Every year, the world-renowned Pantone Color Institute forecasts the “Color of the Year” for the next year. Pantone is a major authority on colors and has created a standard language for the color communication from designers to producers to retailers. Since 1990, Pantone has predicted what colors will be trendy in the upcoming year. In 2014, the color was the bold yet enchanting Radiant Orchid. For 2015, Pantone leans toward a naturally impactful color: Marsala. So what is Marsala and how can you add elegant touches of it to your life?

This rich color incorporates earthy tones into a more traditional red wine hue. Small touches of Marsala are perfect for warming up a room and making a sophisticated statement. The hearty but stylish tone has a universal appeal and transfers well to design, fashion, beauty, and home décor and furnishings. Here are a few of our favorite ways to incorporate the 2015 Color of the Year into your apartment décor: Read the rest of this entry »

As September 23rd approaches, the signs of autumn are beginning to pop up everywhere: the cooler temperatures, shorter days, and infiltration of pumpkin-flavored products. Like spring, fall offers up a chance to freshen up your apartment life for the coming months. Here are a few tips to prepping your apartment for the fall season.

Cleaning Up

Spring-cleaning shouldn’t be the only time for a deep cleansing of your apartment and clearing out unwanted items. Before you snuggle up on the couch for the longer nights ahead, grab your cleaning supplies and scrub down all the nooks and crannies you ignored over the summer. You’ll be glad to have a clean apartment during the colder months spent inside. Read the rest of this entry »

There are two kinds of renters who need an interior designer: those who want an apartment that looks stylish and put-together but don’t know the first thing about how to get there, and those who have a vision in mind and need help executing it. There are some relatively affordable options for either type of apartment dweller, and they are actually fairly distinct from each other. To keep your apartment redesign from looking like a home makeover show gone wrong, think about these tips as you hunt for your perfect interior designer.

If You Need Ideas…

If you are an interior-design newbie and what you need is a vision for your home’s redesign, start by finding a designer that fits your overall sense of style. The best way to make sure that your designer fits that category is to look at the work they have already done. If you can find a designer that has a website and a portfolio, that can be an easy job. Think about the things you already like about your apartment’s design, and look for those traits in a designer’s portfolio. Read the rest of this entry »

Almost every apartment kitchen has a space for bar stools these days, and finding the right set of stools can prove to be a difficult task. Even though the process can be daunting, going through it is well worth it when your friends and family are able to join you in the kitchen. However before you start your search, there are a few things everyone should know about bar stools.

Types of Bar Stools

The first thing you must know is that when it comes to bar stools, there is more than one type. In fact, “bar stool” is an umbrella term for three different stool heights:

1. Counter

A counter stool is considered to be standard sized because it pairs nicely with a 36-inch standard height kitchen counter. Counter stools usually measure anywhere between 24 and 26 inches in height.

2. Bar

When a kitchen counter has an attached raised section that is the height of a real bar, you can use a standard bar stool.  This counter height is about six inches taller than your standard sized counter, so it’s typically about 42 inches in height. At this counter height, if you go with a bar stool that has a seat height of 30-inches, it usually fits perfectly.

3. Spectator

This type of stool is sometimes referred to as a “stadium stool”, and it’s known for being 34 to 36 inches high, which is significantly taller than the other styles because it’s supposed to fit comfortably under a table or counter that is 48 inches tall.

Getting New Bar Stools

Bar stools look great with the counters they’ve been designed for, but problems can arise when moving into a new apartment if your new counters are a different height than your old ones. To avoid this issue, we recommend doing one of two things:

1. Buying Adjustable Stools

If you move frequently, or just don’t want to purchase new bar stools after every move, you should look into adjustable bar stools. With this solution, one size fits all, no matter if you need taller or shorter stools.

2. Renting Bar Stools

Another option, and perhaps our favorite, is renting bar stools. This is a great alternative because you’ll not only save money, but you’ll be able to get brand new bar stools that fit your new counter’s dimensions every time you move.

Now that you know the bar stool basics, you should feel comfortable picking out some fabulous new furniture for your new apartment.

Are you a Neutral Nora? An Off-White Oscar? A Beige Benjamin?  Life can be drab for folks who are afraid of adding color to their décor.  If your living room’s look makes you glum, don’t worry.  Use these six ideas to brighten up your apartment life, lose that muted palette, and conquer your fear of color.

