Design for Apartments

Let’s see….beige carpet, white walls… sounds like…just about every apartment around these days. Does being a renter mean you can’t flex your interior design muscles and make the place your own? Certainly not! There are many options available to apartment dwellers who want to enjoy their home without forfeiting their deposit or getting dragged in front of Judge Judy by an angry landlord!

Know Your Lease

Before you start slapping paint on the walls, it is worth reading through your lease and talking to your landlord to find out their stance on the issue. Some landlords will allow you to paint as long as you agree to return the walls to their original color upon moving out. Some landlords won’t hear of it. In general, you are more likely to get some leeway with painting the walls when you’re renting from a private landlord as opposed to an apartment complex - but it doesn’t hurt to ask. If you make any agreements that are not represented on your lease, get them in writing.

By the way, if your painting improves upon a shoddy original paint job, don’t be afraid to ask for, ahem, a break in the rent.

Make Surface Changes

While you obviously can’t do any extensive remodeling work in a rental property, you can make some surface changes to put your own style stamp on your apartment:

• Get a few area rugs to throw on top of bland or rough carpeting.

• Go for some plants and real or artificial flowers.

• Decorate your walls - use adhesive puddy when possible, or a small nail - you can always fill the nail hole before you move.

• Display the things that make you “you” - get a book shelf and have the books you love to read out in the open, or your favorite music on display - to let your personality shine through.

• Add a window box

• Display personal photos and mementos - shadow boxes are a fun way to display your memories without damaging the walls.

• Invest in accessories that exemplify your style and give your home a lived-in look.

Have a Plan

Just because the space you are decorating is not owned by you does not mean you shouldn’t approach decorating your apartment as you would any other design job. Do your research and get a feel for the things you like and the things you don’t. Create a plan and budget for your project. Sticking to a cohesive, well thought out design plan will make your apartment feel more like a home.

Space

Space is often an issue in apartment living, so employ tricks of the trade to create the illusion of more space. Use light colors and soft but ample lighting and make sure the scale of your furniture is appropriate to the space. Mirrors on your walls make a room appear larger. Add shelves and extra rods into a small closet. Free standing shelf units or shelves on walls provide more storage options for your things. Multiuse furniture also is a handy tool - look for ottomans that double as storage units or sleeper sofas. A dining room table with collapsible sides can be stowed when not in use, freeing up valuable room.

More Resources

Turning your rental property into a home of your own is within anyone’s reach, on any budget. Check out some of the following online resources for more advice on creating the best apartment in town:

• Rental Decorating.com - An extensive database of information on making the most of “non-owned” homes. This site also offers advice about leases and moving, with links to apartment resources like roommate finding services.

• HGTV - HGTV has plenty of tips for decorating in many different styles, as well as maximizing the potential of small spaces.

• Savvy Home Decorating - More advice on making small spaces work.

• Country Style Decorating Ideas
• Bathroom Design Pictures
• Interior Paint Color Combinations

• Country French Style Basics
• Common Themes for Teenage Bedrooms
• Designing for Small Spaces
• Basics of Color Design
• Asian Style Interior Design

• Interior Design Architecture
• Basics of Color Design
• Green Design Furniture
• Home Interior Design
• Commercial Interior Design