The right color accent wall can transform the look of your apartment space.

Creating a color accent wall in your apartment can be a shortcut to transforming the look of your entire space — but misguided choices could undermine your beautification efforts.

Find your perfect apartment now!

Read on for the do’s and don’ts to design an amazing, artful accent wall in your apartment home.

Why an accent wall?
Painting a single wall in your apartment in a complementary, yet distinct, color can create a powerful decor statement. You can jazz up a plain floor plan and draw the eye through the apartment space, perhaps away from weak points or unglamorous views. An accent wall can also create a sense of depth in an area like a hallway or staircase.

Adding an accent wall is a great way to tip-toe into a whole-apartment color change. Painting just one wall gives you a chance to test-drive a color before committing that change to a larger space. It’s an effective way of getting color into your home on a shoestring budget.

Don’t pick a random color
Just because orange is your favorite color doesn’t mean it’s going to work for an accent wall. Look around your apartment, and you’ll see that there is likely a color scheme you may or may not have consciously created. Choosing a color that is totally outside that palette may create more discord than harmony in your interior design. Then again, with a careful eye, you may discover an unusual color choice is just the right touch for a certain space. Consider visual texture, as well. A stucco technique is a unique approach for an accent wall that can set up a visually-arresting scene.

Do work with your decor
Creating a decor punch doesn’t have to involve a color that screams at you every time you pass by. That said, if you like bold colors, an accent wall can be the place for one. You can use the wall to set off a featured piece of furniture, a striking window treatment, or even the carpet, for instance.

Maybe you’re working with pre-existing colors in your countertop, carpet or wallpaper that you’d like either to counteract or integrate into your apartment’s color scheme. Selecting the right accent wall color can make those unchangeable parts of your decor finally work together — without having to repaint the entire room!

Don’t go too light
Remember that “accent” in this case means an attention-getting color. If you choose a shade that is too pastel or neutral, it will be hard to tell that your accent wall is set off from the rest of your wall colors. Go vivid, saturated or simply bright, but make sure that single wall stands out from the rest.

Don’t burden your wall
An accent wall can make a statement in itself, so choose a color that you want to really look at, uncovered and empty. If you decide to hang things on the wall, make them spare and simple. Too much art on an accent wall can make the room feel out of balance, and the wall cluttered.

Do check your lease
Don’t assume that just because you’re happy to repaint the accent wall its original color when you leave your apartment means that your landlord is okay with your decorating plans. Read your lease for any specific language about making changes to your apartment. If you have any doubts, contact your landlord or management company directly to make sure you can paint before you begin.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Think of an accent wall as a space to indulge in the rich color the rest of your apartment decor might be missing.

Photo credits: Shutterstock / altafulla (first image), Phiseksit (second image)

The post How to Create an Artful Accent Wall appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Choose the best lighting for your decor and taste. Let your style shine!

‘Throwing light on the subject’ does more than just reveal the truth of something.

Find your perfect apartment now!

When it comes to your apartment, the right light can illuminate your good taste and create the mood of the space you want to live in.

Read on for ways to banish shadowy recesses and squinty spaces with the best lighting choices for your apartment home.

Natural light
To figure out the natural light you have, turn off all the lights in your apartment and walk through it — in daylight, of course. Pay close attention to which windows let sunlight in. To increase your available light naturally, be sure not to block any of these windows with heavy draperies or shades.

Venetian-style blinds can actually help you direct the sunlight where you’d like it to fall. Redirecting the sunlight to the ceiling, for instance, moves light further into a room. Placing a mirror across from bright windows will also help amplify sunlight, as well. Besides funneling sunlight where you want it, blinds are also great for maintaining privacy.

Echoing the sunlight
Supplementing the sunlight with the right lamp is a great way to extend what you get naturally. A torchiere floor lamp placed in the back part of a room that receives some daylight can seamlessly fill in where the natural light falls off.

You might look for a lamp with a natural motif, one that reminds you of the sun outside. This sunflower lamp is a great device to brighten your room and your mood.

Finding the right lighting style
Is your apartment decor modern? Romantic? Coastal? Artistic?

Whatever your favorite flair, your lighting can help reinforce it. Track lighting is a great addition to a loft or other urban space, as are metallic lamps. Fabric shades can be cozy, elegant or streamlined, depending on their color or shape. Choose the vibe you wish to create in your apartment home, and pick lamps to complement your style.

Lighten with color
Another effective way to create a bright space is to paint walls in light colors — with your landlord’s approval, of course. White brightens instantly, as do light shades of yellow, pink or green.

