Here Are 33 Ways to Personalize Your Apartment and Make It Feel Like Home

Display your mementos and trinkets with pride on floating shelves in your apartment. Stacked displays benefit greatly from basic shelves that are staggered for visual interest. You can easily switch up the style of the display without drilling any new holes in your wall by using wood or metal shelving.

Although you may be limited to standard apartment fixtures and fittings, this does not mean that you cannot have stylish furnishings. Put in things you really like to make the room feel more like your own. Pick one piece of furniture to serve as the showpiece in each space. Mustard-yellow furniture and a midcentury modern dining table can make you forget about the house's less-than-ideal features in no time.

There should be a designated entryway into your apartment, but if there isn't one, you can make your own dropzone with some furniture and wall decor. Attach a row of hooks for hanging items like handbags, hats, and light coats. Pick one with a top shelf to keep frequently used items like keys and sunglasses within easy reach. You can complete the room's look by mounting a large mirror for use as a vanity just before you leave. And if you can't screw into the walls, adhesive-back hooks will do the trick if you need to hang things on the walls.

Apartment kitchens are infamously small. Get the most out of your kitchen by making the most of the available square footage. In the event that your tablescape features open shelves, stack multiple rows of dishes per shelf, grouping similar items together. Put things you don't use often or frequently access up high.

To make a rental feel more like home, it's important to find ways to make cosmetic changes that won't require any major renovations. For example, you might want to install patterned tile in your bathroom, but doing so would be a violation of your lease. Use peel-and-stick tiles, which can be installed and removed with ease. To minimize your outlay, pick a constrained space, like the wall over the sink.

Gorgeous drapes can instantly elevate a rental property to the next level of elegance. Decorating with multiple curtain rods is a great way to add flair to your apartment without the commitment of wallpaper or paint. This not only softens the look of an otherwise blank wall by suggesting the presence of windows, but it also helps to create the illusion of more light entering the room.

Elegant built-ins that are just the right size for all your stuff are a perk of some older apartment buildings. Apartments that are lacking in storage space can be made to appear larger by installing a tall bookcase or storage unit. To further the built-in aesthetic, install moldings around the tops of the shelves if permitted by your building.

Create a showpiece out of your TV wall and make your apartment living room the place to be. Frame the TV with a gallery wall of artwork and place furniture around the screen. The TV could have been set up on the console table below it, but by mounting it on the wall, we now have a functional surface for serving guests. Also, a wall-mounted TV looks less like a floating object when it is supported by a piece of furniture.

One can use a daybed as a couch during the day and a bed for visitors at night. A daybed is the perfect place to relax and enjoy some downtime, whether that be with a good book or a good TV show, thanks to the abundance of pillows. Guests who stay the night will be accommodated nicely. The transition from couch to bed will be much simpler if you keep a large basket of extra bedding nearby.

Make your one-room home feel more like a home by implementing a few clever studio apartment ideas. Use the same color scheme throughout your home, from the kitchen to the bedroom. Additionally, it's important to make use of similar finishes and materials throughout. Use rugs as anchors for distinct areas and as a visual barrier between them.

If you need more space in the kitchen and your apartment doesn't have a lot of built-in cabinets or drawers, you can use a metal shelving unit from a This unit has a sleek design that is reminiscent of the professional kitchens where metal accents are the norm. Don't just throw your kitchen essentials into a drawer; use baskets to organize them, and add some flair with some decorative accents.

In order to get your security deposit back after moving out of a small apartment, you'll need to get creative. This exhibit of black and white prints is cleverly installed with neon pink washi tape, demonstrating the versatility of temporary materials. Texture is added to the laid-back setting by a combination of nearly all-black prints and lighter fare.

Rather than not being able to paint your apartment walls, you can instead paint your furniture. The effect of a freshly painted bed frame or dresser can be as dramatic as that of a freshly painted wall. Make use of the furniture's color scheme as inspiration for the rest of your apartment's design. You can achieve a polished look by using fabrics and accessories that repeat the same color palette.

When renting, you're usually stuck with the landlord's choice of fixtures and fittings. If the carpet or flooring in your apartment is less than aesthetically pleasing, you can cover it up with an extra-large area rug or several smaller rugs to create the illusion of a uniform design. Also, this is perfect for those in search of low-cost yet stylish apartment decor. An oversized rug, which can be quite costly, is probably unnecessary.

Mini blinds are usually provided in rental units, but you have other options. Install inexpensive and simple curtains to dress up your windows. You can finish this no-sew undertaking in a single weekend.

You can think outside the box of your current furniture arrangement by imagining your apartment's living space without any furniture. Determine if there is enough space to create distinct areas that serve different purposes. The next step is to start arranging furniture creatively. For optimal viewing, you could "float" the sofa in the room's center and mount the TV on the wall opposite the couch. The area opposite the couch is a perfect spot to set up a desk or a dining table. Create storage for both areas with a console placed behind the couch.

