When we move into a new apartment, we usually have invested in security deposits. Decorating can come with a price tag. But there are so many low-cost ways to decorate on a dime. Here are some fun and creative ideas.
[toc]An Indoor Window Herb Garden
Spray white paint over some small clay pots. Let the terracotta pots dry in air. Then paint their lower part with silver paint. You can use rubber bands around the clay pots to make perfect bands. Let the second coat of paint dry as well. Then fasten jute rope around the clay pots. Put dirt inside each. Plant the herbs you like in each terracotta pot. At this point, you can add plant markers too if you plant seeds instead of plants. Fix wooden dowels across the windowpane using hooks. Hang the pots with jute rope slings. Enjoy fresh herbs every day. The view will also make you happy. This garden is perfect for small apartments. Because having a garden is a far fetched thought in an apartment. And even a balcony is a luxury in some. So, you can always make use of the window. By hanging the herb pots by a window, you won’t have to worry about enough sunlight. Your herbs can thrive easily.
Here are some tips for decorating a studio apartment on a budget – IKEA hacks included
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A Wood Crate TV Console for Your Apartment
Sometimes in rented apartments, it is not possible to mount the TV on the wall. In such homes, storage is also a need. So, you can abide by the rule while boosting storage. Make a TV stand of wood crates. This way the walls and home both will be tidy. Take 4 to 6 crate boxes. Join them with screws. Place the TV on top of the console created. Fill the cubbies with anything you like.
You might like this version of a wood crate TV stand too
Washi Tape Wall Art in Your Apartment
A highly affordable wall art idea is the use of washi tapes. They come in all sizes and colors. You can do so many creative things over your walls. Either cover the whole wall with bold stripes or make a pattern. You can use washi tape on doors too.
Here is a washi tape geometric wall decor tutorial
DIY Marble Contact Paper Countertops
Give your kitchen countertops a brand new look with contact paper. With proper installation, it will look almost real. This idea is also rental-friendly. In a rented apartment, you can’t make permanent changes. So, use contact paper instead.
Here is a tutorial to marble contact paper countertops
A Small Sectional Sofa
Apartment living rooms are usually small. But you can still decorate your small living room cozily. Just layer a sectional sofa over a comfy rug. Put a small coffee table in the middle. Add a TV console and a planter. That’s all. You need not go too fancy schmancy. You can add a floor lamp if you want to.
Chairs Makeover with Spray Paint
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Are your dining chairs too good to let go? If yes, then you can refresh them with some paint. This way, you can save a lot. And reuse the chairs, for many more years. Paint them all in one color. Or paint them in a rainbow of colors. Whatever floats your boat.
DIY Washi Tape Light Switch Covers
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This one is an easy-peasy project. If simple things are boring for you, then try this. If the light switch cover is white, then decorate it with washi tapes. Remove the light switch cover carefully. Cover the whole board with washi tapes. Cut the switch holes using a cutter. Apply mod podge glue over the tapes with a sponge brush. Once the glue dries, fix the switchboard back.
DIY Temporary Fabric Wallpaper For Apartment
Anything of permanent nature is a far fetched thought in a rental. But that never means you have to make a compromise on style. There are always some ways. If you want to wallpaper your rental home walls, then there is one solution. You can use textiles instead of regular wallpaper. You will only need liquid starch to stick the desired fabric to the wall. You can prepare that glue easily by cooking cornstarch in water.
A Corner Shoe Rack
Space is a luxury in small apartments. But you can still keep it organized. If your entryway stays cluttered with shoes, then here is a solution. Install square floating shelves vertically in any corner. Alternatively, you can install floating shelves in V shape for each shoe pair. Both of these ideas will work well in limited area entryways.
More: 14 Best Yarn Storage Ideas That Works
A DIY Lampshade
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Spice up a simple lampshade for your bedroom. You can do that in very little time with a lampshade decorating kit. The kit has an adhesive styrene film and other materials. Just cut the sheet according to your desired size. Follow the instructions and voila! Alternatively, you can use fabric and mod podge glue. The result will be equally amazing. A customized lamp is a creative way to add life to your bedroom. You can also match its color or print with your bedroom. Otherwise, choosing something that fits your bedroom can be time taking and costly.
A Pegboard Kitchen Storage
Pegboard is nothing new, but its use was earlier limited to the garage. Now more and more designers include pegboards in interior design. They are convenient. You can upgrade or customize the storage at any time. Take a pegboard that suits the size of your wall. If ample wall space is available, choose a bigger one. You can leave some of it empty for later use. Paint the pegboard in color you think best for your kitchen. Once the paint is dry, fix the pegboard on the wall. Install all the hooks. Also, install a wooden shelf on top of it. You can use pegboard brackets for this purpose. Use the hooks to hang the lightweight stuff. You can also include wire baskets as shelves. On the top shelf, put the pots and pans that weigh more. A pegboard wall will keep your kitchen organized, along with adding a style to it.
A Woven Bench
Woven furniture gives Boho vibes. If you would like to include a Bohemian furniture piece in your home, then try this DIY. First of all, you have to gather lumber for it. Make a frame for the bench. You can follow any similar furniture plan for this. Apply stain to the bench frame. Then weave a seat over it with rope. You can work with one color or as many as you like. There are some cool weaving tutorials for weaving patterns too. There are so many ways in which you can customize your bench. Even a simple woven design will look fabulous. You can use this bench as a coffee table too. When guests come over, you can pull it out and use it as a bench seat.
