When you move into a new apartment, you spend a lot of time dealing with organizational necessities. But once all the unpacking is done, your home can still feel unfinished.
If you’re going to be living there and welcoming guests over, you want the place to feel inviting and comfortable.
You don’t need to spend a lot of time and money to get this done well. This guide will show you how to spruce up your new place to make it a space where everyone feels welcome and content!
1. Focus on the Foyer
Be honest. You’ve walked into another person’s home at one point and knew immediately whether you felt comfortable there or not.
The foyer, or the main entrance, makes a huge statement about your home decor personality and housekeeping abilities. You want this space to be organized but cozy; clean, but not unwelcoming.
If this area is nothing but an open space that leads into the rest of your apartment, you can still make it inviting. Many apartment rentals are set up this way. It makes it harder, but not impossible, to separate the foyer.
Put a doormat on the floor on both sides of your door. Hang some holiday decor or a “Welcome” sign on the outside at eye-level.
But if the area is a little room in itself, like in many of the newer horizontal community rentals, you can get a little fancier. With a coat and shoe rack, a stand with some pictures displayed, and other decorative pieces, your foyer can be immediately welcoming.
2. Soften the Space with Textures
Do you want to learn a fast trick to almost magically redesign any room?
There’s a reason why hospitals and many hotels feel cold and uninviting. There are no colors or textures in them. Any space can be turned into a cozy and warm area if you throw in some textures.
All it takes is a soft area rug on the floor in front of your couch and a few throw pillows, and bam, you have an instantly inviting room. Layer some blankets and pillows in your bedroom and you’ll feel relaxed every time you see the bed made.
Your furniture is all textural, too. Smooth, wooden pieces relax the eye, and soft, curvy couches are more welcoming than straight-backed sofas.
Even your artwork can add texture. Macrame plant holders and tapestries hung on the wall are two quick and easy examples of throwing in some texture to a room.
3. Enhance the Sense of Smell
Your senses play a huge part in how you feel about a room. When you want to make your apartment feel warm and welcoming, it helps to incorporate as many senses as you can into each room.
Obviously, the sense of taste should stay reserved for kitchen areas. But every other sensation can be included in your sensory fest.
Smell, for instance, is one of the first things a person notices when they walk in the door. If your home smells, well, off-putting, it throws off the entire rest of the house. No matter how well you decorate, a stinky home is not a fun place to be.
Use candles, aromatherapy diffusers, plug-ins, and any other scent releaser to make each room a delight to your olfactory senses. Choose lighter fragrances that won’t overpower a person when they walk in, such as fresh linen or a beach scent.
4. Use the Right Color Palette
Colors are another way to bring the senses into a room. The right color palette sends signals to the brain to relax.
There’s a science behind the psychology of color. Certain shades elicit different moods in people. Red, for instance, is a power color to increase confidence. Whites and pale greens are healing, which is why you see them in hospitals and doctors’ offices.
But you want to make your home warm and welcoming. Choose shades that match the furniture, walls, and floor, but aren’t harsh and glaring.
Conclusion
Now that you’re settled in your new apartment, it’s time to put your personal stamp on it. You want to feel at home, and you want your guests to feel welcome. It’s a wonderful goal, and it’s really easy to make it happen.
Let these tips guide you as you create a space where you can relax and get away from the stresses of the outside world. Sure, you could leave, but why would you want to?