Small touches can make a big difference, even if your rental has plain white walls and chairs. Add some flair to your pad by stocking up on colorful accent pillows. You can easily switch up your decor by purchasing pillow cases and inserts separately. The old covers can be easily discarded and the new ones placed on the forms without taking up much room.

One space-saving tip for a small apartment is to make full use of the built-in storage options, such as a bathroom vanity. Making the most of the space you have will prevent you from having to install bulky, unnecessary storage solutions. Vertical space can be utilized and bathroom clutter reduced with stackable or pull-out storage in a vanity. Bathroom cabinets can be maximized by making use of the space behind the door.

A table with a lovely skirt is functional and aesthetically pleasing. You can hide away items on the open space or shelves hidden beneath the fabric. If you're looking for a way to hide media components or extra storage in a small apartment, a skirted table is a great option.

The bane of an apartment resident's existence may be their building's neutral walls. Instead of moping, you should take advantage of the monotony of beige. Add layers of opulence with things like plush bedding and eye-catching area rugs (yes, you can put a rug over carpet). ...in very similar, tame shades Then, strategically insert a burst of color. Don't use more than two colors in a room, and arrange anything colorful so that the eye is led all over the space. These blue-patterned curtains are hanging in the window. The throw pillows bring the color to the bed, where it is passed on to the room's second color, the bright yellow headboard.

Adding layers to your apartment's decor is an easy way to elevate its overall look. Put this strategy to use on your floor by combining two rugs. Put a simple neutral rug under the furniture to keep it from moving around, and layer another rug with more visual impact on top. Place rugs in the center of the room and arrange furniture around them to create a comfortable sitting area.

Charming as they may be, older buildings often have original features that can be in the way of modern apartment decor. As opposed to avoiding or resisting something you don't like, learn to accept it and find a way to make it work for you. Choose a color you enjoy as the dominant tone in the bathroom, for instance, even if the tile is a shade you find offensive. The green used in the bathroom has a slight yellow undertone, which makes the accents pop and the yellow tile fade into the background. Use a blue-green paint color with powder blue tile, or a sherbet orange paint with salmon-colored tile.

Creative space-saving strategies for small apartments often involve the use of multiple items. Buy a large bookcase that can be used for other purposes as well. Books and dishes can go on the upper shelves, while linens, flatware, office supplies, and anything else that doesn't have a home can go in bins, baskets, or drawers on the lower ones.

Mirrors are an excellent decorating tool for any small room. They are able to reflect light and make a room appear larger Put a large mirror opposite a window in your apartment's living room, bedroom, or dining room to maximize the room's natural lighting.

With some creative planning, even the smallest dining space can host elegant dinner parties. To make the area feel more open, try using glass table tops and clear chairs. After that, set the mood with lighting and artwork. Hardwired wall sconces are an eyesore, so replace them with battery-operated fixtures and set lamps on a slim console. The exposed bulbs in your chandelier should be covered with shades if you use it in a dining room. Be cautious and make sure the light bulbs won't get too hot with the blinds/shades. Also, consult your landlord. The light will be mellowed by the shades, creating a more relaxed atmosphere.

Make do with bright garden stools in the place of traditional end tables or nightstands. These pieces are portable and easier to carry up the stairs of an apartment than a heavy table. Pick a color or finish that works with multiple rooms so that they can be moved around your house without losing their unified look.

Eddie Ross, a professional decorator, is an expert at making even the smallest rooms feel like a million bucks. Listen in as he reveals the secrets he used to make his own tiny apartment look like a showplace. Grab hold of these creative concepts, and adapt them to your own home's style.

Make the most out of your apartment's less desirable qualities Make use of underutilized spaces, such as narrow closets, for storage or a comfortable solo reading nook. Office and craft supplies can be hidden behind curtains in two alcoves in this living room.

It's a good idea to put some bathroom furniture in there so it can be used. Slim tables with drawers can serve dual purposes as both storage and extra work surface. Towels can dry off on a sturdy chair.

Get creative with how you decorate your apartment walls. Display a collection of treasured photographs, prints, and other mementos in large frames with extra-wide mats. Larger mats will provide much-needed blank space for a dynamic presentation. Visitors will be able to take in every image, making for a powerful exhibition.

In addition to soiled garments, there are other things that can be stored in a hamper. Put them to good use in your apartment by storing things like winter coats, beach towels, and even toys for the kids. Add ingenious extras, like an over-the-door basket, to keep your hamper from becoming a black hole for your dirty laundry. In this case, a basket can be attached to the side of the hamper to hold items like hats and scarves.

The quality of the lighting in a room can have a dramatic effect, and it doesn't have to come from an overhead light. Acquire some lamps for the side tables, nightstands, and end tables. Arrange floor lamps to shed light on obscure areas, and use plug-in sconces to light up hallways and above couches. Lights that plug under cabinets revitalize kitchen spaces and simplify prep work.

Store extra blankets, pillows, toys, or craft supplies in baskets and place them behind furniture placed at an angle in the corner of a room. You should choose baskets that fit the decor of the room. This makes storage that serves a purpose look like chic furnishings.