Hi everyone..
Have you ever thought of adding some fun to your home? I never did ! :P ....until I came to a new city and started living in a rented apartment. The walls look sooo pale and the cupboards look sooo dull. Ugh! Then I thought.. and thought and got a few ideas which worked for me quite well. So here.. I am going to share with you. Remember that my two constraints were : 1) I cannot repaint the walls and cupboards..practically anything which is not mine 2) I cannot re-architect..which means I cannot break down or construct anything :D
So here we go...
1. Curtains
Curtains are your moving walls. Aren't they? Even if you can't change the solid walls, you can always make them flow with the curtains.
I did an exhaustive research before buying curtains. I even did the curtains for my parents' new flat in hometown after gaining enough knowledge. It was quite successful. I shall share with you the entire research summary in another post soon to come.
2. Sofa and Pillow cushions
If you already own a sofa, you can re-upholster them to an interesting one. Sofas with too much print looks cheap and makes everything else in the room vanish. So the sofa color must be a cool one. The sofa itself must be relaxing with good cushion effect. It is the main furniture of your living room. If you don't have one and plan on buying one, this is your chance.
Sometimes, the sofa could already be existing with your rented house or you may have rented the sofa. In that case, there are two things you can do:-
1) Quilt : Quilt is like a thin mattress. You can simply put it on top on your sofa. It will give you the extra comfort as well as you get to choose the color and design.
2) Pillow cushions : Rented or yours, any sofa can use some pillow cushions. Choose the pillow cushion covers with complementary colors to the sofa as well as among themselves. They can be plain or patterned, whichever you prefer.
They are a must have from my experience. It supports my back at at all times and ever since I got them, I haven't had the back pain and neck pain I once used to (thanks to all the technology :P). At the same time, they add color to my space.
3. Wall hangings and Decorative pieces : What is the first wall hanging that comes to your mind? I can give you a clue.. It is something that moves but still stays in the same place!
1) The clock. :P
Get a good clock, something that serves more than its purpose. Go for vintage or post-modern, anything that works for you.
2) Paintings
One easy wall hanging is a painting. Actually, it is not that easy. Buying a painting is tricky. You can buy something you spontaneously like, but the secret to a timeless painting is that you must feel proud to own it. Anybody who comes to your house must feel good the moment they lay their eyes on the painting. I would say, imagine how you will place them, mentally, before you buy them. If you are not good at it then, if somebody with good artistic sense is with you or you can get them to help you out, that would be amazing.
3) Photo Wall
Create a photo wall. Frame the photos uniformly and hang them or create a collage. You can also add a pin board where you can pin photos, creative ideas, things to remember etc.
4) Souvenirs and Decorative items
You can collect and arrange souvenirs if you are into travelling. Otherwise, you can start buying small inexpensive cute decorative items and place them in the open cupboards, stands and corner spaces.
5) Fairy Lights
The favorite of a lot of girls and young women are the fairy lights. Buy the normal ones or any single-colored. Hang it in your bedroom. It will lighten and brighten up your space and give it a fairy touch.
6) Stickers
The sixth is stickers. You can stick them on walls, cupboards, tiles, tables, mirrors, wherever you think it can be removed easily. You don't want to damage the rented walls and cupboards. So be wise.
4. Rugs
I like my feet touching a warm and soft floor. Also, the flooring in many rented apartments kills the mood. Home is where we throw ourselves into the hands of comfort. Floor is a big part of how a space looks and feels. If you can get nice rugs for your floor, at least one of your rooms where you spend most of the time, you will feel more happy, and so will your feet. Some of the most tedious works also need a big floor with a soft rug where you can have a crash party with your laptop, books, coffee, cookies and what not. So rugs are a good investment.
5. Plants
Life is all about breathing. Nothing reminds you of it more than plants. Go green! Get some indoor plants and place them here and there. It will make your place just like a green park where you can unwind your mind everyday.
So here we go...