More on the Floor

Adding a colorful rug to a room can instantly brighten the space.  Plus, if your room has wood floors that cause everything to echo, a rug can help diffuse the noise.  If you’re not ready for a big rug in the center of a room, opt for a small one under a coffee table or accent chair.  And remember, rugs-on-rugs are okay, so don’t let your wall-to-wall carpeting stop you from adding more to your floor.

Nix the Mellow Pillows

Cushy color?  Why not?  Adding vibrant throw pillows to sofas, armchairs, and beds is a great way to put a dash of plush color in your apartment.  If you’re feeling really inspired, pick a pillow with a pattern.

Shine a Little Light(ing)

You need light in your apartment anyway… why not make it colorful?  Accent lamps on end tables or nightstands are a small way to add personality to a room.  Whether you opt for a bold base or a colorful lampshade is entirely up to you.

Smart Art

Be brave, dear decorator, and add audacious art to your walls!  Find a favorite poster or photo that features a pop of color, and hang it up.  If it’s a smaller frame, prop it up on a coffee table or bookshelf.

Daring Kitchenware

If you have open kitchen shelving or glass-front cabinets, make a point of showcasing your colorful kitchenware.  Whether you have patterned salad bowls, a couple of bright teapots, unusual mugs, or colored glassware, put them front and center so you can admire them.

Bring May Flowers

If you don’t want to commit to colorful furniture or accents, liven up your living with a little foliage.  Place some potted plants around your apartment for some green or floral décor that you can change out as frequently or infrequently as you like.  Just make sure your plants get enough sunlight and water to thrive.

How do you use color in your apartment?  Are you hesitant to use bright hues in your space?  Let us know by finding ApartmentSearch.com on Twitter and Facebook.

Look around your apartment and ask yourself these questions:

• Did the 60s call and ask for your shag carpeting back?
• Are your walls so white your living room looks like an artless gallery?
• Are you sitting on the oldest couch known to man, courtesy of a college dumpster diving mission?
• Is your furniture collection so sparse it looks like you’ve been robbed?
• Have your friends taken to calling your lamp-less living room “The Batcave”?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you may have fallen victim to It Doesn’t Matter I’ll Be Moving Out Eventually Anyway Syndrome.  Many renters have succumbed to this unfortunate plight, feeling that since an apartment is only temporary, personalizing the whole place just isn’t worth the effort.  But there is a cure.  There are plenty of ways you can improve apartment life without the help of an interior designer or an expensive trip through a Swedish “furniture” maze.  Roll up your sleeves and start with these guidelines, and you’ll be on your way to an updated apartment for half the price.

Budget Wisely

First things first: a DIY apartment requires a budget.  Set a décor budget limit and decide which projects you want to tackle based on that number.  Evaluate the things you most want to change about your apartment before beginning.  Are you tired of your bare walls?  Want to get rid of the old coffee table?  Wish you had more color in the kitchen?  Now it’s time to start getting creative.  Think about where you can shop to save.  Hit up local garage sales and flea markets, give rental furniture a try, and check out consignment stores to start.

Start Small

If you’re not into doing a total overhaul just yet, focus on changing the little things in your apartment.  Adding a dash of color here, a patterned throw pillow there, some framed art, new lighting, a couple of houseplants, or even a coat of paint on one wall can make a big difference in the way a room looks.  You could start by getting a throw rug to cover up that shag carpet.

Work with What You Already Have

If you truly don’t want to go out and buy décor, spend a fraction of the cost to change the décor you already have.  Get creative by thinking about what you can change with the application of just a few bucks and a little elbow grease. Start with these ideas:

• Update your worn-out dresser with a new color or a classier finish by using a little sandpaper, primer, and a coat of paint or stain.
• Put a slipcover over an unsightly couch.
• Re-upholster an old chair yourself.
• Get a new duvet cover for an instant bedroom update.
• Rearrange your furniture.
• Frame and hang posters or old records.

