Collage Art

When it comes time to decorate your living space, you will need to work with some serious constraints. These could include space restrictions and landlord rules to a lack of funds, these impediments can make home décor choices difficult, but there are some things you can do to overcome the obstacles.

Here are 10 smart decorating tips to make your space feel like home.

1. Make your furniture multitask. You have learned to multitask, and so should your furniture. That set of storage drawers can do double duty as an end table, and the ottoman you prop your feet on can also store extra towels and blankets. Then simply add an art collage on top and you’ve got style!

2. Measure your space before you buy furnishings. Your first apartment will only have so much space, so choose your furniture accordingly. That huge sectional sofa may not fit in the available space, but a cozy love seat will fit just fine.

3. Light things up. Great lighting is essential for your first apartment, so look for ways to light things up and brighten those dark spaces. From task lighting on your desk to pole lamps in your reading nook, these extra touches can transform your first apartment.

4. Bring in the greenery. You will be surprised at the difference a few plants will make, so bring in the green and watch your apartment pop. From vases filled with fresh flowers to potted plants and even trees, plants will spruce up your space and make it your own.

5. Transform your walls with removable wallpaper and and a wall art collage. If you are renting an apartment, it limits your decorating options, but you still have control over what goes on your walls. Removable wallpaper is the perfect solution for apartment dwellers, making creating a new look simple and landlord friendly.

6. Personalize your space with a collage art photo gallery. Family photos can transform the bare walls of your first apartment into a stunning gallery. Collage frames are particularly great for this purpose, but you can choose any design that strikes your fancy.

7. Scour the thrift shops for great art at a great price. Whether you favor contemporary art or something more traditional, you will be surprised at what you can find at thrift stores and other resale venues.

8. Use DIY decorating to transform secondhand furniture and make it pop. Filling your first apartment with hand-me-down furniture and thrift store finds is a great way to save money, especially if you personalize those pieces. DIY decorating can transform those neutral furnishings into pieces of personal art, so you can express your creativity and personal style.

9. Make the most of your space with sculpted mirrors. Mirrors create the illusion of space, but not all reflective surfaces are created equal. Sculpted mirrors can double as art objects, creating a beautiful new look for your first apartment.

10. Maximize your storage space with wall-mounted hooks. From pots and pans in the kitchen to bikes in the living room, storage hooks can make your life easier by maximizing the space you have available.

Moving into your new home is a momentous occasion, marking the transition into a new chapter. But decorating in style and on a budget is not always easy, and some creativity is definitely in order. The tips listed above can help you transform your boring space into a thing of beauty, so you can be proud of the space you call your own.