Apartment Living Room Ideas

Living in an apartment has LOTS of pros and a few cons. Positively, you have access to a great living space with no maintenance or upkeep and no property taxes to pay. On the other hand, there are usually a few property rules to follow, especially when it comes to home décor.

At Redwood apartment neighborhoods we build spaces for every taste and lifestyle, so we know a thing or two about making a rental your own. Here, we’ll dive into some of our favorite apartment living room decorating ideas with designer decor tricks to customize your space without changing anything that breaks the rules of your rental agreement.

Bring Your Hobbies to Life 

One way to make a space truly unique is to bring your hobbies into the mix. A great example of this is outfitting an entire bookshelf with your favorite novels and themed ornaments, photos, or figurines. Every time you enter that room, you’ll be transported to a place you love with characters that bring you joy. The best part is that you aren’t punching any holes in the walls or fussing with the paint job.

Another example of using your hobbies as apartment living room decorating ideas is to create a corner or wall for art. A craft table, supply drawer, and art easel can turn any living room into an artistic paradise. Give yourself the best view from your apartment and use Command removable hooks to hang your paint smock, brush bag, and other supplies without leaving any marks on the walls.

Rugs Add Warmth and Layers to Any Space

Rugs aren’t just cozy for your toes; they make a huge difference to the aesthetics of a room. A rug can help you tie colors together, accent a pattern, or introduce some texture to a living room. There are so many great options for rugs, including small circular mats or large rectangular area rugs.

Adding carpet to an apartment is not only expensive but damages the floor underneath. Unless your unit already has a carpet, your lease isn’t likely to allow carpet installation. However, a rug adds all the warm fuzzy feels without the big bill or trouble with the landlord. Best of all, you can use different rugs in every room to totally customize them to your style for a whole new take on apartment living room decorating ideas.

Bring Oxygen and Life into Your Home with Indoor Plants 

There’s been a recent surge in the popularity of indoor plants, with even the younger generations choosing to outfit their homes with terrariums, Succulents, Pothos, and Orchids. Bringing nature inside is not a new concept and has been proven to hold some physical and mental health benefits.

Aside from feeling at one with the Earth when you see a room full of greenery, it’s also a great way to introduce more of yourself into your space without breaking rental rules. Hanging baskets, potted plants, and even small potted trees are all excellent additions to a home. As a bonus, plants increase the natural levels of oxygen in your home that will leave you breathing easy. Consider getting house plants delivered if you feel your apartment is a little short on green leaves. 

Choose Furniture that Fits 

Too often we see our residents trying to fit too much furniture into a living room. Even a large room can start to look small if it’s overcrowded with chairs, ottomans and end tables. The minimalist revolution is upon us with television programs like Tiny House Nation making it easier than ever to see the beauty in living with less.

Strategically placing a few beautiful pieces of furniture around a room can improve the look and feel of a space without needing too much extra décor. A great tip to follow when choosing furniture is to try and keep space between each piece. If you need to push together your couch, end tables, and a chair to make them fit into a room, you might have one piece of furniture too many. As far as apartment living room decorating ideas go, “less is more” is a great one, and finding small space furniture that works always makes sense. 

Add Color with Accents and Throws 

One of the complaints some renters have about apartments is the lack of color. Let’s face it, most rental units supply you with an abundance of neutral tones. This is because when renting, property owners want to appeal to the masses. So, how do you spice things up with the colors that make you feel good? Accent pieces like pillows, throw blankets, rugs, and even artwork can supply a pop of color without making any drastic changes to your unit.

Another way to add color is to refinish existing side tables in a unique tone. Recently we’ve seen a lot of buzz around chalkboard tables, or teals and blues with distressed finishes.

Let There be Plenty of Light 

Light is important for any living room. It opens the room up, making it appear larger, colors brighter, and décor in more detail. Natural light is the best kind of light, so keeping your curtains open during the day can add to your overall home vibe.

As a secondary measure, electric lamps are a huge help to impact the flow and feel of your unit. Floor lamps add a touch of elegance, while table lamps can be quite sophisticated.

Balance Your Unit Color with Complimentary Furniture 

We know we already touched on neutral apartment paint above, but it must be said again. Adding color is easier than you think. Furniture comes in so many brilliant shades these days, and you can use that to your advantage by selecting pieces that offset the colors in your apartment.

Monochromatic color schemes are big right now. So, if you find that the paint on your walls is a cooler white with blue undertones, choosing blue shades to fill that space will bring it all together.

Learn More with Redwood Apartment Rental Homes

For more tips on decorating your apartment, check out our 10 Easy Decorating Hacks for Apartment Renters. With vaulted ceilings, open living room floor plans, and modern amenities, find out why so many people choose Redwood for their apartment rental home. Search for a Redwood neighborhood near you.