Do’s and Don’ts of Decorating a New Apartment

Contrary to popular belief, a small or mid-sized apartment doesn’t have limited decorating possibilities.

You can make your apartment appear larger and avoid common decorating mistakes that could make your apartment appear out-dated. Here are a few simple decorating do’s and don’ts.

DO Start with a Solid Plan

It is very tempting to start decorating your apartment with the first decorating ideas that come to mind. Sitting down to create a decorating plan from scratch may seem too time-consuming, but it is well worth it in the long-run. Having a solid plan to will help you save money, time and help you avoid costly decorating mistakes.

To save time, download an apartment or home decorating app to help get your creative juices flowing in the right direction. Here are a couple of home decorating apps to choose from:

• Houzz Interior Design Ideas
• Modsy
• iHandy Level
• Adobe Color CC
• Zillow Diggs
• Design Home (Crowdstar Inc.)

DON’T Purchase an Oversized Sofa for the Living Room

Give your living room some extra breathing room. Instead, opt for an armless sofa or even a canopy. Your room will feel more spacious and comfortable to live in.

DO Turn Your Bedroom into a Luxurious Retreat

Have you ever been a guest at a luxury microtel or a bed-n-breakfast with limited space? You probably didn’t even notice that it was so small. Luxury hotels are known for making small rooms appear roomy.

To make your bedroom more spacious, use a padded headboard instead of a traditional one. Use an assorted selection of throw pillows to add personality to your bedding. Consider using decorative lighting, and don’t be afraid to use mirrored closet doors. Mirror closet doors are timeless and they automatically make a room appear larger.

DO Use a ‘Over-the-Door’ Organizer for Extra Storage Space

Use an attractive over-the-door organizer basket for your bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. This will allow you to keep your items well-organized and your home clutter-free. If you have a lot of shoes and accessories, you might want to get one for your bedroom door as well. You can place an over-the-door organizer behind your bedroom door and closet door.

DON’T Clutter Your Tables with Photo Frames and Lamps

Lamps and photo frames can take up a lot of space on a night table and even a desk. Instead, try hanging your photo frames up on a wall like you normally would do with a painting. We call it ‘wall art’.

Use wall lighting instead of a lamp. You may also use standing lamps to help free up space.

DO Consider Using a wall-to-wall area rug.

A wall-to-wall rug will give the illusion of a larger room. Try to avoid using small area rugs in rooms with limited space.

DO Get Upholstered Items Professionally Cleaned

Those beautiful upholstered dining room chairs or that beautiful tufted ottoman maybe all your room needs to make it look elegant, but it may also infested with bugs. Make sure that you get any upholstered furniture professionally cleaned before bringing it into your home …that includes mattresses as well.

DON’T Focus too Much on Trends

Trends can become outdated relatively fast. For example, all-white rooms. If you want to include white in your interior decorating, make sure you add a splash of color for contrast. Choose decorating trends that will never go out of style. For example, black and white decor is timeless. Horizontal or vertical stripes will never go out of style as well.

Wall galleries with family photographs and artwork bring life into a room. Consider mixing up the frame styles to create versatility.

Unless you own your condo or apartment, make sure you check to see with your landlord if it’s okay to make enhancements to your apartment. If you own your apartment, and you plan to remodel it, make sure you check the building’s bylaws and your city’s building code laws.

Are you planning to decorate an apartment with limited space? Please share your thoughts and photos below in the comments section.

‍