Have you got the budget blues? It really should be a four letter word shouldn’t it? And it doesn’t matter if you’re good at budgeting or bad at it, it’s noone’s favourite activity.
How do you approach your personal budget?
a/ I have a comprehensive budget set up in dynamic Excel spreadsheets and stick to it each week.
b/ I have a basic budget set up in Excel but never look at it.
c/ I have something that resembles a budget written on the back of an envelope.
d/ Budget? What budget?
Look, we get that it’s tricky to make your home beautiful when you’re juggling all those bills, but a budget line for ‘Home’ will really make your well-earned money go a long way.
But if you really want to make your money go as far as it can around the home, it’s important to avoid overspending and instead get your head around affordable apartment decorating ideas.
Shake away those blues. Here you’ll discover how to create atmosphere, play with colour and master the finishing touches. Onwards and upwards!
Create Atmosphere
You’ve got your own apartment. It’s time to adult.
It’s OK. Adulting doesn’t mean being boring. It just means discarding the smaller ornaments, the older art pieces and the ordinary furniture and giving everything a bit of a shake up – a large signature ornament; a fresh piece of inspirational art; and a few gorgeous vintage pieces.
You can also be decadent on a budget by choosing two colours in a room and sticking with those two colours or lighting up the night with lamps and lanterns.
1. Display signature pieces
ADULTING: Be selective with ornaments and artwork and realise that bigger is better like this ‘Swimming’ print – a perfect complement to this copper fish ornament.
2. Be decadent where it counts
LIVE IT UP: To create a luxury look, combine simple pieces of furniture with some ornate touches such as this ‘Moonshine Seascape’ art piece from our Bedroom collection.
3. Use art to raise your mood
LIFT YOUR SPIRITS: Budget woes? Don’t worry, be happy with this inspirational art quote ‘Be Happy’, a fun addition to brighten a bedroom.
4. Add a vintage twist
OLD CHARM: Pop along to an op shop and find that single chair that screams vintage then get into the style with a classic lamp and this sweet ‘Music And Birds’ wall print.
5. Light up the night
From HomeDIT
CHOOSE MOOD: Use multiple paper or glass lanterns and lamps to create a romantic ambience.
Play With Colour
The great thing about decorating an apartment on a budget is that, when it comes to colour, you can’t really go wrong.
You can choose to splash, clash or match and no matter what choice you make the risk of getting it wrong is pretty low. That’s the beauty of colour.
And if you’re expecting a healthy tax refund, this will inspire you to get your tax done early – a tiled metal kitchen splashback. OK, so we realise this isn’t the most affordable idea in this blog, but you’ve got to dream right?
6. Make a splash
COLOUR BURST- Bring a lounge alive by adding citrus cushions and throws, a wonderful complement to this ‘Tuscany Sunset’ print.
7. Brave the clash
DAREDEVIL: Don’t feel pressure to match your existing decor. Clash patterns and colours using rugs, cushions, lamps and this ‘Triangle Treat’ pattern print.
8. Go crazy with colour
INTENSITY: Use pops of colour to add impact! For a retro-inspired feel we love the summer vibe of ‘Day Tripper’.
9. Mix it up
From Apartment Therapy
PURE GENIUS: To get this ‘matching but not’ look, do the op shop rounds and find odd styled chairs for your kitchen table then paint them all the same colour.
10. Bring bling to the kitchen
From ImproveNet
FLASHY: Get kooky in the kitchen and splash out on a metallic tiled splashback – just don’t tell your accountant!
Do Finishing Touches
While we’ve called these ‘finishing touches’ many of them are actually essentials and may very well be things you do first rather than last when investing in redecorating your apartment.
They’re all really easy to apply – some simple, beautiful ideas like adding a mirror or a plant or some seashells and some practical DIY ideas like adding storage.
11. Keep things light
LIGHTEN UP: Temper a space by choosing furniture that blends into the interior – the white couch appears dreamy on the white floors and walls while the wall art ‘Tropical Leaves’ blends into the plant and timber furniture.
12. Create more space
REFLECTION: Create more space by adding a strategically placed mirror and add a sense of the infinite with this ‘Soft Blue Diamonds’ pattern print.
13. Relax and go green
CHILL: Sit back in your indoor hammock (or seat of choice) and enjoy the tranquility that comes with bringing the outdoors in – a few plants and this ‘Lily Pond’ art print.
14. Embrace nature
COOL OFF: Use shells and other beach bounty to create a serene seaside scene then top it off with this ‘Shells And Starfish’ vintage style print.
15. Master the practical
From Style Caster
QUAINT: Practical doesn’t have to mean ugly, so recycle that old step ladder and put it to good use in the bathroom.
16. Give your entry some attention
From Apartment Therapy
TIDY UP: Layer your entry with boxes and hooks where you and your guests can hang their everyday wear. Then to make it look pretty, throw in a few cute additions – books, plants and ornaments.
Decorating design tips for small apartments
If you’re living in the city or have just downsized out of your large home, congratulations on taking the leap into small living! You’re not the only one. As space is increasingly at a premium in Australia, apartment living is all about living life to the fullest – without the need for an enormous living space. Of course, you certainly have some challenges when it comes to getting the most out of your smaller apartment.
One of the most important aspects of any small living space is to maximise the ‘feeling’ of openness. The last thing you want is to feel cramped or claustrophobic where you live. At Wall Art Prints, we offer a wide variety of prints in all shapes and sizes so no matter how much wall space you have, you also have a great choice of beautiful pieces of art.
There are all sorts of visual methods you can use to help open up your smaller square meterage into an airy and comfortable living space, beyond what you hang on your walls. A great starting point for some handy hints and tips from the experts is this recent article on ’Small Apartment Ideas: Clever Colour & Lighting Tips’.
