How to make your first apartment your own
Elizabeth Mayhew offers tips to transform that dingy rental into a space you will love.
Few experiences are as exciting as picking up the keys to your first apartment. Even as everything seems possible, however, it can also feel daunting as all those empty rooms with their industrial green walls bump up against a meagre budget.
My daughter recently moved into an unfurnished rental apartment and even though it’s somewhat rundown and dingy, she is thrilled. Her excitement over shopping for and furnishing the apartment was dampened only by the overwhelming thought of having to do so from scratch. She turned to me for some decorating advice.
Here’s what I told her:
BUY SECOND-HAND OR BORROW
Try to buy as many of the large items (sofa, dining table, coffee table), as you can from the previous tenant, which saves money and the hassle of moving the items in. My daughter bought an Ikea sectional from the previous renters; all she had to do was purchase a new slipcover. She was also able to buy a simple dining table and a coffee table from other friends. The one thing I do not recommend ever buying second-hand is a mattress. It’s best to start fresh.
ROLL ON THE PAINT
Even though most rentals do not allow you to paint, it is unlikely that a landlord would object if you splash a fresh coat of white paint on the walls.
Typically, I use Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White, but for my daughter, who had never painted a room before, I suggested she use Valspar’s Perfect White (sold at Lowe’s), which is a paint and primer in one. It rolls on easily, and after only one coat the walls looked markedly better.
INSTALL CURTAINS AND/OR SHADES
Nothing makes a room feel more finished (and less like a rental), than window treatments. Quite often rentals already have some sort of blinds, but installing sheer curtains softens the room, and because sheers are so light, they don’t require heavy-duty rods and hardware.
If the landlord won’t let you install curtain hardware, then rig the sheers with tension rods or use large adhesive hooks to hold a thin rod in place. PBteen has a great selection of ready-made sheer curtains in a variety of patterns and sizes.
My daughter ended up ordering the Emily & Meritt tassel sheers for her bedroom windows; the black tassel trim adds visual interest to an otherwise trim-free window, and they are versatile enough to work with any colour palette.
GET A REAL BED OR HEADBOARD OR FAKE IT UNTIL YOU DO
At the top of my daughter’s apartment wish list was a queen mattress. If you can’t afford a free-standing bed frame or upholstered headboard, hang a tapestry on the wall behind your mattress. Usually, a few small tacks or very small nails will do the trick, and they’ll barely damage the walls. The tapestry anchors the mattress and makes the ceiling seem higher because it moves your eye up.
In my daughter’s room, we hung a navy-and-white Matisse-cut-out-looking tapestry from Urban Outfitters to visually ground the bed.
GET LOTS OF TASK AND AMBIENT LIGHTING, AND BAN OVERHEADS
Most rentals have terrible overhead lighting, so you are much better off not using them and buying a few floor lamps and table lamps. For my daughter’s bedroom, we bought two Crosby Schoolhouse Floor Lamps from Target. Not only did the floor lamps free up space on her bedside tables, but their shape and symmetrical placement also added visual interest and balance to the room. My daughter bought one more table lamp, which she put on her desk; three points of light are usually enough to light any room.
BUY FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES THAT ARE DURABLE AND VERSATILE
There are several dependable items that I frequently order for my clients. My favourite desk is the white lacquered West Elm Parsons Desk. I ended up getting one for my daughter’s room, knowing that if she ends up not using it as a desk, it would make an excellent dressing table. Plus, its simple design can easily be incorporated into any future decorating scheme.
I also like the White Molded Evie Chairs from World Market. The mid-century-looking design has a plastic back, so it is the perfect sturdy dining chair; but throw a small Ikea Rens sheepskin over it, and it becomes a comfortable side chair for a living room or bedroom.
My favourite go-to side table is Ikea’s Lindved side table. It’s one of the items you can order online from Ikea, and although it comes flat-packed, it’s easy to assemble. It makes an excellent bedside table or living room side table. The metal surface is indestructible. For area rugs, I like the cotton Safavieh Flatweave Rugs at Target. They come in 17 sizes and 11 colours. The stripes optically make rooms look bigger, and because the rugs are more like thin mats, doors usually open and close over them with ease.
OUTFIT THE CLOSETS
Organizing is as important as decorating, whether you rent or own. I maximized the inside of my daughter’s closet by hanging canvas shoe and sweater bags, and I provided boxes and bins so that she had a place for everything and everything in its place — the best way to start a new home.