How to Improve Your First Apartment

Are you moving into your first apartment after college? Or are you moving in from a different city or country? Whichever your case is, you must be scratching your head, wondering how you can make your first apartment look elevated and cozy. Finding the apartment you want is exciting and rewarding but brings many new tasks you’ve never done before.

Furnishing an entire home from scratch is always a daunting process, no matter how experienced one is as a homeowner. You might know what you want, you may have all the décor ideas, but then your wallet throws a spanner in the works. This article will help you choose decorative accents that reflect your taste and personality and keep you within budget.

Be informed when choosing your siding.

Will the landlord be replacing the siding and has offered you the opportunity to help them make the right selections? You have many options for siding replacements, all depending on your preferences and budget. They include:

• Fiber-cement siding: Great for a beautiful, low maintenance home. This siding option is resistant to weather, so you can bet that your home will be warm and cozy all year round. Fiber-cement siding is also resistant to insects and flame spread.
• Wood siding: Enjoy the beauty and character of wood in a variety of textures and thicknesses. What’s more, wood can be painted virtually any color to increase its longevity and beauty.

If you want to increase your home or apartment’s value on top of making it elevated and cozy, you can replace your windows during the siding replacement to fit your personal needs.

Ceiling and wall painting are critical.

Create a cozy living environment in your home by picking a classic off-white color. Creamy white is always perfect as a backdrop for any living room décor and design. You can also go for a warm mustard yellow for a classic appeal and a peaceful glow to your space.

Note that bright yellow walls aren’t very appealing for your living rooms, but you can bet that a dark shade of yellow will make your space the envy of every visitor. If you intend to bring in a relaxing vibe into the home, soft, light shades of blue would be your perfect choice.

You can follow more apartment decorating tips in this excellent resource as well. Your paint colors can certainly have an effect on how cozy your apartment will feel.

Pick the right furniture.

Cozy doesn’t have to be pricey and/or gigantic. Only choose appropriately scaled furniture for your first apartment so that you don’t end up with a cluttered space. Minimal furniture might leave your space looking off and amateurish. You want to have pieces that fit perfectly in your available space for your décor game to be perfect.

Picking dual-purpose furniture would be another option so that you don’t need to furnish the TV area, the dining area, the home “office,” and the seating area with different furniture. You can use the same recliners, for example, in every area in the room. Furniture that can serve as extra storage for clothes, say under the bed, will also help you save on space if you’re short on closet or shelf space.

Pay attention to lighting.

Home automation makes life easier and can maximize indoor comfort. One way of doing that is by installing smart lighting, e.g., motion-sensitive lighting. Install colored smart bulbs to make your small apartment appear bigger than it actually is whenever you have guests late in the day.

While at it, incorporate your home security into your lighting system. “Home automation is definitely an investment that will establish a cozy and warm ambiance and the security you need every time you’re away.” – say experts from Cold Air Central.

Remodel the kitchen

Being one of your home’s most important aspects, you cannot afford to settle for a low-standard kitchen. First apartment kitchens are mostly underwhelming because most landlords install low-quality materials with the renter in mind. Ask your landlord for permission to remodel the kitchen, at least to personalize it a little bit. You know, upgrade your space with hardware and paint, probably change a few countertops and cabinetry, and bring in a few green products.

To make your kitchen greener literally, you can grow some plants or even condiments and seasonings of your choice if you’d like to have more organic food. Place the plants in the area of the kitchen that gets the most sunlight exposure.

However, if your kitchen doesn’t get enough light for your greens to grow, you can get some grow lights to stimulate their growth and even plan for some more elaborate indoor gardening in other spaces inside your home. Plants will add a certain layer of warmth and comfort to your apartment.

Bathroom updating is smart.

Accent your bathroom with pretty but useful items if you find it tired and not-so-functional. Invest in fresh bath linens and other bath accessories. Remodel a bit to add wall storage and probably a vanity mirror. Start by renovating the shower, and then continue up to the tiniest details. There are endless bathroom remodeling ideas. Your budget can only limit you.

Create space in the bedroom.

If you don’t have a closet, buy a wardrobe. If you don’t have enough space for a full-on nightstand, acquire a wall-mounted nightstand. Enhance your organization by hanging shoes on the door. Anything that will help you maximize the available bedroom space.

Final thoughts on having a great apartment

It is normal for your new apartment to feel a little cold and lonely, sometimes bizarre. It will take your effort to make it warm and to reflect your personality. You can beat the first night cold by adding extra comfy throw pillows, area rugs, and lots of blankets.

About the author: The above article on improving your first apartment was written by Denise Wilson. Denise Wilson is an interior designer. Other than that, she also works for many established websites. She likes to write about topics related to interior design while using personal experiences as a guide to reaching different audiences.