top so that you have a smooth eating surface that is easy to clean. Check out these easy-to-follow instructions on how to construct your own.

3. Hand-painting

If you are an artist, or have a friend who is an artist, hand-painting your dining room table is another great DIY project. A hand-painted dining room table is like having a mural in your dining room. This can be a great alternative for renters who want to add color to their apartment, but are not allowed to paint their walls. A good lacquer will preserve your work for years to come.

4. Gaming table

Gaming tables are a great way to go retro. If you live with a card player, a poker table can add vintage flair to your dining area; it also comes in handy when you are entertaining. Many vintage and newer card tables were designed to double as dining room tables. Therefore, look for a model that is convertible or has a cover.

If you’re a child of the ‘70s or ‘80s you’ll remember the days when video games doubled as furniture. A two-player, console video game table is a fun way to relive your childhood. You can find originals online, and again, you never know what you’ll come across at your local flea market.

Do you have a great idea for an alternative dining room table? Share it with us!

How To Use Bright Colors In Your Decorating

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Using vibrant tones in your decorating can really add personality to a room. But, how much color is too much color. Though incorporating different color palettes into your rooms can be exciting, it’s easy to go slightly overboard and throw off the look of the room.

In order to give your room a pop of color without going too far, it’s important to keep balance in mind. This article from renters.apartments.com has some great ideas that you can use in your own apartment for fun places to surprise guests with color while not getting carried away. Keep reading to learn how you can use color to make a bold statement!

1. Dynamic Dinner Decor

Who said your plates and napkins should always match perfectly? You can mix and match a palette of complementary colors to make your dinner decor stand out in an interesting new way. Martha Stewart suggests you choose three solid, complementary color shades like navy, turquoise, and lime. Buy a fabric sheet of each and use it to staple alternating colors of seat covers on your dining room chairs. Use the remaining fabric for to make stylish napkins and purchase similarly colored plates and cups. Stick with a basic white tablecloth to offset the design.

2. Contrasting Pillows

A simple, modern art way to incorporate color blocking into your home is to accent couches, chairs and beds with contrasting solid colors. For example, if your living area has plain black couches, you can dress them up with a few bright red square pillows for an edgy new look. Or, you can spice up a mustard yellow bedspread with different-sized turquoise pillows.

3. Minimalist Wall Art

Colorblocking was likely inspired by minimalist art because both ideas are virtually one in the same. It can be something as simple as a red circle on a white canvas, or as complicated as a rainbow-striped canvas. Keep it simple and chic, and make sure to coordinate with other home decor accessories in the room. If you want to get creative and save a little money, you can easily paint your own minimalist wall art piece as well.

4. Statement Pieces

You’d be surprised how a statement piece can transform the entire look of a room. For example, you can dress up your living room with some teal curtains and a mint rug. Add some coordinating accessories like a lamp, foot stool, and pillows to bring the whole room together. Even something like a bright yellow chair can quickly add a splash of color to a dull setting.

The hardest part about colorblocking your home is just choosing a palette to start with. Once you’ve got a basic color scheme in mind, you can find simple, solid pieces basically everywhere you go. However, since colorblocking is such a popular trend, you can also find decorative pieces that will do a lot of the work for you. For example, colorblocked curtains can quickly make your living space a modern masterpiece, and the same decorating convenience comes with a colorblocked rug.

Stash Your Clutter

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Regardless of how often your purge your apartment of unwanted items, we all have those few belongings that we just can’t seem to shake. Though these items may not fit our decor, or just aren’t fit to be sitting in full view, we can’t seem to get rid of them.

Just because you’re having trouble parting with a few items, doesn’t mean that they need to be in plain sight all the time. Your apartment can afford you ample opportunities to stash these items. This article from renters.apartments.com offers a room-by-room guide for hiding the essentials you may not want your guests to see. Keep reading to learn more.

Kitchen: When all the cupboards are full but you still have a box full of pots, pans and kitchen gadgets to unpack, look up! The spaces above the cabinets and on top of the fridge are ideal for storing things that don’t get used every day, like waffle irons, blenders and serving trays. They will be out of sight for you and for visitors, but if it bothers you to leave them out in the open, get a couple wicker or canvas bins in colors that match your decor and disguise them in style.

Living Room: As the area where your house guests will hang out most, the living room definitely needs to be free of clutter. One easy option is an ottoman or bench that has a lid and storage space inside, perfect for video games and controllers, blankets and those VHS tapes that you just can’t part with, even though you don’t own a VCR anymore. Another place to look is under your end tables: Buy – or make your own – table skirt and hide whatever you want under there, like workout equipment, crafting supplies or your clarinet from middle school.

Bathroom: If you have a pedestal sink, a fabric skirt is also a great way to hide unsightly necessities like the plunger, extra soap and toilet brush; check out this HGTV tutorial if you want to make your own. Other clutter savers can be purchased at any home goods store, including cabinets that fit over the toilet, over-the-showerhead shelves and baskets or bins for towels and washcloths.

Bedroom: Once the closet and dresser are filled to the max, the best spot to hide clutter in this room is underneath the bed. Buy short and wide bins that are specifically designed for this space to store sheets, blankets and out-of-season clothes. If you need more space, prop your bed up on specially made risers. Other solutions include hollow benches and bins and freestanding armoires.

Home Office: Few things look messier than piles of printer paper, bills and jumbles of paperclips and pens. Tidy up this space in a snap with a filing cabinet or two, and set aside an afternoon to organize important papers into files – think insurance of every kind, lease/mortgage info, bank statements and past tax returns. For smaller items, get a drawer organizer at an office supply store, as well as a multipurpose desk organizer for things like Post-Its, pens and extra staples.