Ugly Apartment?

Question

I need inexpensive decor ideas for my apartment. I cannot paint or do anything perm. Here's what I'm working with:
Living room and kitchen are only seperated by the kitchen counter. Living room floor is blue, walls are grey and white. (light grey). I have two windows in my livingroom and none in my kitchen. Kitchen counters are white appliances are mostly white. Cabinets are bright wood. I have a chest of drawers, a roll-top desk, a tall book case and some smaller kitchen chairs in my living room. They are all mostly dark wood. I cannot paint the bookcase. I need color schemes, cheap furnishing ideas (I MEAN CHEAP) and some way to seperate the two rooms if possible or bring them together color-wise without having them match exactly. I want them to look like seperate rooms. Details, color schemes, do-it-yourself ideas and links are greatly appreciated and will make a "best answer" more likely:)

Answer 1

dude i so understand your problem.... all white apartment with ugly brown carpeting throughout!.... i went to a fabric store and got on sale those long flower garlands.. and bought 4 of them... i have 4 different ones for the season.. spring, winter fall and summer one.. i pin those up in the crease in between wall and ceiling... and i framed colored felt squares and put pictures on them... with added a bold color splash on the wall.. the sell tones of colors of felt... for like .19 cents a square....i have a huge opening between my kitchen and living room.. which is where i hand sun catchers because it is across from my living room windows.. the kitchen is ugly white tile with light brown counters.. i went to a thrift store and collected old fashion things to hang on the wall and then added my ivy plants.. which grows all over that wall..... i just bought a whole bunch of wall candle holders at thrift store ... i think i got like 5 of them for $8... good luck! when i first moved in and was really broke i had a favorite quilt that i hung on one wall.... it was very pretty there! hope i helped good luck!

Answer 2

I would try separating the two rooms with what is called tension rods with sheers as a divider using the counter up to the ceiling as the place for holding the tension rods, or, if you are allowed hang curtain rods from the ceiling or from wall to wall with sheers. (Sheers will let the light filter through from the living room) From the colors that you mentioned, the light grey and white, I would either go with a Seafoam green which should go well with the grey. Or maybe you have some money to buy a room divider and if you ever leave, you have something nice to take with you. Here's a site to give you an idea for room dividers and prices too.

I think once you get through putting up the divider, which ever you choose to do and then put up window sheers, then I would start with the walls, hanging artificial plantings along with mirrors to help give a roomier effect. Mirrors always add more reflective lighting into rooms. You will be amazed as to when you start doing little things like that, then your own imagination will soon kick in. Make sure to take breaks and sit down and let your mind's eyes visualize as to how this or that will look here or there. And much of this can be done cheaply. Go to dollar stores and open up your imagination. I've seen some really cute things at many dollar stores.

Answer 3

I loved my first apartment and my cheap stuff. Used the lids from stiff (not collapsible) gift boxes and glued pictures from calendars on the tops - then put silver contact paper on the sides like a frame - that was my $3. wall art grouping. Wall mart has cheap fabric - Target also has great cheap household stuff. If you sew, get some fabric you like and make valances for the windows - you can hang them with a tension rod (about $3 each at Wall mart) so you are not making holes in the walls. Use the same fabric on a solid complimentary one to make cushions for your chairs. You will need some padding for that - try old pillows from the thrift store - wash them and just use the stuffing in your chair pads. Cheap throw rugs from Marshals or Ross or Burlington Coat Factory or one of those goofy stores that sells everything. Scout second hand stores - it is amazing what a coat of paint can do to old furniture.
I would play up the blue tones to keep it cheerful - but with light gray you could just as easily make it very sophisticated with black and red or grays and black. Have fun!

Answer 4

I agree: You do need lots of color. What you have is pretty much a monochrome apartment.

You should be able to find urns and other decorations in thrift and discount stores. In fact, in one near where I live I saw a very nice ironwork stand for a relatively low price.

You should be able to find plants that you can grow in your apartment. If used right, they can give an illusion of separating the kitchen from the living room.

Use throw pillows and area rugs to bring color in. And don't be afraid to hang a few pictures.- Large ones.

I know you wanted something more precise, but I can't suggest much more without knowing your color preferences.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Try adding lots of color. Get some fresh flowers and put them in a vase. Frame and hang some pictures of you and your friends and family. Make you apartment say you. Mabie buy a small floor rug. See if you can replace the chairs in your living room with some big puffy chairs. If you cant afford any, go to good will or discount stores. Use colors that work well lke green and blue or beige and light blue or green and brown. or pink and brown.

Answer 6

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/dOHHk
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 7

You can look for an area rug, or you can go to a carpet store and have them cut some carpet and bind the edges to make a custom area rug. (It doesn't cost a lot for the binding.) Depending on your style, you might consider a large oval braided rug in the right colors =-check out JC Penney for those. You might consider a sisal area rug--check out the Home Depot.

Answer 8

http://www.freecycle.org