Have scents appeal. Smells have the amazing power to dictate a mood. Put some lemon, lime, and orange slices (with peel) in a cut bowl for an upbeat, citrusy fragrance. A fistful of fresh herbs like basil or rosemary in a small vase or jar will give off a sensual, exotic perfume.
Add some playful apartment decoration.
Ambiance doesn’t have to be about getting intense. A string of lights will keep the tone in your place breezy and fun. Wrap it around a large picture frame, a plain lamp, or your mantle.
Give life to a ho-hum sofa by adding this to a mix of pillows. Vary pillow sizes and patterns, but unify them with color.
Hang a happy poster to infuse joy into a blah room.
Go big with candles. Here’s a chance to add some drama to your apartment decoration.
If you want to stick with votives, put them in surprising vessels, like electric teacups or clay gardening pots.
Bring nature inside. Seashells or other natural elements like stones or pebbles are unexpected and give a casual feel to apartment decoration. Fill a rough-hewn bowl with a bunch you collected on vacation, or pick up a bag at a craft store. You can also put a bunch of flowers in a nice vase as a centerpiece for a classic look.
Sound it out.
Make playlists for individual occasions, like dinner with your guy or having the girls visit. If you’re having a party, start with light tunes that you can talk over. Then segue into more upbeat dance songs as the night goes on.
Encourage Browsing.
A large stack of books on an end table invites guests to kick back and flip through them. Throw an old photo album or cool picture book into the mix for variety.
Can’t afford a painting to liven up a bare wall? An ultra-cheap alternative is within reach! All you need are toilet paper rolls, scissors, glue, and laundry pins. Just flatten the toilet paper rolls, cut each into five segments, arrange into your desired pattern, and glue together. Spray paint in gold.
Complementary apartment decoration cubbies. Here’s the scenario: You managed to wrangle together several pieces of furniture to decorate your home, but everything’s obviously mismatched. The solution? Paint one of the pieces to complement the other. Stagger the colored areas and leave some untouched to lend a more modern feel to the piece.
Fabric magic apartment decoration.
When adding pillows to your bench or sofa, don’t be afraid to go for assorted sizes and shapes. Even the pillow covers don’t have to match! Instead, pick out fabrics in coordinating colors and themes, so you won’t be anxious to throw on dots with stripes and florals.
What a frill. Easily embellish a plain shower curtain with a few layers of ruffled trim (find it at a fabric store). To do: Cut each length of trim about an inch longer than your curtain is wide. Using chalk and a ruler, draw a line parallel to – and two feet above – the bottom seam. Repeat twice more, moving each line up so the ruffles will layer nicely. Pin trim along these lines, tuck in ends, and machine-sew it on.
Hang up. Doorknob organizers help with the daily grind, so you don’t forget the essentials before stepping out the door. But they can look a little utilitarian, especially for the younger family members. If your daughter has an old dress she’s outgrown, you can create a hanging organizer for her by sewing the bottom hem shut, and then adding a pocket in a coordinating fabric. Hang by her bedroom door using a wooden hanger so all her stuff will be within reach.
Branch out apartment decoration.
Say “curtains” to your regular rod and go with something organic: A tree branch is the perfect perch for grommet-top or ring-clip panel drapes. Snag a sturdy yet slim branch from outdoors or a local florist or gardening supply store; saw it to fit the window’s width, allowing a few inches of overhang on either side. Mount with U-shaped drapery brackets to cradle the branch from below; slide panels on.