1. Curtains
Curtains are your moving walls. Aren't they? Even if you can't change the solid walls, you can always make them flow with the curtains.
I did an exhaustive research before buying curtains. I even did the curtains for my parents' new flat in hometown after gaining enough knowledge. It was quite successful. I shall share with you the entire research summary in another post soon to come.
2. Sofa and Pillow cushions
If you already own a sofa, you can re-upholster them to an interesting one. Sofas with too much print looks cheap and makes everything else in the room vanish. So the sofa color must be a cool one. The sofa itself must be relaxing with good cushion effect. It is the main furniture of your living room. If you don't have one and plan on buying one, this is your chance.
Sometimes, the sofa could already be existing with your rented house or you may have rented the sofa. In that case, there are two things you can do:-
1) Quilt : Quilt is like a thin mattress. You can simply put it on top on your sofa. It will give you the extra comfort as well as you get to choose the color and design.
2) Pillow cushions : Rented or yours, any sofa can use some pillow cushions. Choose the pillow cushion covers with complementary colors to the sofa as well as among themselves. They can be plain or patterned, whichever you prefer.
They are a must have from my experience. It supports my back at at all times and ever since I got them, I haven't had the back pain and neck pain I once used to (thanks to all the technology :P). At the same time, they add color to my space.
3. Wall hangings and Decorative pieces : What is the first wall hanging that comes to your mind? I can give you a clue.. It is something that moves but still stays in the same place!
1) The clock. :P
Get a good clock, something that serves more than its purpose. Go for vintage or post-modern, anything that works for you.
2) Paintings
One easy wall hanging is a painting. Actually, it is not that easy. Buying a painting is tricky. You can buy something you spontaneously like, but the secret to a timeless painting is that you must feel proud to own it. Anybody who comes to your house must feel good the moment they lay their eyes on the painting. I would say, imagine how you will place them, mentally, before you buy them. If you are not good at it then, if somebody with good artistic sense is with you or you can get them to help you out, that would be amazing.
3) Photo Wall
Create a photo wall. Frame the photos uniformly and hang them or create a collage. You can also add a pin board where you can pin photos, creative ideas, things to remember etc.
4) Souvenirs and Decorative items
You can collect and arrange souvenirs if you are into travelling. Otherwise, you can start buying small inexpensive cute decorative items and place them in the open cupboards, stands and corner spaces.
5) Fairy Lights
The favorite of a lot of girls and young women are the fairy lights. Buy the normal ones or any single-colored. Hang it in your bedroom. It will lighten and brighten up your space and give it a fairy touch.
6) Stickers
The sixth is stickers. You can stick them on walls, cupboards, tiles, tables, mirrors, wherever you think it can be removed easily. You don't want to damage the rented walls and cupboards. So be wise.
4. Rugs
I like my feet touching a warm and soft floor. Also, the flooring in many rented apartments kills the mood. Home is where we throw ourselves into the hands of comfort. Floor is a big part of how a space looks and feels. If you can get nice rugs for your floor, at least one of your rooms where you spend most of the time, you will feel more happy, and so will your feet. Some of the most tedious works also need a big floor with a soft rug where you can have a crash party with your laptop, books, coffee, cookies and what not. So rugs are a good investment.
5. Plants
Life is all about breathing. Nothing reminds you of it more than plants. Go green! Get some indoor plants and place them here and there. It will make your place just like a green park where you can unwind your mind everyday.
One important thing to remember. Everything you buy for a single room must be complementing each other. The furniture, the sofa, the rug, the curtains, the wall hangings everything together must be a wonderful package. If anything clashes or lashes out, rearrange. It is not going to be perfect as not everyone is an interior designer or an artist. But we all know deep inside, what we want to look at daily. Don't we?? So, collect all the information you need before you decide, if you are unsure. Look at Pinterest ideas, Youtube videos etc. You will be surprised how smart you can become at something you never ever imagined.
Have fun decorating and re-decorating :))
Have fun decorating and re-decorating :))