An Outdoor Citrus Side Table
To make this easy side table, you will need a wooden disk and three hairpin legs. First, stain the wood disc. You can leave it as is too. Because you will paint it anyway. Make a citrus design on the wooden circle with painter’s tape. Apply the paint in any color. It is not a must to apply a citrus shade. Be creative and imaginative with your color choices. Remove the tape once the paint is dry. Fix the hairpin legs with screws at the underside of the circular tabletop. Apply a coat of sealer on top of the side table. You can use it in your garden or patio. It will look gorgeous indoor too. It will add a burst of freshness and cheer to your indoor.
A DIY Rustic Chic Full-Length Mirror
This mirror requires some effort, but the result is stunning. You have to make a frame of the mirror with wood trim along the edges of a wood board. Leave some space for half wood balls. Glue the balls to detail the border further. After painting, the mirror border will look like wood carving. To keep it rustic, you can do a distressed paint look. For a modern feel, apply two to three coats of paint to get a good finishing. Glue the mirror in the center of the frame. Lean this mirror with any wall in your apartment. It will suit the entryway to the bedroom, and every place in between. You can also put fairy lights along its edges. If you buy such a mirror from a furniture store, it will cost you a fortune for sure. You will be proud of making a version on your own for far less.
Potted Wall Plants
If you love plants, then a small space isn’t a problem. You can always put your favorite plants on display over the wall. Here is a chic idea for wall planters. Take terracotta wall planters. You can easily find them in a nearby nursery. Use painter’s tape to paint half of them in solid colors. It’s better to use good quality paint. Then put dirt inside each pot and plant flowers or succulents. Since you will use these pots indoor, make sure to choose such houseplants that can thrive indoors. Succulents are the best option for this because they are low maintenance. There are so many kinds that you can easily find something that interests you.
DIY Painted House Doormat
Take a sisal doormat. Make houses over it with painter’s tape. Paint the houses with a paintbrush. Apply a second coat of paint if needed. Remove the tape. To detail it more, you can also use shaped stencils.
Here is the video tutorial of this cute mat
A Mid-Century Desk Wall Unit
If you need a work desk in your new apartment and a shelving unit, then here is a solution. Integrate the desk and shelving unit into one. Here is a mid-century wall unit that you can build yourself. You will need twin tracks, shelves, and hardware to mount the shelves on the twin tracks. Make tweaks in the design as per your need. Make sure to keep the surface of the desk deeper than the shelves above. Team up this wall unit with a chair and a rug under it for comfort. You can keep all the office supplies in an easy reach over the shelves.
A No-Sew DIY Floor Cloth
A cheaper alternative to an area rug is a DIY floor cloth. To make it, you will need a printed fabric, fusible webbing sheets, and a drop cloth. Cut the printed cloth in your desired size. Iron fusible web over the backside of the cloth. Remove the paper of the webbing. Stick a drop cloth at the back of the cloth. Your floor cloth is ready to be used.
A DIY Sofa Arm Table
Measure the width of the sofa arm. Build the table according to that from wood boards. Apply varnish to the table. Use it as a tray and a caddy for remote controls and magazine storage.
Paint Chip Wall Art
Paint chips are a fun way to fill a bare wall with life. The only effort involved is finding the paint chips and sticking them to the wall. Many home decor stores would give paint chips for free. If you plan to do a grand project, then you might need to source the paint chips after paying some amount.
A Coffee Station
Find a free corner in your apartment. Fix rails over the wall with hooks. You can hang your coffee mugs there. Put a table under the mug storage. Put the coffee machine and other supplies over it.
A $30 DIY Storage Ladder
Build a ladder from wood pieces. You can choose any width and height. Paint the ladder or apply a stain. Whichever you like the best. Then hang wire baskets over the bars of the ladder. You can use some bars for hanging towels too. You can boost the storage of a tiny bathroom with a ladder.
A Toilet Paper Holder Shelf
Cut a piece of scrap wood. Apply stain to it. Fix a brass toilet paper holder at its underside. Fix the shelf on the wall with brackets. This toilet paper holder will double duty as a shelf.
Pottery Barn Inspired Jute Placemats
Placemats not only protect the surface of your dining table, but they also make your dining room beautiful. Here is a pottery barn knock off that you can try making. You will need sisal hemp and a hot glue gun. Make each by rolling the rope and gluing side by side. Cut and seal the end of the jute rope mat with a hot glue gun. If you want to make these placemats even more fun, you can paint them too.
A DIY Sunburst Mirror
Select a round mirror that you like. You don’t have to go fancy. Choose the basic design. Then invert the mirror. Start gluing paint sticks in the bigger size around the mirror. Then make another round of smaller paint sticks. In the end, paint the paintsticks and the mirror edges. Your sunburst mirror is ready.
A Tassel Chandelier
If you know how to make tassels, then this is an easy project. Make tassels in three colors according to the size of three brass rings. Fasten the tassels to the brass rings. Make a chandelier with metal chains. You can also use embroidery hoops in place of metal rings.
Silk Flower Mirror Frames
Here is an easy fix for a plain mirror. Gather lots of silk flowers. You can also get a garland. Then start hot gluing the flowers around the mirror frame. Add fairy lights for even more charm.
A Pom-Pom Tassel Wall Hanging
Make as many tassels and pom-poms as you like. Make sure to pick cheerful colors. Take the help of pom-pom makers to speed up the project. Then fasten the pom-poms and the tassels to a wood dowel with white rope and hot glue. Hang the wooden rod over the wall with white rope.
A DIY Wire Basket Side Table
Make an accent table for your living room with a laundry hamper and a wooden disc. Spread a cloth or a sheet on the floor outdoor. Spray paint over the basket. Let it dry fully. Then apply a stain on a wooden top. The tabletop diameter should be according to the size of the wire bin. Invert the metal wire hamper and fix the tabletop at its underside using metal fasteners.
Which idea grabbed your attention the most? We would love to hear from you in the comments. Thank you for visiting us!
