From Shabby to Chic: How to Bring Style Back to Your Apartment

Apartment owners can often feel like they have fewer options when it comes to styling their apartment, whether it is the size of the home or the prescribed style of the apartment that seems to restrict creativity... it all just seems too hard. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as classic and modern apartments lend themselves to styling and influence and can create a beautiful environment to love and live in. If your apartment is more shabby than chic and you’re not sure how to be inspired, let’s discuss how to bring style back to your apartment.

Start with a regular deep clean

Your efforts to stage a fantastic new apartment are going to be undermined if your apartment does not have a base level of cleanliness. By using carpet cleaners, waxing your floor and even staying vigil with your dusting can have an enormous effect - and it’s not that hard to maintain once you have reached that level. Whether you are taking this on yourself or thinking about a cleaner, don’t underestimate how much inspiration can come from a clean home and a fresh canvas to work with.

Reduce the clutter

We are yet to see a home or apartment where a cluttered space really works with the aesthetic of the home. A cluttered home is only going to build and continue to attract things you don’t need, and eventually, you won’t be able to determine what’s junk and what is the decor you have intentionally brought into the home. Do an audit of your entire home and either cull it, store it or pass it on to charity. Your home will feel so much lighter and you will get a better sense of the unique style of your apartment and what areas you can work with.

Colour code

Does your home have a unique colour code, or are you buying furniture, art and decor as you find yourself attracted to them? Establishing a colour code can really keep you accountable to a style, and it makes furnishing your home a lot easier when you know what parameters to work within. Neutral colours are going to serve you best as they are always in style and most retailers utilise these colour palettes with their own creations. Accent colours are a great way to introduce flavour to your home, and here you can choose a bolder colour that will bring some intrigue to the space. If in doubt, stick to the 60-30-10 rule so that you use your accent colours sparingly as they can make your apartment seem heavy if overused.

Introduce art

Sometimes it can be challenging to achieve a theme or statement with decor and furniture, whereas art can do this so eloquently for you. A statement piece of art can underpin your entire styling ethos, and you can get creative with the art form you choose and look outside of simply hanging a print. There is a real skill to buying art for space, so consider reaching out to a gallery and asking if they have a buyer or a curator who could recommend a piece for your home. Galleries and collectors are always aware of other artists in the area and might be able to point you in the direction of something unique, or you might get lucky on Etsy or Instagram and find something special there.

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Shabby may be on-trend, but chic is eternal. Bringing some style to your apartment is not an impossible task and it doesn’t need to be an expensive one, so start by auditing your apartment and deciding what is going to remain through the makeover and what needs to be removed.