Use Free DIY Resources

The Internet is your best friend when it comes to DIY apartment décor.  There are hundreds of sites (including, of course, the ApartmentSearch.com Apartment Life blog) that can help you take your apartment from “eh” to “excellent” with a little, bitty budget.  Try these to get started:

• DIYnetwork.com – This site is home to thousands of projects for the home.  The DIY Network is a channel dedicated to home improvement and landscaping, so you’ll find everything from painting tips to full-on remodeling advice here.
• Instructables.com – You can find everything from cookie recipes to cabinet remodeling on Instructables.  All projects are user-submitted, and new stuff is being added all the time.
• Design*Sponge DIY Projects – Design*Sponge is a popular interior design blog that can offer apartment decorators great DIY ideas.  Find lighting ideas, accent projects, and even upholstery tutorials here.
• The Design Confidential – The Design Confidential provides guides for construction projects, DIY design, décor inspiration, and more.
• ApartmentSearch Blog: Apartment Decorating – In the “apartment decorating” category of our blog, you’ll find tips for everything from living room feng shui to kitchen downsizing to patio décor.

Share Your DIY Apartment Decorating Tips

Have you taken the DIY approach to apartment décor?  Share your tips with ApartmentSearch.com by finding us on Twitter and Facebook.

As both Earth Day and Arbor Day approach, so too does warmer spring weather and the inspiration to get a little closer to nature. There’s no better time than this to act on your dream of bringing more nature and greenery into your home. Here are a few creative ideas to kick-start your homegrown green revolution:

1. The most obvious place to start is with live plants and trees. Whether indoors or outdoors, take the time to visit a local florist or nursery and pick out some fresh spring florals. Plants like desert succulents are great for adding a pop of color to décor without breaking the bank or requiring a huge commitment to care. While some families may have a lush backyard with enough room to welcome a new tree – apartment living does not always afford the same option. Instead of making an investment in a large tree for the backyard, small bonsai trees or potted Meyer lemon trees can thrive indoors or on balconies.
2. For those with less of a green thumb, there are plenty of natural accents that don’t require arduous upkeep. A centerpiece, for example, could be as simple as some bare branches in a modern vase or as lush as a tin pail filled to the brim with sumptuous greens and blossoming florals.
3. You might feel inspired to revamp your décor altogether. A nature-inspired rustic theme could be a great way to incorporate more plants into your home sweet home. Ferns, a staple in rustic greenery, are hardy, easy to maintain plants that could stylishly reside in a vintage watering can or in old tin cans on the windowsill.
4. Backyards and outdoor patios can always use a little love, too. Start by clearing the clutter from your outdoor space to see how much room you have to work with. If you have children, get them involved too. A favorite activity like making bird feeders out of pinecones dipped in peanut butter and bird feed will bring even more nature to your outdoor space. Lastly, consider replacing old and broken outdoor furniture with simple, wooden furniture.

To read more about spring and summer decorating styles, follow our blog or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

With the new year started, there are endless possibilities in store for you and your apartment.  We’ve already given you steps to Apartment Feng Shui, but we want to take it a step further.  We’ve compiled three great looks from CORT along with tips that just might inspire your own amazing apartment updates.

Did you make a resolution this year to read more in your spare time instead of being glued to the television? If so, create a cozy little reading nook at home. Transform that abandoned corner of your living room into a relaxing reading space or carve out a section of your bedroom for a private library.  A large and comfortable chair allows you to curl up and read those best-selling novels that you’ve been meaning to get to for years. Adding a small chest next to your chair allows you to tidily store your library away when you’re not reading.  Make sure that this area is well lit to avoid straining on your eyes.

The most important room in your apartment is arguably the bedroom.  This is the space where you rest, where you spend 1/3 of your life, the first and last thing you see everyday.  So this room needs to represent you.  A headboard that has a unique, sophisticated look is an asset in most bedrooms. You can choose to pair it with wild colors and bold prints (without worrying about anything clashing) or go for a more neutral and relaxing style.  

There’s nothing like adding a pop or two of color to a room.  This will not only brighten the space, but will also give your guests a hint to your personality. It’s amazing what a little color can do. Just a few touches can truly transform a room.  Each color impacts mood differently so think of what type of atmosphere you’d like to set before making any changes.

