Apartment Decorating 101

If you're living in an apartment don't think you can't make your rented home your castle! You don't have to spend a lot of money or be a master decorator to create an environment you can be proud to show your friends and family.

Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Your space may be small, so take advantage of space saving decorating ideas like using items for both storage and decoration. Old vintage suitcases are ideal as accent tables and can also hold items you just can't give up, like your collection of prom corsages, boxes of photographs and other assorted memorabilia or keepsakes.

A great source of artwork may be available at your local library. That's right. If you have a library card you may have access to paintings from the greatest artists of all times right in your own home. Well, copies of famous paintings! Paintings are often loaned out for one to three months at a time. Enjoy the art and when you're ready for something new exchange it!

Thrift stores and dumpster diving have been elevated to an art in recent years. So don't be shy about driving through your neighborhood on the night before "big trash pickup" day. Small tables, dressers and such that may not look so great naked can be dressed up with a coat of paint or a cloth covering and function for many more years to come.

Can't paint your walls? Most rental apartments are drab variations of basic white and don't allow tenants to do their own painting. In that case, purchase inexpensive colored or printed sheets. Keep the pattern simple or you'll have a hard time coordinating accessories. Don't worry about the thread count since you won't be sleeping on them! Then, make one wall an accent wall and tack the sheet up with small nails. This creates a cozy look that can also be changed whenever the mood strikes!

Bring a little of the outdoors inside. Even without a green thumb or appendage of any kind, you can find hearty and inexpensive indoor plants that can take quite a bit of neglect before kicking the planter! Too many fake plants with colored blooms though, can make a small place look like a mortuary. So stick with real green plants or realistic looking silk plants with neutral colored flowers.

If you won't feel at home without a little clutter, then give it an easy place to hide when guests come over. Set aside one empty box in the closet to slide accumulated mail, paperwork, etc. into for safekeeping until the coast is clear again.

In a word, mirrors. Inexpensive ones can be found in most discount stores and thrift and used furniture stores. Used by decorators of the most posh homes, mirrors can instantly enlarge a room. Be careful though to find a reflection you'll want to see again and again.

Your apartment, no matter how small or temporary, can still reflect the inner you with a little bit of effort. Use the resources you have, throw in a little creativity and make your apartment into the cozy castle you deserve!