How to Spruce Up a Boring Apartment

Look for Open Storage Solutions

• Storage is always a challenge in apartments, so embrace the concept of open storage. A large open bookcase does double duty as a room divider. Shelves flush-mounted to the wall create a place for pots, pans and cookbooks in the kitchen. Use vintage tray tables as a display for liquor bottles and interesting glassware. Artfully arrange your shelves so they present like a gallery. Give a beloved art piece its own shelf or augment a bookcase with family photos and souvenirs from your travels. Arrange pieces and books so that the heights vary for an interesting effect.

Mix It Up

• Modern design is often an eclectic mix of styles. A streamlined contemporary sofa can be paired with a Queen Anne chair, for example, for an unexpected look. An ultra-modern glass table can sit upon a more traditional Kilim rug. Other options include industrial bookshelves paired with mid-century club chairs. Try surrounding your dining table with different styles of chairs painted in the same color; the vignette is dynamic enough to be interesting without overwhelming a small space. Mixing styles also means that your decor coordinates with the apartment, whether it has crown molding and traditional fixtures or cork floors and stainless steel appliances.

Decorate Vertically

• You may have to work with white walls, but this doesn’t mean your apartment cannot have vibrant color from floor to ceiling. Hang curtains near the ceiling to the elongate the space. A tall mirror adds light and depth to a room. Create a gallery wall that spans across the entire wall. A room divider hides unsightly features such as radiators. Hang lanterns or a string of lights from the ceiling. Whether lit or not, paper lanterns fill the vertical space and add a personalized touch to any room.

Use Rugs to Divide the Space

• Rugs are an apartment dweller’s best friend. Use them to separate the living room from the dining area. Rugs not only protect the carpet or tile underneath, they also become art for the floor. Rugs also add texture to a surface. Try a woven jute rug for the living room or a plush runner for the bathroom. For added flair, match your rug to a collection of art on an opposing wall. The combination unifies the space.