Ten Tips For Decorating a Small Studio Apartment

Studio apartments can be difficult to decorate because everything is basically all in one big (or not so big) room. Sometimes this small space has to accommodate several different activities: sleeping, entertaining, cooking and an office area.

Here are ten tips for decorating a small studio apartment:

1. Provide enough storage. Try to find furnishings for your apartment that will do "double duty." You can even find chairs and ottomans that have storage areas inside of them. Just lift up the top and there you will find space for blankets, pillows or other items.

2. Use containers to hide clutter. Buy wicker baskets or old steamer trunks to store out-of-season clothing, linens and towels. They will look great and contain all of those small items that make a room look cluttered.

3. Use mirrors to reflect the light. A large mirror or several small mirrors placed strategically can make a small space feel lighter and larger. If you like a more modern style of decorating, furniture and tables with metal or glass can visually expand the space.

4. Don't block the light. Covering every window with blinds and draperies can make a small room feel dark and crowded. Leave windows bare or only cover with sheer draperies to let the light shine through. Light always makes a space seem larger.

5. Place furniture in "rooms." Try to create specific areas for specific activities. Put a bed and dresser in one area for the bedroom and a sofa and coffee table in another area. Having your apartment furnishings put any-old-way can make it cluttered and uninviting. You might have to leave out the bed and use a sleeper sofa if your apartment is super-small.

6. Create a focus. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, accentuate it. Even if you don't have a natural focal point, create one. Painting just one wall a different color will draw the attention into the room an make it seem bigger. Put a large credenza or entertainment center on that wall and decorate it with beautiful accessories.

7. Use dividers for larger apartments. You can find beautiful dividers in both thrift shops and high end furniture stores. Use them to enclose various areas of your space. I saw an episode on HGTV where they used four beautiful wooden dividers to make a separate bedroom. It not only provided a private sleeping area, but also created another "wall" on which to place furniture.

8. Keep clutter at bay. When you have a small area, clutter is not an option. Too many knick-knacks and too much furniture crowds everything together too much. Keep your necessary items, such as extra bed linens put away in a dresser or wicker baskets. Kitchen counters should be kept clean with everything in the cupboards...if possible.

9. Another trick for a small space is to buy furniture with legs and that are higher off of the floor. Your eye will look "under" these pieces of furniture and add visual space. Furniture that is blocky and low to the ground makes a room appear more crowded.

10. Paint with lighter colors. You don't have to use white, but using paint colors that are lighter in color expands a space more than dark colors.

Decorating a studio apartment can be a challenging task, but using the above tips can help you get started in the right direction.

Souce : articlesbase.com

How to Trim Your Holiday Tree

Most people decorate their trees the same way every year — same lights, same ornaments, same tinsel, that might not be as fun. This year, why not shake things up a bit and try something different? Choose your tree ornaments based on a theme or color, or use more eco-friendly decorations. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Step 1
Use new LEDs (light-emitting diode) holiday lights available at any local store. These power-saving lights burn brightly and boast a very long bulb life. This is a green product you can not go wrong with, save some energy.

Step 2
Metallics — always a favorite during this season — are on trend this year for a modern and chic look. You can stick to gold or silver or mix in metallic greens and reds for a pop of color. There are several options, a variety of shapes such as the globe, calabash, onion, a twisted ball and a ribbed ball shape giving your trimmings a festive sparkle.

Step 3
Surprise family members with a theme tree. Honor sports fans with memorabilia from their favorite team. Use seed packets to create ornaments for your favorite gardeners, or the chefs in the family with a tree filled with kitchen-related ornaments, such as cookie cutters.

Step 4
Create a natural-looking, eco-friendly tree using materials gathered from the garden. Use gold, silver or white spray paint on twigs and vines, then weave them through the branches. Combine dried flowers, decorative seedpod and ornamental grasses to craft eye-catching ornaments. Use florists’ wire to secure berry-laden twigs and pine cones to branches.

Step 5
Consider a theme based on edible ornaments: candy canes, gingerbread people, colorful citrus fruits and clove-spiked oranges. Create “stained glass” decorations by melting hard candies into cookie-cutter shapes.

Step 6
Gather or print out your favorite family photos and create your own mini frames for them using recycled holiday cards and gift wrap. Accent the frames with glitter, sequins and beads to make them sparkle, everyone will love those!