First Apartment DIY Decorating Projects
Do-It-Yourself Interior Projects that are Quick and Easy
Apr 29, 2009
Whether you’re a teen and finally getting the chance to decorate your own room, a college kid looking to add some life to a drab dorm room, or someone trying to personalize a first apartment, these DIY interior decorating tips can help you do just that.
Different Lighting
Many rooms come with overhead lighting that is harsh and unappealing. Buy some inexpensive lamps for your room and decorate them yourself. Paint the base of the lamp your favorite color or add embellishments that make it flashy and exciting. Find a plain lampshade and decorate it as well. Use an adhesive or buy a lamp that already has an adhesive to drape the lampshade in fabric or ribbons or photocopied images.
Artwork
Canvases are actually rather inexpensive in the grand scheme of things and many craft stores offer huge discount coupons regularly. Purchase a huge canvas (or build one yourself) and paint it a solid color to add a splash of color to a wall that you’re not allowed to paint. Buy several canvasses in different sizes and piece them together to create one massive work of art. You can paint the small canvasses different colors, paint a mosaic style scene or get some iron-on copy paper and add your favorite images.
Rethink Curtains
Replace the current curtains with ones you’ve made yourself with fabric that speaks to you. You can easily make no-sew curtains, but a little skill with a needle and thread doesn’t hurt. Don’t just stop with the curtain, come up with an unusual curtain rod like a painted bamboo rod, a birch tree limb, a fishing pole, a ski pole, anything that fits your personality and decorating sense.
Find New Old Furniture
Scour garage sales and thrift stores for old furniture that has good bones, or that is solid, sturdy and functions well. Then go crazy and decorate this furniture in a way that appeals to you. Turning old furniture into new pieces is fairly easy, you can paint or distress wood furniture. Metal pieces can also be repainted or sprayed with a metallic finish to give them new appeal. Wicker is especially fun to work with as you can paint it a neutral color and then treat it like a canvas and add geometric shapes for visual interest.
Add Mirrors
Use mirrors as a decorating tool, hang several to make the space seem larger, use a collection of small mirrors in place of large ones. But don’t simply leave your mirrors as they are, give them a bit of mystery and intrigue by using stencils and etching spray or paint.
The real key to adding a bit of personality to your bedroom, dorm room, or first apartment decorating scheme is keeping your personal interests in mind. Don’t get too caught up in what somebody else did and then try to replicate it, but rather take other design ideas and turn them into your own by infusing your hobbies, treasures, and activities into your decorating scheme.
Wall of Mirrors
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