Lighter shades for linens help brighten an apartment space, as well. And don’t underestimate the difference that light-stained furniture will make to enlighten a room.

Don’t be afraid of the dark
One caveat in the effort to banish shadows from your apartment is that, in some cases, dim light can be your friend. If you have a wall of photographs, for instance, or a piece of fine art, you’ll want to protect those items from direct sunlight to maintain their quality.

You might also have a space devoted to a quiet pursuit, such as a favorite place to read or an office desk with powerful lighting of its own. In such cases, darkened corners can enforce a sense of cozy focus. A little bit of ambient light, in the form of a small, decorative table lamp, is all you need to supplement lighting in these cases.

Paying attention to your apartment lighting can make the difference between a dim, run-of-the-mill home, and one that pops with clear, clean illumination or an atmospheric glow. Take control of your apartment space by choosing the best lighting for your decor and taste. Let your style shine!

Photo credit: Shutterstock / StockLite

The post Let There Be Light! Create a Bright Apartment Space appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Click the image to view the full infographic.

Looking to freshen up the look of your home? Spring is the perfect time to organize and accessorize your space to welcome the season of renewal.

Scroll down to learn more about our Spring Clean Sweepstakes.

Incorporate pops of color to each room by adding bold and bright colored accent pieces, such as picture frames and flower vases. Ring in spring with unique and creative floral displays.

For more tips and ideas on sprucing up your apartment this spring, click the infographic for our suggestions. And while you spruce up your apartment for spring, don’t forget to spring clean your budget.

This spring, we want to help you tidy up your apartment — on a budget! That’s why we’ve partnered with LearnVest, an advice-driven financial planning program, to help you organize your apartment and take control of your money. Enter the Spring Clean Sweepstakes for a chance to win a LearnVest Planning 5-Year Planner subscription and $300 you can use toward sprucing up your place!

<a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/spruce-up-for-spring-freshen-up-your-home-infographic"><img src="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/spruce-up-for-spring-lv.png" alt="Spring decor tips and ideas from Apartment Guide" title="Apartment Guide's tips and ideas for spring decor" width="800" height="2685" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/category/decor-home-b2c/">Apartment Guide – Find Decor Tips</a>

To add this infographic to your site, please copy the embed code from the above box and paste this code on your site.

The post Spruce up for Spring: Freshen up Your Home (Infographic) appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

For a quick cabinet fix, experiment with different knobs and pulls.

Even though we’re getting closer to spring cleaning, no need to toss things out and buy new replacements. With a little elbow grease and some inventive TLC, you can have the items in your apartment or home looking like new, without spending a lot to do so.

Find your perfect apartment!

Cabinet Couture
Perhaps nothing takes more abuse in your kitchen than your cabinets. All it takes is a fresh coat of paint to make them like new again. Update your kitchen’s look just by removing the cabinet doors and repainting them. For easy-to-reach cabinets, create additional functionality by painting one of the doors with chalkboard or dry erase board paint, turning it into a handy space for jotting notes and grocery lists. Change out the handles and hinges to something more modern, or add a touch of vintage charm. Stores like Anthropologie offer drawer pulls and knobs of all shapes, sizes and price points, so pick a decor style and experiment.

Freshen Up Those Kicks
If you have a worn, dirty pair of sneakers lying around, don’t toss them in the garbage; give them a makeover. Bleach and a toothbrush will make the whitewalls look like new. Replace the laces and insoles if needed. If the exterior soles are hanging open and flopping around, super glue or an automotive adhesive will put them in their place.

More from Apartment Guide:
DIY Rustic Wall Decor
Easy and Cheap Renovations for Your Apartment

Love Your Loveseat
For an inexpensive update, consider decking out your outdated sofa with a vibrant slipcover. Adding a few decorative throw pillows can breathe new life into an old chair or loveseat. You might be surprised how this simple DIY fix can create a whole new look for your room.

Deal With Baggage
Our luggage gets a lot of wear and tear from moving, vacationing and business travel, so it’s good to give suitcases and travel bags some attention once in a while. Torn exteriors can be glued down with vinyl cement (for vinyl luggage) or fabric glue (for fabric luggage). Loose interior linings can be glued back with fabric glue. For leather luggage, use rubber cement or a vinyl acetate adhesive. Scuffed leather can be buffed out using a matching leather polish. Even the wheels can be repaired with a little ingenuity.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/edoneil

The post Spring Cleaning Alternative: DIY Fixes for Old Items appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Click the image to view the full infographic.

But what happens if you combine the two? You have a mix of old and new, with sleek furniture and neutral colors representing modern decor, and rustic lights and wood pallet art representing vintage decor.

