Apartment wall decorating

**brianna** · 03-29-2010 09:43 PM

I need ideas for covering up blank, boring, gloomy apartment walls on a low budget...but I want it to look nice, too. Any suggestions?
Thanks

**x.st.angel.x** · 03-29-2010 09:45 PM

You can always grab two colour paints and paint the walls either plain or have some shapes etc... Or wall paper?

**brianna** · 03-29-2010 09:52 PM

I like the shapes idea...but I'm not sure what the apartment rules are about painting/wallpaper so I'll have to check up on that before I do anything

**x.st.angel.x** · 03-29-2010 10:01 PM

Oh ok i get ya now... alright it you cant paint... do what i did... go out and buy a few painting canvas's (spell check) and some paint... and paint a few things to put on your wall... nothing fancy maybe three colours and just stripes or two colours and circles....or squares.

**MissMeSha810** · 03-29-2010 10:51 PM

I tried corresponding colors of big square scrapbooking paper. Take a printed and solid stack them like one is the shadow to the other and either you could tack it up with clear tacks so their almost invisible or roll clear tape behind them ans stick them on the wall. Do tis like four or six times, However many you want to put up. It gives your home that art gallery look...and it's cheap too.

**KMonte85** · 03-30-2010 06:24 AM

I've never tried this, but I saw it on one of those decorating shows...

They used a few bolts of really neat patterned fabric, and glued or tacked it up tight against one whole wall, like you would wallpaper - it added a lot of spunk as it was a beautiful pattern and also had texture to it (and much cheaper to buy the fabric than buy textured wallpaper). Great way to make a cool and very unique accent wall!

I think the fabric was something like this:

**pretzel** · 03-30-2010 07:09 AM

If you live in a complex, the chances are you may not be able to change the colors. Don't know why, but my experiences with apartments generally don't allow for variations.

Depends on what you like. Some things can be found at thrift stores and second hand shops.

Remember, the decor of this apartment more than likely won't be the same as your next place so if you don't plan on staying there more than a year or two, I wouldn't spend a whole lot.

**Olivia :P** · 03-30-2010 11:49 AM

You can always do all the ideas that were mentionned, but do it on a blank canvas. This way you are not damaging the rented walls, and you can always take it with you!.. or take it down if you hate it!

I had a friend who put up scarves on her walls and ceiling, it actually looked really cool

**Faerunner** · 04-11-2010 12:19 PM

I've been in dorms/apartments for the last 7 years, almost. It's horrible when you can't paint... but you can still use color in your accessories and decoration!

Scarves as window treatments are awesome. You can find them at goodwill, piles and piles of head scarves, long silk scarves, patterns or plain, any color you can imagine! Tie them together for an easy door curtain, hang them in corners or drape them over lamps.

Try buying dollar-store frames in your favorite style and using last year's calendar (abstract art, or an art style you like) for easy pictures. See also: wallpaper samples, letter stickers, scrapbook stuff, hand-painted designs. You can spice up a bookshelf, even one that you can't paint, by pasting wallpaper scraps, magazine cutouts or painting designs onto a cardboard sheet cut to fit the back of the shelf. Slide in place and voila - instant focal point, completely removable with no mess or harm to the shelf.

You could also see about getting some of those wall stickers that are easily removable and using them to spruce up a wall or a whole room. I've seen it done with letters, either randomly or to make cool phrases on your walls. Flowing lines look more soft and comfortable while straight lines look modern and bold.

If you really want to be interesting, you can find curtains at thrift stores and hang them on one wall. This works really well in apartments with low ceilings since you can make floor-to-ceiling wall treatments with one or two sets of curtains against a single wall. You can use thumbtacks if you aren't planning to put a lot of weight on them, but if you have pets that will climb them or want to hang something against them, try to find a curtain rod that can fit across the space you want to cover, or look for the sticky-backed hooks that don't pull the paint off the wall (and expect the paint to come off anyway if the hooks are left on too long - get a small can of white paint before move-out and touch up any areas the landlord might notice

) Curtains add color and can hide ugly paint or a bad view, soften noises (great for the neighbors!), and can be painted, used as an art showcase (safety pins or clothespins to tack things up!), and switched out every time you get bored or find a better pair at the thrift shop!