Adding Flair to Apartment Living

In the 10 years since I have moved away from home and started living on my own, I have lived in a lot of apartments. No, I mean A LOT. We have a running joke in my house, I don't spring clean, I just move; and it's the truth. One thing that all of my apartments had in common were that they were all drab and boring. Boring walls. Boring carpet. Boring everything. Luckily, I feel as though most leasing offices are getting wise and starting to paint all the walls a basic beige color, instead of what I refer to as "Institutional White", but even still, most apartments lack character. Since most places won't let you paint or you know you wont be there long enough (*cough*) to go through all the hassle of painting then having to paint right over it before you move, you have to get inventive.

So here are a few tricks I have used over the years:

-Covering Light Switch Plates in Fabric: I have a million swatches of fabric from my days at the upholstery studio and I can do just about anything with a hot glue gun so I decided to combine the two. I'd match fabrics to the decor of the room, duplicating or coordinating multiple switch plates. Quick tip: when preparing to move, instead of ripping off the fabrics on all the plates, just buy new ones (they're like 30 cents each), and switch them out. Another plus, you can reuse them in your new place!

-Make Your Own "Wallpaper": The first time I tried this was in my college dorm and it transformed the space! Using any large piece of fabric, whether it was a flat sheet or a few yards of fabric I got my hands on, I was able to give some life to my bare walls.There are two different ways to do this; the first is to stretch your fabric along the wall, using thumbtacks to keep it stretched in place while you work around the perimeter with a stapler (yes, just an office stapler, or you can use a staple gun, depending on the weight of your fabric). The second way, one that works best with plaster and brick walls, is to put the fabric up using starch. First, prep your walls by giving them a good wash, then let them dry completely. Then, using a paint roller, apply starch to the wall where you want the fabric. Be careful, the starch will dry quickly so you have to add more as you go along. Run your hand or something rigged and flat along the fabric, from top to bottom, to smooth it out along the wall. Using your roller, apply a coat of starch atop your fabric, paying close attention to the edges. Allow this to dry overnight and you're set! Use an Exact-o knife to cut out your outlets and light switches and to clean up your edges along the trim and ceiling. When preparing to move, just peel the fabric off and wash the wall with soap and water.

The best thing about using fabric as wallpaper is that you get to take it with you when you move!

-Heck, Wrap Your Doors in Fabric: I once lived in a very very old house that had been broken up into apartments and for the life of me, I could not get anything to stay on my walls, no matter how I put it up. So, my solution was to unscrew the hinges from my closet door, lay them out with large pieces of beautiful bold fabric (it needs to be thin so it won't interfere with the door closing but strong enough to withstand the friction) , and essentially wrap them like a massive Christmas present. This is definitely a lot harder to do than applying fabric to the walls, so this is going to be either a last resort or a project for someone very crafty.

-Buy Large Artwork and Create a Gallery Wall: Gather photos you would like to hang, put them in frames and create a gallery wall with them; hang whatever you want, you don't have to try and make a 'theme', your frames will tie everything together and help tell your story. I like to use a lot of black, white, with pops of colors and metallic, some simple frames, some decorative frames. I also like to mix in 3D wall art, paintings with photographs, sentimental items you wish to display; don't be afraid to add shelves, they add depth. I also love to peruse flea markets, garage sales, and thrift stores and find larger pieces of artwork for a steal to add to my walls. I like to add my own touches to these pieces, whether it is accentuating colors with black sharpie or I've even doodled the Lochness Monster and Bigfoot into landscape paintings (don't ask); but adding my own creative touch makes it more personal and helps it fit into my decor. Also, it's cheap, so if you don't like it, you didn't break the bank (Hint: never spend over $25 on a painting unless you absolutely love it). Either way, hang things that make you happy when you look at them, creativity is meant to bring you joy.

-Organize! Organize! Organize!: When being confined to an apartment it is so easy to get bogged down with mess and clutter; being organized will be a life saver. My boyfriend and I lived in a studio apartment together for 2 years (let me tell you, if you want to get to know everything about a person real fast, move into a studio together), and in a space that small you have to utilize things that perform double duties. Storage ottomans, under bed storage, utility closets that also act as a mudroom/pantry/storage. Cabinets need to be organized rationally to get the most use of the space, installing a cabinet or shelving above the toilet will free up space under the sink in the bathroom. Floating shelves will give you more space on bookcases and draw your eyes upwards, making the ceiling appear higher. Baskets and shoe boxes will help you sort through the little things that add up quickly in a small space. Apartment living can be tight, you need as much space as you can get to be comfortable in your own home. A real plus of being organized in a small apartment is it should take you no longer than 20 minutes to make your room "company ready'!

Let's face it, apartment living can be the pits; but then again I don't have to mow my own damn lawn or worry when the hot water heater stops working (I may be crafty but I am defititly not handy), but if you get creative and think outside of the box, you can make even the most 'cookie-cutter' apartment an in individual reflection of who you are.

If you need any help adding some life into your apartment or home, contact me and we can get started!

ChristiePopovichDesigns@gmail.com