Click on the infographic above to learn how to pair items and create the perfect combination of modern and vintage in your apartment.

<a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/mix-match-modern-and-vintage-decor"><img src="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/modern-vintage-decor.png" alt="Modern and Vintage Decor" title="Mix & Match: Modern Vintage" width="800" height="3109" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/college/">Apartment Guide – Find Off Campus Housing for Rent</a>

To add this infographic to your site, please copy the embed code from the above box and paste this code on your site.

The post Mix & Match: Modern and Vintage Decor appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Emerald is the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year.

Say goodbye to 2012’s Tangerine Tango: Emerald has been named the Pantone Color of the Year for 2013. Will it make an appearance in your apartment or wardrobe?

Start planning now to integrate this versatile shade into your everyday life.

Find your perfect apartment now!

Bring the outdoors in
Echo the freshness of the great outdoors and the coming of spring by painting several of your walls (with your landlord’s okay) or even a single accent wall in your apartment. You can also try emerald accents with new or vintage framed prints, a decal border, or with painted door and window trim.

Color a bureau or a bookshelf green, and you’ve suddenly got the coolest color sprucing up the room. The color doesn’t have to dominate; consider painting just the drawer fronts or the top of a piece, for instance.

Enjoy lush textiles
Another way to use this year’s “in” shade is to purchase fabrics in emerald. For the windows, green curtains or shades will do the trick. On the floor, look for area rugs or modular carpet tiles such as those sold by FLOR.

Emerald green tablecloths, table runners, napkins or candles can give your au courant dining area a luscious glow. And what better way to green your apartment than with emerald bed linens and towels for the bathroom?

Plants are where it’s at
Thanks to this year’s selection, plants are an especially perfect addition to any apartment decor. Choose some key specimens (real or faux) for your interior and place them in high-profile locations, such as on a sideboard or end table.

What better way to underscore green than to create a jungle on your balcony with blooming plants? Your outdoor living room can be the perfect place to drink in relaxing emerald hues. Purchase outdoor furniture in green, or paint the wooden or metal pieces you have. It shouldn’t be too hard to find outdoor cushions and an umbrella in a close approximation of your new, favorite shade.

Be pretty in green
If you can’t get enough of the green stuff, you can also drape your body with it. Be ready for St. Patrick’s Day this year; look for the emerald shade to grace as many clothing racks as apartment decorating blogs. A shirt, tunic, skirt or trousers — paired with vivid white — will make you a standout.

Think accents such as green scarves, gloves, belts or jewelry. You just might be forced to purchase your next purse or pair of shoes in this appealing shade. (Dare we say your friends will be green with envy?)

Check your favorite magazine or website to see what apartment decorating ideas emerald green inspires in you. With the luck of the Irish, it’s a crowd-pleasing color that will likely complement your apartment décor!

Photo credit: Shutterstock / AlexRoz

The post Emerald: It’s Not Just for St. Patrick’s Day This Year! appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Those old road maps can be a surprising source of decor if you frame them.

Start your apartment search today!

Calendars and Maps. Sure, maps are kind of old hat now that you’ve got that spiffy new GPS with turn-by-turn directions, but there’s no need to throw them out. Cut out an interesting stretch of land from your travels, frame it, and you’ve got instant art. The same thing goes for last year’s art calendar. Those iconic images you admired for just one-twelfth of the year can now be enjoyed year-round.

More about Decor:
Unexpected Places to Find Decor Inspiration
Repurposing Old Items to Decorate Your Apartment

T-shirts and Sweaters. With a little stuffing and some thread, those old items of clothing can become attractive and cozy throw pillows.

Doors. Old doors salvaged from demolished houses or barns can find new life throughout your home as decorative yet functional pieces and accents. Turn a barn door into a dining room table. Turn an old door into a headboard for your bed. Hinge three doors together, give them a splashy coat of paint and use them as a privacy screen. The sky’s the limit!

Older Fixtures. Even fixtures from an older house—or your old house—can find new life in your new abode, and many can be found cheaply. Turn decorative ceiling tiles from an old building into a kitchen backsplash. Replace your dingy plastic tub with an old claw foot model. Replace handles, hinges and drawer pulls with their older, more rustic counterparts.

Containers. You never know when an old vase, flower pot or umbrella stand might come in handy as an indoor planter or other conversation piece. Sometimes all it needs is a good scrubbing and a little spray paint to become something brand new.

