Tackling New Home Blues by Redecorating Your Apartment

Guest Post

Feeling homesick? Here’s how you can sweep away new-home blues with colors and patterns!

I was around twenty-one when I started living on my own – it’s been five years since and I’ve learned so much in the time that I have been setting up my very own apartment. When I first moved in, all those happy and excited thoughts of my own private space melted away once I was left with a whitewashed canvas in front of me.

I realized that I just didn’t know how to do up my house to reflect the happy person that I was. Over five years of trial and error, I can finally say that I have extended my own personality into my apartment and have gotten several compliments for my creativity (thanks, guys!).

Here is how you can do up your house/personal space and invite happiness into your apartment –

• Step One: Keep a mix of brighter and sober colors on your walls

Everyone has got their own preferences when it comes to the color of their walls, but it is a good idea to choose a mix of bright and pastel colors while you’re at it. If you’re allowed to paint your walls, set up an accent wall with a bright color as a contrast to the other pastel-colored walls. As an alternative, use paint chips or temporary wallpaper made from a mixture of liquid starch and fabric. With that done, you’ve completed the first step of giving an interesting look to your apartment.

• Step Two: Add a statement piece

You can go a step further and highlight your accent wall with a bold statement piece such as a lamp or a gilded mirror. Floor lamps are great for lighting up shady sections or breaking up large rooms, and they come in various shapes and sizes. Use small lamps in accent colors to give your personal touch to the room on warm evenings. On the other hand, mirrors reflect light and space, thus providing a spacious feel to the area.

• Step Three: Keep things interesting

Your home is a reflection of your personality, so add items that show who’s the boss of the apartment. Arrange bric-a-brac at the corners – you can use handmade bowls, statement vases (preferably with fake flowers), a fruit bowl, figurines, and books. You can spice up any area of the house such as TV units, bookshelves, bedside/coffee tables, and countertops – and use jewel colors to add a royal color to the room.

• Step Four: Use plants!

Potted plants add a whole new look to your room – even if you’re not good with them! Potted plants come very cheap and don’t need much care and brighten up your room – the more, the merrier!

• Step Five: Repurpose old junk

When you’re moving, you will find some things that you’re going to end up throwing into the trash can. An old picture frame can become a tray with trinkets on your coffee table, while wooden wine crates can be installed on the wall to make shelves for lesser-used articles. Think creative.

• Step Six: Furnishings!

If you’re not a very ‘color-savvy’ person, brighten up the area with colorful carpet with interesting patterns. Most apartments come with a basic carpet, while area rugs can be used near your couch or bed, by a desk or under a stylish coffee table. On the other hand, choose curtains that match your temperament if you’re bored of regular blinds in your apartment. Experiment with various colors, textures, and patterns for extra personality vibes!

• Step Seven: Invest in some high-quality hardware

When you’re just setting up your new apartment, you suddenly discover that you are short of drawer pulls and cabinet handles. Invest in good-quality stainless steel hardware, and you can always take them with you when you move to a second apartment.

• Step Eight: Reuse… or donate!

Please don’t store junk at home. If you just can’t repurpose stuff, throw them out or donate them to a nearby shelter. Organize the stuff that you need in their proper places, and maintain the same. Begin your brand-new independent life the clean, happy and presentable way!

As you delve into setting up your first apartment, you’ll see that your creativity will conquer your homesickness over time. After all, you learn to cook your own dinner, make your own bed and keep your apartment spring-clean – on your own!
So, get up and get going!