Homeworks Interior Design

Apartment decorating ideas often involve working around features you can’t change. For example, if you can’t add patterned tile to a bathroom, opt for accents that mirror the hue of the walls.

If your neutral wall palette feels flat, bring in a pop of color with pillows and throw blankets. Color also travels well, so consider a colorful garden stool as a coffee table that can be moved from room to room.

Living Room

Whether your apartment is big or small, you can create a gorgeous and inviting space with some shrewd interior design ideas. One of the most important elements is creating a seating area where guests can relax and enjoy your company.

To make the most of your living room, think beyond a traditional sofa set. Use a sectional with built-in seating to create a more social setting that can accommodate everyone in your group. Or, tuck a comfy upholstered bench into an alcove, paired with a couple of chairs and a side table to add more places for people to sit. Then, frame the TV on the wall and hang a gallery of framed artwork to create a chic display.

For many renters, it’s a challenge to paint or wallpaper an apartment since those are typically off limits. However, recent innovations like peel-and-stick wallpaper have made it much easier to bring color and pattern into your apartment. This Tempaper x Genevieve Gorder print is on-trend and neutral enough to work in almost any style apartment, and it can easily be removed when you move.

If you have a limited budget for decor, consider ways to transform existing features. An ugly overhead light can be updated with a delicate pendant that’s a little more sophisticated and less dated. And, a plain window seat can become an entertainment station with the addition of a well-styled bar cart that doubles as storage. In this boho-style NYC apartment from K Shan Design, the vintage rattan bar cart holds drinkware, black-and-white photography and plants for an inviting focal point in the dining room.

In an open-plan apartment, it can be difficult to define separate spaces visually. Instead of a row of matching framed paintings, try filling the walls with a textured fabric or woven rug that will help to ground and define the space. The round dining table in this Lindye Galloway designed dining room also helps to give the space a more cohesive look, as does the circular coir mat that defines the seating area.

If you have a limited amount of floor space, use vertical surfaces for practical storage and to showcase decor pieces. These floating shelves are easy to install on a wall and come in a variety of finishes that can complement most decor styles. Plus, they’re a great place to store extra throw pillows, which you can switch out for different ones seasonally or whenever the mood strikes.

Bedroom

When it comes to modern apartment design, lighting is key. It determines the color on your walls and how you see the space, affecting everything from paint to wall decor. One way to keep your apartment brighter is by choosing mirrored and metallic decor, which doubles the amount of light. Other ideas for spicing up a dark bedroom include creating a unique headboard or nightstand with an unusual shape and incorporating sconces on the wall or hanging a ceiling decal to create a mural effect.

Aim for simplicity and elegance when decorating your apartment bedroom. A busy room can be distracting and interfere with your ability to get a good night’s sleep. If you have the budget, invest in a luxuriously upholstered bed that also doubles as a cozy seating area. For those with more limited funds, a simple wooden bed frame with a sleek white finish or neutral fabric upholstery is a stylish choice that won’t crowd the room.

Make sure to consider all the potential uses of your apartment bedroom before deciding on a layout and furniture. For example, a Murphy bed is a great space-saving idea for a small apartment that can transform into a desk and seat in an instant. In addition, a dresser with sliding doors can be used as a nook for a window, doubling as a bedside table.

Ensure the safety and comfort of your family members by ensuring your apartment bedroom is outfitted with proper windows. In some cases, this may involve modifying an existing window to accommodate a larger opening or adding a custom skylight, like the one added in this bright modern apartment bedroom by Decorilla designer Tiara M.

Apartments with lots of natural light often have oversized windows and lofty ceilings that call for bold window dressings, while those with fewer windows and more modest floorplans require simpler blinds or curtains. For the latter, opt for a translucent fabric that allows light to filter in during the day but provides privacy at night.

Having limited space to work with doesn’t mean you can’t have an inspired apartment bathroom. A clever trick is to use patterned carpeting as a design element that ties the rest of the room together. Here, a blue-patterned rug sets the stage for the room’s second accent color—cheer yellow bedding and curtains.

Bathroom

Apartment living may be more limited than the spacious homes that often inspire it, but this doesn’t have to limit your decorating style. If you’re willing to get creative, you can decorate a swoon-worthy apartment that’s full of world-class storage, color schemes that work room-to-room and a sense of fluidity across the space. From zoning to using illusions, these apartment design ideas will help you create a truly one-of-a-kind home.

A mirrored bathroom is a small apartment decorating trick that’s big on style. These modern floor mirrors feature on-trend curvy frames and come in a variety of finishes to match any decor style. They also instantly make any room feel larger by reflecting light and increasing perspective. The same effect can be achieved with a wall of well-styled decor pieces like this boho style apartment bathroom from K Shan Design.

Creating a cozy and comfortable bathroom can be challenging in an apartment, especially when wall space is limited. However, this can be easily solved with a skirted table that doubles as both style and storage. This smart apartment idea works in the bedroom to hide shoes and handbags underneath, but it can be used as a dining room table or entryway solution too.

The most important apartment design tip is to use the space you have to its full potential. For example, a narrow nook can be turned into a cozy seating area with a tufted sofa and plush throw pillows. It can even be a place to display your favorite book collection or house plants. Similarly, an awkward window can be framed by a built-in bookshelf to add a pop of character.

While a light and bright color scheme is usually a failsafe choice, dark colors can be a useful accent in certain areas. In rooms that will be largely used at night or in spaces that lack natural light, choosing a neutral paint with warm undertones can create the ambiance you want without making the space feel cramped and dark.

Another apartment decorating trick is to opt for a single flooring type throughout the entire space. This keeps the look clean and cohesive, which is especially helpful in open plan apartments. This minimal flooring idea can be augmented with large area rugs to define spaces and break up the visual flow.

Entryway

Decorating an apartment with style requires more forethought than designing a house. After all, you may be limited in what changes you can make to your space by leasing restrictions or your community’s rules. Fortunately, there are some smart apartment design ideas that can give you the look of a designer-curated home, even when your apartment decorating budget is tight.

Apartments often have cookie-cutter layouts that are hard to personalize, but with a bit of creativity and design know-how you can make your space feel totally your own. Take advantage of a few key apartment design tips, including great storage that makes use of vertical space, savvy wall colors, and open-plan zones that carefully balance furniture and décor to create distinct rooms.

One of the best apartment interior design ideas to add a personal touch is to set up your own dropzone in the entryway. Choose a stylish coat rack that offers a spot to hang hats and scarves, then fill it with hooks for backpacks and purses. A streamlined shelf offers a surface to place grab-and-go items like sunglasses and keys, or you can use a mirrored tray for last-minute makeup touch-ups before heading out the door.

If your budget is tight, try using simple shelving to show off a collection of decorative objects or mementos. Basic wood shelves arranged in a staggered fashion serve as an attractive display option and, best of all, aren’t permanent, so you can easily change the arrangement without making new holes in your apartment walls.

Minimalism is a popular apartment decorating idea that can be both practical and stylish. Choosing minimal apartment decor allows you to showcase pieces that reflect your personality and experience, while eliminating excess clutter that can cause stress. You can also try to incorporate the minimalist aesthetic in your apartment by using space-maximizing storage solutions, such as built-in closet systems, pull-out bathroom cabinets, and skirted tables that double as a bedroom storage solution for shoes or handbags.

When it comes to modern apartment designs, the possibilities are endless. If you’re unsure which style to go with, it helps to have a clear understanding of some of today’s most popular trends. To help, this useful rundown of 13 popular apartment design styles includes pictures and descriptions to help you narrow down your options.