Transform an Apartment From Drab to Fab

By LAURA SIBIGTROTH

Updated 9:03 AM EST, Mon, Jan 5, 2009

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Is your apartment in desperate need of a facelift? Well, the good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to take an apartment from “what the…?” to “oh my!” All it takes is a little knowledge and a lot of creativity.

Decorating should reflect an aspect of your personality or interests. It’s important to keep that in mind, so don’t be afraid to take risks and break rules. After all, you’re the one who has to live with it!

The great thing about updating an apartment is that it’s not necessary to go out and buy all new expensive furniture items such as couches and chairs. The best way to update an old sofa is to buy a slipcover. Back in the day, slipcovers used to look old-lady- like, but they have come a long way. Slipcovers are available for chairs as well. This is an inexpensive way to completely change the look of a room. Neutral colors usually work best on couches because they’re versatile. This way, you can spend far less buying small accessories, such as throw pillows, to add a new pop of color or texture. Vases, throw pillows, candles and fresh or fake flowers and plants are other inexpensive ways to add color to an apartment.

It’s important to remember that less is more when it comes to decorating. One focal point per room is all you need. Otherwise it can appear too busy and is unpleasing to the eye when there’s too much to look at. When making-over an apartment, it’s important to rid yourself of any unneeded clutter. For packrats, it might be a good idea to rent a storage space. Another option is buying cute furniture pieces that double as storage units. Coffee tables and night stands can store clutter and look good while doing it. Decorative baskets are another good option for storage.

Painting the walls is another way to drastically change the look of an apartment. You can try sponge painting the walls to look like they’re textured or painting one wall a bold color, such as burgundy and adding green accents throughout the room.

White walls can often make an apartment look more like a hospital than comfortable, cute living quarters. If your landlord won’t allow painting, you can buy picture frames and paintings to take the focus away from the white walls. For a small apartment, mirrors are a design trick that gives the illusion of a large space while reflecting light.

Adding area rugs is another quick fix to transform an apartment. You can find them for relatively cheap prices at Target. Try experimenting with bright colors, interesting prints, or shag rugs to add color and texture to your apartment.

If you want to try a different look such as contemporary or traditional style decorating, it’s good to browse through catalogs or visit an upscale furniture store that usually has showrooms set up in different styles. This is a great way to get a feel for the look, which will then allow you to find similar furniture elsewhere for a better price.

For more information on apartment design see www.rentaldecorating.com.