These are just a few ideas for turning old items into beautiful new decorations for your home. With a little time and imagination, you can turn almost anything into a vibrant conversation piece for your place.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/DNY59

The post Need Some Home Décor? Check Your Recycling Bin appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Bring your favorite cities into your apartment when you represent the best of these places in your apartment decor.

Start your apartment search today!

The parts of your city’s personality which you choose to bring indoors can give your apartment a look unlike any other. Find aspects of your new city or a favorite city to inspire your décor, whether it involves culture, history, climate or geography. Pulling together the details that stand out to you will make you feel closer to the places you cherish and pay homage to.

Identify local high points
Consider for a moment: what is the essence of where you live? Is your town defined by its location near the ocean, mountains or desert? Or maybe your city has an urban personality all its own, something like San Francisco’s bohemianism, Los Angeles’ luxury, Miami’s modernism or Charleston’s history.

Perhaps your district defines how you feel about living in your apartment. From Chinatown to the French Quarter, most cities offer a number of different atmospheres, depending on the part of town you’re in. To immerse yourself in those vibes, pick out what you feel are the most essential aspects of your hometown.

Your apartment as a stage
Now for the fun! Once you’ve chosen your city inspiration, it’s time to begin collecting your décor items. Here’s where your personal style and imagination can shine as you set the scene. Consider:

• Framed maps of favorite cities or neighborhoods

• Wall art that captures an iconic scene from the city

• Wall maps of the entire city

• Personal souvenirs, like metro tickets, menus, museum brochures or photographs

• Small statues, travel posters or whatever brings the city vibe into your apartment

You can be as original as your creativity allows. Collect fishing nets for your Maine apartment or theater posters for your Broadway bailiwick. The little details can go a long way to create your ideal city atmosphere.

Color your city
One dramatic way to underscore your city vibe is with color. Blue and white create the nautical atmosphere of Capri as easily as Catalina. Vivid reds and yellows can recall a European bistro, and black and white on chrome help create your ‘any city’ — a powerful backdrop to whatever town you’d like to emphasize with your unique décor items.

Pieces of your place
Gathering key furniture pieces that share city inspiration can give substance to your décor plan. Whether you find some Adirondack chairs for your Catskills-style retreat, remnants from an old textile mill for your Burlington apartment, or a sleek drafting table for your Silicon Valley digs, look for furniture items that represent your city’s past or present.

Embrace the exotic
Maybe your favorite city isn’t the one you live in, but, rather, a place you’ve lived before or that simply inspires you. Do you yearn for Budapest, Boston or Barcelona? Bring a piece of those places home. By collecting materials that harken to your favorite spot, you can create the atmosphere you love, though you may be thousands of miles away.

Apartment decorating with city inspiration can create a chic and appealing atmosphere. Conjuring a sense of specific place in your apartment adds to the sense that, when you are there, you are truly home.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Mikhail Zahranichny

The post Let Your City Inspire Your Decor appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Encourage your child to imagine and explore with an organized, creative playroom in your apartment.

Ideally, you’ll leave electronics, such as tablets, televisions and DVD players, out of this room so children can use their imagination, but you may opt to make the room a place where they can also watch movies, especially if you have an extra room to use as a playroom.

Start your apartment search today!

If you have just a corner of a room to spare, make sure it’s in a room that’s quieter than, say, where you watch television with your spouse, or his bedroom, where he’s encouraged to rest. Otherwise, your child might feel he doesn’t have the creative space to act out characters, make noises or draw the best picture ever. Set the corner apart by putting down a kid-minded rug and flank it with organizational pieces, such as shelves or toy boxes. Fill those with books, toys, board games and personal items your child has made, and set a play kitchen, workbench or giant chalkboard or marker board on an easel in the corner.

For those who have a whole room to spare, create a playroom with four basic elements, and provide your kid a place to sit and read, a table to work or draw, organizational pieces to teach how to tidy up and room to play.

Clutter control
Let’s face it, the real purpose of a playroom is to have a place to put all of your child’s stuff. Organize homework, clothes or hobbies with a day-of-the-week hanging organizer ($4.99), utilize overhead space for stuffed animals, bath toys or sports balls with a toy hammock net organizer ($7.99) and keep small pieces together with a few vintage organizer trays ($8.95 each). This Holly & Martin Paige organizer doubles as a craft desk ($199), and a wood bookcase and toy organizer ($149) matches any décor and grows with your child (go from storing toys to storing scarves, shoes, socks and books). Add a few inexpensive wall shelves, and your child will be putting his toys away in no time.

