There’s nothing quite like coming home after a long day to an apartment that feels vibrant, modern, and brand new. The bad news: we don’t always have the luxury of buying a brand-new apartment. Luckily for us, living in an old apartment doesn’t mean it has to look like an old apartment. Read on for some tips and tricks on how to upgrade your living space to be the home you deserve.
Let’s Start with the Walls
Old apartments tend to have boring, off-white, and otherwise completely neutral walls. For homes that are often passed between renters, staying neutral is a safe bet for landlords. However, for the people actually living in those apartments, this can feel dull.
If you’re still renting, be sure to check with your landlord before repainting the walls. Most will give their approval, especially if you agree to paint it back to a neutral color before you move out. While this may seem like a lot of extra work, the color of your walls can affect the overall vibe of your entire home. If you pick the right color, it is well worth the investment.
The Floors Could Use Some Help Too
Ugly walls are easy enough to change with some paint. Floors on the other hand, especially in old apartments, can’t be fixed as easily. Instead, the best advice is to cover up any old or ugly flooring with a rug. Especially if you’re renting, this solution won’t require your landlord’s approval, and you can take it with you to your next apartment too.
The best part? There is a rug for every style, personality, and room size. Whether you want playful accent rugs or large, modern area rugs, you’ll be able to find one you like. Turn your home into a masterpiece with intricate folk art rugs that add an intriguing pattern to your space.
Accessorize
Accessorizing is a fantastic way to transform living spaces with ease. From kitchens and bathrooms to bedrooms and living rooms, paying attention to the finer details can make a big difference. There are all kinds of products you can use to personalize spaces, give them a unique identity, enhance functionality, and experiment with different trends and design ideas. Switching up your accessories is also an excellent way to save time and money when transitioning from one season to the next.
One of the most popular trends is bringing the outside in. If you love the idea of multifaceted indoor/outdoor living spaces, look for accessories, such as stunning artificial floral displays by companies like Prestige Botanicals, jute, rattan and bamboo rugs and floor coverings, lightweight cotton and linen cushion covers, and potted plants and trees. Alternatively, if you love the idea of a romantic, vintage-style boudoir, search for ornate mirrors, antique ornaments, and old-fashioned vases filled with feathers or flowers.
Replace Those Light Fixtures
Light fixtures are usually not the first thing that comes to mind when planning a remodel, but you would be amazed at the difference that simply changing the fixtures can do.
Old light fixtures can often be brassy and a bit stuffy. Spend some time selecting new fixtures that reflect your own personality and swap them out. Also, if you’re just renting the place, changing out light fixtures is an easy remodel to undo before moving out. Just save the old ones in a closet or garage until the time comes. Some unique, modern light fixtures to look into are Sputnik lamps and accent lights.
Upgrade Your Cabinets
Investing in completely new cabinets is not only expensive, but it’s a lot of work too. Especially for those renting, this is probably not a worthwhile investment. However, you can still give your cabinets a refreshed look by replacing the pulls and knobs. Your local hardware store should have a variety of new options that are not only affordable but look much more sleek and contemporary.
Modernize Your Furniture
While this may be one of the more expensive ways to remodel an old apartment, it will make a big difference. Just because the apartment itself is old doesn’t mean the furniture has to be outdated too! Update the furniture with contemporary sofas, chairs, and coffee tables. Feel free to do some experimenting with color palettes and textures.
The most important part of a home remodel is to have fun while doing it and let your creative juices flow. It is wise to avoid getting too much furniture though, as overcrowding a space can contribute to it feeling cluttered.
Toss Out the Blinds
Most old apartments still have plain window blinds that add nothing positive to the overall aesthetic of the place. While window blinds are effective at getting the job done, there are much more visually pleasing ways to cover up your windows. Most blinds can be easily removed, but if not, simply open them all the way and hide them behind some fashionable curtains. Use the window coverings as another opportunity to bring more color into your old apartment and brighten up the space.
Don’t Forget the Bathroom
When thinking about a remodel, a lot of attention goes to the living spaces where guests will hang out or the bedroom where you spend the most time. But, remodeling an old bathroom can make the entire apartment feel newer. For starters, consider adding a fun wallpaper to just one of the walls—may be right behind the sink. Chances are, your apartment bathroom isn’t too big, so this won’t be budget-unfriendly.
Trade out that plain, basic mirror for one that makes a real statement. There’s such a variety of mirrors available; have fun picking one that suits your style. Also, if you’ve already put in the effort to remove your old sink to put in some wallpaper and a new mirror, you might as well find a much better option among more luxurious, contemporary sinks to replace it with!
Add Some Green
Preferably not as wall paint. Instead, get some houseplants! You don’t have to choose so many that you feel you need to learn how to garden. Just bring in a few that are fairly easy to keep alive. Plants not only make your home feel less stuffy, but they’re beautiful to look at too. They’re shown to improve air quality, reduce stress, boost creativity, productivity, and more. The first step to feeling good about your apartment is to feel good about yourself. Houseplants are a must-have to bring a new life into your apartment.
And if you really want to get the most out of the air in your home being pure, it’s worth speaking to experts about dryer vent cleaning, as that can help as well.
Get Creative
It may take some extra effort, but you can transform your old apartment into a place that actually feels like a nice home. From more serious projects like repainting to simply incorporating some upgraded decor, there are improvements you can make on any budget. Even if you’re still renting, chances are your landlord will thank you for any upgrades you make. You may not be able to turn your rental into your dream home, but you can certainly modernize it and make it feel new and exciting.
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