Apartment living is fraught with décor-related difficulties, not the least of which is incredibly boring design in the bathroom.  While the look of your bathroom might not be at the top of your list of apartment living gripes, everyone can agree that apartment bathrooms in general could benefit from a little TLC.  Lack of storage, ugly tile, harsh lighting, and dreary colors are all repeat offenders in bathrooms when it comes to apartment living, making them not very functional and, quite frankly, a little impersonal.  But you don’t have to suffer your bathroom boredom in silence just because you’re a temporary tenant.  There are plenty of ways to add a personal touch to a bathroom without damaging the property and incurring the displeasure of your landlord.  Spruce up your space with these apartment living tips, and soon you’ll have a bathroom that makes getting ready in the morning a pleasant process rather than a depressing daily ritual.

Add More Storage

If you’re blessed with a bathroom that has multiple spacious cabinets, then you’re among the lucky in apartment living. If not, there are still several things you can do to store your bathroom belongings.  Opt for hanging storage by installing hooks for towels on the wall or behind the door, use a shower caddy for the showerhead to maximize space, put a small shelf or chest of drawers in the corner, or even install some floating shelves.

Improve the Lighting

More often than not, apartment bathroom lighting can be pretty unforgiving. Apartment lighting fixtures have often been there for a while, and the bulbs might be too bright, too dim, or even burnt out.  To combat this, add some shades to the lights, change out the bulbs to make sure they’re of the right wattage, or even replace the lighting fixture altogether (with your landlord’s approval, of course).

Liven up the Walls

There’s nothing like a dull paint color to make an apartment bathroom an eyesore.  Get the go-ahead from your landlord and put on a fresh coat of paint to bring your bathroom to life.  If you can’t paint, consider temporary wallpaper or “tile tattoos”… just peel and stick to jazz up your bathroom, and remove them with no mess when it’s time to leave.

Bring in Furniture

Although the bathroom might seem like an odd place to have furniture, it can actually be functional and make the space much homier.  Put a small plush chair in the corner, add a storage chest that doubles as a bench, or maybe just place a stool or cushy ottoman in the corner.  You can use your new furniture pieces as seating or as aids in reaching that elusive top shelf.

More Apartment Living Tips

How have you personalized your apartment’s bathroom?  Give us your apartment living tips by finding ApartmentSearch on Twitter and Facebook.  And for more everyday apartment living tips, keep checking the Apartment Life blog!

Not all apartments are created equal when it comes to clearing space for guests.  Even though your apartment search may have turned up the apartment that’s just right for you, maybe it’s a little too cozy for a family gathering; maybe the apartment’s layout is too awkward to accommodate traditional seating options; or maybe you simply don’t have enough chairs!  Whatever your reason for needing a better way to seat your guests during a holiday party in your apartment, search no more for solutions.  Here is ApartmentSearch.com’s guide to finding ways to comfortably seat your party guests in your apartment.  Search your home or go shopping for these creative (and easy!) storage solutions.

Space-Efficient Seating

If you’re low on space to keep extra seating, consider getting a set of stacked stools.  When not in use, they can be stored under a coffee table or in a closet with ease.  Likewise, you can scatter a few extra chairs, either cushy or sturdy, in nooks throughout your home. Add a personal touch to a bathroom with a low ottoman or a small armchair, or place a chair in the corner of your bedroom.  Then when guests arrive, simply pull those chairs from their respective rooms and put them out for your guests.

Alternative Seating

Looking for seating ideas that don’t include traditional chairs?  For the kids, get some big floor cushions out for comfy, playful seating.  You can always stack them in the corner or put them under a bed when you’re not using them.  You can also use a low, large upholstered ottoman as a coffee table; then, when guests arrive, clear it off so it can double as relaxed living room seating in your apartment.

Search the Apartment for More

If you don’t want to buy new seating for your apartment, search your other rooms for seating that you can repurpose. A trunk or bench sitting at the foot of a bed could be pulled up to a dining room table, while ottomans, desk chairs, and footstools in other rooms can be corralled into a central location.

Change of Location

If it’s not freezing yet and you have a few space heaters, consider moving a table of guests, or even the whole party, onto your patio, backyard, or balcony. Supply party-goers with blankets and hot chocolate so they can keep warm and have fun.

Give ApartmentSearch.com Your Seating Tips!

Any seating ideas we missed?  How have you made your apartment ready for holiday guests this year?  Check out ApartmentSearch.com on Twitter and Facebook and give us your seating tips!