Kid-friendly flooring
In an apartment, you probably can’t replace the floor in any room. But you can spruce it up with primary colored carpet squares, animal and alphabet squares or rugs showcasing math, shapes, the alphabet, nature, maps or music. If the playroom has different stations, such as an area to read and an area to play, set them off with different colored rugs.

Tables and work spaces
Every kid needs a child-sized hard surface to draw on, measure things out or put crafts together on. For the budget-conscious, select an unfinished table and chairs and set aside a day for your child to paint them however he wants. This IKEA children’s table ($19) doubles as a seat and storage for toys, or you could go traditional with a sturdy wood table and two to four chairs, such as this Sauder Beginnings Kids Table and Stool Set from Wal-Mart ($49), which features open cubby storage on both ends for flat items such as puzzles and notepads, or a Tot Tutors Wood Table and Chair Set ($99.88), also from Wal-Mart.
Shy away from character-themed furniture, as you’ll want this furniture to grow with your child.

Seat options
Playrooms don’t mean children go non-stop in them. Give him a place to sit down and read a book with a space-themed printed chair ($44.98, from Target), or provide her with a spot to daydream with a pink polka-dotted rocker ($53, from Luxury Lamb). For gender-neutral seating, try a plush green or neutral chair ($99) from The Land of Nod, which has the option to be personalized with your child’s name. Don’t forget to include a throw pillow. Purchase a few bean bags or large pillows so your child’s playroom guests will feel comfy, too.

Fun additional ideas
If you have the space, create a true playroom by adding an indoor slide, funky curtains, decals, a tent, canopies, a kid-sized basketball hoop or even a giant umbrella to make the room seem truly unique. Frame different maps from atlases, colorful vintage record covers and artsy wall calendar cut-outs, and the room will be as visually interesting as it is imaginative.

The post How to Create a Kid’s Playroom appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Is your jewelry jumbled in a pile? Use our ideas to properly display (and show off) your jewelry.

Long necklaces, long earrings, studs, rings, bracelets and bangles…oh my! How do you organize your jewelry? Do you dump it all in a drawer or hang your necklaces around a door handle? Do you often lose one earring in a pair? We have a few suggestions for not only organizing your jewelry but also putting it on display. Below are a few unique do-it-yourself and repurposing projects to properly display (and show off) your beautiful jewelry.

Cheese Grater
Sounds strange, doesn’t it? This one is rather simple, but it’s an easy and unique way to display your earrings. You can make it your own by spray painting the grater with a color that goes well with your décor. First, spray paint the grater with a primer. Once it is completely dry, cover the grater with a color of spray paint that you like. Let that coat dry, and if needed, add an additional coat of spray paint. Use the holes to display your earrings.

Start your apartment search today!

Branch
This one is simple, and you can use supplies you may already have around your apartment. First, head outdoors and search for a small branch. Next, hammer smaller nails into the branch on the same side. To attach to your wall, hammer two larger, stronger nails into the wall, and prop the branch on the nails. Next, hang your necklaces from the nails on the branch.

Rake
To continue the theme of repurposing old items, enter the garden rake. Living in an apartment means not having to worry about raking leaves in the fall. So repurpose that old rake and turn it into a jewelry holder. Take a head of an old rake and clean it off. If you’re feeling spontaneous, prime and spray paint the rake to match your décor. Next, tie jute twine around the top part of the rake for extra earring storage. Mount the rake head with a screw onto the door of your closet or on the wall. Use this to hang your necklaces.

Knobs
Craft stores, antique markets and stores like Anthropologie all have collections of old door knobs, drawer knobs and drawer pulls. Install small knobs on the wall to hang your necklaces and bracelets. Select three or five different knobs that go with your décor to display your jewelry. Drawer pulls are perfect for rings and earrings.

Picture Frames
You have several options to display your jewelry using picture frames. One way to display your earrings is to attach picture wire to the back of a frame. Use an old frame, if possible, and repaint it with acrylic or spray paint. Attach picture hanging wire to the back of the frame with a staple gun. If you don’t have a staple gun, use small thumb tacks. Repeat this step several times until your frame is filled up. Space the rows about 2.25 inches apart. Place this on top of a dresser, chest of drawers or your bathroom counter.

Another option is to attach a peg board to the frame. Prime and spray the picture frame to match your décor. Next, attach a peg board to the inside of the frame with Gorilla glue, and apply some weight. If you want the peg board to be a different color, paint it before attaching it to the frame. Then, attach small accessories to the peg board, such as baskets and hangers. The baskets are useful for rings, bracelets and stud earrings. Use the hangers to display your necklaces.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/Hofmeester

The post DIY Unique Jewelry Displays appeared first on Apartment Living Tips - Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.