Ways to make your modest apartment look its best, Part 1

Ask A Woman: No bore decor.

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Being on a strict budget doesn’t remove the desire to be well-dressed; many Dappered readers are in this very situation and that’s why they gather here, for sale picks and hints on how to make the most of your look with what you can afford. That eye for refinement often transfers to other areas, like your living space. If your home is spare and bare, perhaps you want to spruce it up a bit, but without breaking the bank. Here are four ways to do so on a budget.

 

1. Be thrifty.

Antique stores and second-hand shops are your friend. If you’ve never visited one, ease into it; you don’t need to buy your underwear there. Think small furniture, like end tables or bookcases, or decorative items like frames and lamps. These are easily cleaned and/or painted so you can feel less queasy about used stuff. While browsing at Goodwill, I spied the black oval frames above, which reminded me of a cameo border. They were only 99 cents, so I bought a couple. Brought them home, had a friend make black silhouettes (using Photoshop) of my family members, including my dogs, which I printed on cardstock. Easy, quirky art.

 

2. Paint accent walls.

Find out if you’re allowed to paint in your apartment–many landlords allow it if you restore the walls back to eggshell white before moving out. A trend in the last 10, 15 years is the accent wall. Paint a single wall in one room a bright color to contrast with a neutral color on the other walls. It looks modern and is one of the cheapest ways to spruce up a room. Above photo credit: Houzz, which is also a terrific place to get extra inspiration.

 

3. Use functional items as decor.

I have collected a lot of glassware and ceramics over the years–vases from gift bouquets, antique sugar bowls from grandma, gravy boat from my wedding registry, hand-thrown bowl from a friend. For a long time, these items took up precious room in kitchen cabinets while my dining room looked sort of bare and pathetic. Then I put a corner shelving unit up and used these items for decoration. When I need them to be actually useful, I just pluck them off the shelf. Look around at your own abode–what do you have that could double as decoration?

 

4. Hide those cords.

I’m guilty of this one. Maybe if I write it up, I’ll actually do something about it. Here goes. Cords running all over the place is very unsightly. Especially if your apartment is spartan, those cords in the corner are going to stand out and become eyesores. There are products you can buy to tame your cords, but also check out Pinterest for more creative, and perhaps economical methods of hiding wire clutter. Yes, Pinterest. You don’t have to tell anyone you have an account, just use it surreptitiously to make your pad look awesome.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next month!

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