Whether you are a couple, friends, or family, moving in together is always a new and exciting experience. What’s even more exciting is making your apartment your home! Decorating your apartment allows you to bring out your style. It also creates an atmosphere that you’re happy to be in on a day-to-day basis. However, when you begin decorating your new home, you’ll also need to consider your new roommate’s opinions while sharing the space.
To help you out, here are some décor tips that are sure to result in a comfortable, beautiful, and welcoming shared environment for all occupants!
Make Room for Some Personal Items
It’s not uncommon when living with someone that one person will take over the decorating; chances are, your roommate may feel a little left out. We all want to add personal touches to our space to make it feel more comfortable and homier. Try to strike a balance with your roommate when it comes to personalized items so each of you can add what you want without going overboard and creating a cluttered, chaotic mess. Consider showcasing both of your favourite colours in your living room accents, putting up pictures that hold significance to both of you, and asking them which pieces of furniture they like best.
Sharing Contributions
Be conscious of how much each of you contributes. Whether it’s books, movies, art pieces, or record players, remember that everything won’t be able to be placed on display when you’re limited on space and sharing it with someone else. Try making some changes together to help with the transition. Rearrange some of the furniture or repaint a wall so that the new living partner feels that they’ve contributed to the feel of the home. Maintain an open, non-judgmental dialogue with each other to discuss what stays and what goes.
Embracing Each Other’s Hobbies
Is one of you a full-time freelance writer, a painter, a competitive gamer, a plant parent, or even a YouTube vlogger? The last thing you’ll want to do is limit someone’s potential by taking over or dictating the layout of a space to an extent where they don’t get much of a say. Work together to figure out a way to implement beloved hobbies and have fun when doing so! For instance, if you have a spare room currently being used for storage, perhaps it can be turned into a craft room, painting studio, or a plant room (if it gets plenty of natural light, at least). Put on some tunes, clear out the area in question, and enjoy the experience of collaborating on how best to integrate hobbies into your lifestyle and surroundings.
Create Private, Personal Nooks
Having your own personal nook where you can retreat to and decorate it just as you like is essential to successfully sharing a space with a roommate. This ideal spot can house any of those extra knick-knacks that couldn’t work in the shared common areas like the kitchen or living room. You can fill your personal space with any items that make you feel comfy, cozy, and calm so you can have the satisfaction of feeling like it’s yours.
Does your roommate or significant other need somewhere to kick up their feet after a long day? Consider a sturdier, more durable living room table rather than the fragile option to help accommodate each other’s needs. Find the balance between your nonnegotiable pieces by having open conversations about the pieces that matter most to you. No one should have to hide their paintings in the closet, which is why finding a balance between both of your styles will enhance the visual appeal and personality of your home in the long run.
Sharing Favourite Furniture Pieces
If you both have furniture already, consider the pieces that work well together or that you cannot live without. If the couch is more important to one of you, choose that piece for the living room, and compromise by letting the other person set up their favourite kitchen table in the dining area. Compromising is key in this stage of your home décor thought process.
However you and your significant other or roommate choose to decorate your home, remember to take each other’s opinions and styles into consideration. If you’re looking for ideas on how to decorate your apartment, contact us today at CLV Group and InterRent REIT! We have a wide range of apartments for rent as well, making it easier to find an ideal shared space together.