By April 25, 2013

Small Items to Customize Your Apartment

Apartment renters may envy those with large homes because of the additional space to make a design statement, show off one-of-a-kind objects, or incorporate large, prominent pieces of furniture. If you find yourself harboring those kinds of feelings, there is good news. You can find a world of objects to customize your small space. Although apartments can present a few tricky challenges because of their size, you can get around most of these by focusing on items that have visual punch in spite of their scale.

One of the great things about small touches is that they are often budget friendly. You can do a lot with a little bit of money for a compact living area. First, take a good look at your space, and consider what types of decor items might best suit your small home. Take note of windows, corners, and empty walls to begin your small-space makeover.

Curtains

Many apartment communities and landlords forbid renters from painting their walls. Even if your apartment does allow you to paint, you may not have the funds it would require to add some color to all of your walls. Curtains are one of the best ways to add color, pattern, and visual interest to a small space. By closing a colorful curtain over a large window, you can get nearly as much vibrancy and detail as a painted or wallpapered wall might offer. Think outside of the box on drapes. You can use them for much more than window coverings. Use a brightly colored curtain to divide a small space or to cover a wall as an accent.

Lamps

Dark spaces look smaller to the human eye, so add some light to your apartment to give the illusion of a greater size. Lamps also provide warmer, less intense light than ceiling fixtures do, so they are great for creating a comforting, homey feeling in an apartment. Lamps are good for more than providing a source of light. Choose accent lamps in bright citrons, fuchsias, or ocean blues for a pop of color, or opt for metallic lamps to add some beauty to otherwise drab areas of your home.

Mirrors

Like lighting, mirrors can provide the illusion of a larger space. Hanging a large mirror in a small room can have the effect of doubling the size of the area. Even if you go for a collection of tiny mirrors in elegant gold frames, such accents will create visual centerpieces for your home without a huge injection of cash.

Art

Handmade art comes in all shapes and sizes, and you can find it anywhere from galleries to second-hand stores. Including some art in your apartment will create a more personal, inviting environment, and it will make a statement about your interests to your guests. Acquire a small painting or sketch at a craft fair, or look for small ceramic sculptures at neighborhood yard sales. Many shops and retail stores also offer small sculptures, glassware, and framed art that will fit any budget or small space.

This is a guest post by DIY and Home Improvement enthusiast Charlie O. for Worldmarket.com, a great source of world market furniture. You can find all kinds of home accessories and furniture to customize your rental or refurnish your home.

Posted in: Apartment

About the Author:

Jon Clark is an Internet Marketing Consultant, Entrepreneur and current editor of the Facebook Marketing Blog. Jon loves coffee, sports and NY. You can follow him on Twitter @jonleeclark or circle him on Google+.

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