How to Inexpensively Decorate a Furnished Apartment to Reflect Your Style

Sometimes you must live in an apartment that was furnished by someone else. Here are some quick, inexpensive ideas for decorating it to your taste. All are easy to remove and will not damage anything.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• posterboard
• large colorful prints
• double stick tape
• throw pilows or fabric
• Optional:
• upholstery trim

1. Find large prints with images which will fit into the existing frames. Buy poster board in colors that will work with the prints and colors of the furnished room. White is the easiest poster board color to work with. I used prints which are sold for decoupage at a craft store.

2. Carefully remove the pictures from the walls. If you have some of your own pictures, you might be able to hang them from the existing nails and arrange the other prints around them.

3. 
   Cut out prints mounted on poster board.

   Cut rectangles of poster board to fit inside the opening of the frames. Cut out images from the prints and use a mixture of half white glue/half water and a brush to glue them to the poster board rectangles.

4. Use double stick tape to tape the poster board to the glass. Tape will not hurt glass!

5. 
   From Dreary to Cheery : )

   Rehang pictures, decorate further by adding some throw pillows and placing your own decorative things around the room. Put out the things you love. I have seen a beautiful display made of hats and shoes and another fun one composed of American boxed food. Books, toys and musical instruments are always a nice touch.

6. You can add trim to curtains by sewing it on with large stitches. If you remove it carefully no one will know it was ever there.

7. 
   Covering a throw pillow

   Cover throw pillows by trying large squares of fabric around them. Cut fabric twice as wide and long as the pillow. Place the pillow diagonally on the fabric and bring the corners together in the middle of the pillow. Knot the corners together as if you are making a "hobo bandana bag".

Tips & Warnings

• Other good sources for images to cut out are posters, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, magazines and children's artwork
• Make sure the double stick tape is only on the glass. It can damage the frame.
• Test trim for colorfastness by soaking a small piece in water and blotting it with a white towel. If any color bleeds onto the towel don't risk using it, unless you wash it until it no longer bleeds.

[listenhere101]

on 10/30/2008 Great article. I love decorating my home.