9 Interior Styling Hacks That’ll Make Your Shitty Apartment Look Stylish AF

9 Interior Styling Hacks That’ll Make Your Shitty Apartment Look Stylish AF

And it won’t cost you a fortune.

Like most of my friends, I live in a tiny apartment.

It’s the trade-off most of us 20-somethings have to deal with if we want to live in a somewhat nice, central area that doesn’t require a three-hour commute to work every day.

So until we get the big promotion we’ve been working our butts off for, or win the lottery, we might as well make the most off our basic AF homes.

Decluttering is always a good start, but it’s also about decorating smart. As the founder of super stylish homeware brand Neue Blvd, Christie Turvey knows a thing or two about interior design. While she recommends investing in a few timeless key pieces in your apartment, Turvey also says creating a stylish space doesn’t have to be pricey.

With these simple decorating hacks, anyone can turn their apartment into a space you’ll actually like to come home to…

1. Hang floor to ceiling curtains

Curtains not only give you privacy, they also instantly make a room look more homely and luxe. It’s important to hang them high though, instead of right above the window. You can create the optical illusion of higher (read: more expensive) windows by simply mounting a curtain rail about a foot above where the actual windows ends.

“Floor to ceiling curtains make a space feel instantly elegant and give the illusion of higher ceilings,” Turvey explains.

2. Decorate with big cushions

Bigger actually is better when it comes to pimping out your pad. Instead of having many smaller cushions, which can create a cheaper, more cluttered look, invest in just two or three large, plush ones to spruce up your living room and add instant luxe factor. Fluff them in the morning and place them in the corners of your sofa for a polished look.

3. Replace the handles on your cupboards

If you don’t have money for new cupboards (or are currently saving it to splurge on H&M’s new Kenzo collection), trading out the crappy old handles for some on-trend chrome or bronze ones will make a huge difference without the big price tag. To remove the old ones and install the new ones, usually all that’s needed is a screwdriver and a couple of hours one weekend for a chic kitchen makeover.

3. Hang art in unexpected places

Hanging artwork on a wall is nice, but hanging it in front of a bookshelf is taking it to the next level. Not only will it instantly draw people’s attention to the piece of art, but it will also make your bookshelf seem one-of-a-kind – even if it’s from Ikea.

4. Paint your doors black

Seriously, paint them black. Especially if your walls are a light shade, the contrast of black doors will look stylish AF. Moreover, “black doesn’t show up marks and fingerprints,” Turvey notes, plus it’s a commonly used hue by interior stylists in decked-out penthouse apartments, so it’ll instantly make your apartment look more expensive.

5. Create a frame feature wall

Instead of having frames scattered throughout your apartment, hang them all in one area to create a feature wall that will completely transform your room. Don’t worry too much about symmetry, instead, use different size frames and mix and match different shapes.

6. Get a nice tablecloth

If you don’t like your dining table but don’t want to splurge on a new one, covering it with a good quality tablecloth will solve that problem. Forget the crochet style your grandma used and opt for a monochrome linen cloth instead for a modern look. Try scouring op shops before you hit up the department stores too, you’ll be surprised by what you can find.

7. Revamp your old lampshades

To create a unique, stylish lampshade, brush some textile glue on the inside of the shade before adding loose glitter, let it set, then use some spray sealer (hairspray will also do the trick) to keep the glitter from flaking off. Not only does this look super cool, but the glitter will reflect the light giving, it a disco-ball effect.

8. Try just a patch of wallpaper

There’s no need to splurge on wallpapering an entire room. A patterned wallpaper mounted in one corner of a room will instantly change the look of it.

“This is such an easy way to make a statement feature, and easily adds a sense of drama to any space,” says Turvey.

The best part? Most wallpaper stores sell off-cuts for less than a third of the price of purchasing whole roles, so hit up your local store and see what you can find.

9. Decorate with mirrors

Stop thinking of mirrors as functional pieces and instead, use them as decorative pieces throughout your apartment.

“Especially if you are working with a small room, mirrors create the illusion of more space and instantly add a touch of glamour,” Turvey explains.

Images via pinterest.com, scstylecaster.com.

Comment: Do you have a cheap decorating trick to share?

Original article and pictures take shesaid.com site