Decorate Your Studio Apartment with a Small Budget

So you'd like to decorate your studio apartment to reflect your personal style, but you realize that you can't dump a load of cash channeling your inner interior designer. Here are some tips about how you can maximize the personality of your studio apartment décor on a tiny budget.

1. Before you start decorating, make some plans. Think about how much stuff you have and how you'll store it or display it. Do you need a lot of cabinet space for all of your belongings or can you go with a sparser look? Go online and look up studio apartment decorating to get some ideas. Dominomag.com and apartmenttherapy.com have some great photos to give you a better idea of how to decorate. Additionally, remember that you have very limited space to work with! If you think that you may have too much stuff, then store it, or (even better) sell it! That way you can get additional money to decorate your studio apartment.

2. If you need new furniture items, do your research before you purchase anything. Loft beds may be a good idea, giving you lots more space to put in a desk or to further express your inner artist. Look for furniture that has multiple functions; trucks can hold extra stuff while doubling as coffee tables and stools can also function as end tables. Big items (like huge bookcases or wardrobes) may overwhelm your place, so look for pieces that are proportionate to your space.

3. You have several options when purchasing your studio apartment furniture. Ikea offers stylish and inexpensive furniture, but I suggest that you also look at other options. The Container Store has all kinds of neat and inexpensive pieces that will help you store your stuff. If you want to give your studio apartment a one of a kind look, check out your local vintage, thrift, and consignment stores for unique pieces. Ask friends and family if they're trying to unload any furniture.

4. Be creative with wall decorations! Posters are an inexpensive choice for people looking to decorate their studio apartments. To make them look nicer (and less like college dorm décor) you can frame them with cheap frames available in most art supplies stores. For posters that have unusual dimensions, you can look for do-it-yourself frames that enable you to choose the dimensions of the length and width. You can check them out at pictureframes.com. Look for posters that capture your personality. Monet posters are pretty but everyone has owned at least one Monet poster. Many museums offer unframed posters of their works for a reasonable price.

You can use a bulletin board to display photos and other memorabilia for a great personal touch to your studio apartment. Paint or decorate the bulletin board to add even more color and personality. Photos are another way to personalize your wall space. Target and Kmart offer inexpensive wall frames that hold multiple photos for a reasonable price. If you and your loved ones aren't photogenic, then post cards are a good alternative. Lastly, to find cheap original wall art, look at vintage and consignment stores for cheap paintings, or check out etsy.com to see some fun and handcrafted items.

5. If you want to create separate partitions or add some privacy to your studio, look into paper or wood screens to divide your room. Tall cabinets or bookshelves can also work as room dividers.

6. Don't feel like you have to get rid of all of your personal collections (such as beloved books or trinkets) when you move into your studio apartment. Display these items in your studio with pride, but you may need to show off only the most beloved items in your collection. Grouping items also minimizes space while making a strong statement as opposed to equally distributing them all through your studio apartment.

Finding stylish and cheap apartment décor for your studio apartment is a challenge, but it doesn't have to be a chore. Enjoy the process; this is your chance to express yourself. Have fun!