Looking for some easy ways to make your living space look great? Whether you are in a dorm, apartment, home or even a tiny house, you can make it look wonderful on nearly any budget. This post is all about the 11 easy steps you can take to make any space look amazing.
There are so many factors that can impact your living space that sometimes it can be a challenge to make it feel like home. Whether you are redecorating or moving altogether, countless decisions must be made to give your living space a new look and feel. And once you buy into a design trend and it gets replaced by a new one, you can feel tempted to rip everything out and start all over.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
You can make your space look more evergreen and amazing.
Like 100%, I-actually-want-to-spend-time here kind of amazing.
In my years of living spaces, I have seen the good, bad and ugly ways of making (and trying to make) a space look good and have found the most essential steps to make any living space look comfortable enough to live in and fabulous enough to want to.
No matter what kind of space you have to work with, you can go from eh to "It looks amazing" with ease. Here are the totally doable, timeless ways to get more comfort and joy out of your living space.
This post is all about making your living space look amazing.
TIPS FOR LIVING SPACES:
1. Work Around the Statement Pieces
Sometimes you get to pick them and sometimes you don't.
Dorms can have picked-for-you furniture pieces. Some other living spaces do too.
The goal is to use what you have (or what you are given) to work with and make the best of it. If there is a clunky bedframe or dated chair for you to use it's not the end of the world.
Instead, see it as good bones. What can you add to the space that elevates the overall look and feel so it feels more...you?
When you get to pick all your statement pieces (yay!) pick them first whenever possible. These will set the foundation for the look and feel of the space overall.
2. Pick a Mirror You Like
Mirrors, darling, are essential. (This goes for you too, fellas.)
Mirrors can open up spaces and make them feel more alive. They also work great if a space is small or has limited windows. They can compliment nearly any color scheme or style if they are framed or cut in the shape that suits you best.
Gold trim. Circle shaped. Chocolate brown frame.
The possibilities are endless.
I recommend adding your mirror (or mirrors) after you know what your statement pieces are like. Then display them up high-ish (can depend on your wall height and yours too) so they can reflect any natural or artificial light in the room.
3. Texture, Texture, Texture
I can't stress this enough: you need texture in your living space.
If everything is sterile and one way, chances are, it's going to feel blah. Adding different textures can help breathe life into your living space. Something soft, feathery, scaly, checkered, matte, leather, plushy, marbled or even something coarse and woodsy can all add character and depth to your space.
Run your finger across whatever you add to your space, and if it all feels the same...
Add some texture.
4. Get Faux Plants
They never die and if you take care of them, they look new for eons.
Faux plants do require the occasional dusting but if you find ones you like the occasional dust over to keep them nice is no big deal.
Faux plants are super low maintenance but look great next to a couch, on a tabletop or even in the corner next to a wall. Adding greenery (even the faux kind) can keep it looking lively in your living space.
5. Sprinkle in Some Real Plants
Insisting on fresh new plants everywhere in your living space can get pricey and make your space more high maintenance than you may want it to be. Still for a couple of bucks every now and then I recommend sprinkling in some real plants on occasion to keep things interesting.
Happy tip: A bouquet of flowers, potted herbs, a mini aloe plant...you can grab one these on your next grocery or hardware store run for a pretty low cost. And if bae gives you flowers, display them proudly and don't be afraid to walk up to them often and smile.
On a budget? Grab the succulents. Real or fake, these little babies add some fresh vibes to your windowsill, counter or study space.
6. Add One to Three Epic Knickknacks
This is usually my favorite part: finding knickknacks that speak to me. Pink scottie dog. Blue miniature Eiffel tower. Red bookends. Whatever you get drawn to when you walk down a home decor aisle is where it's at. Think outside the box when you can and find something that gives you positive vibes when you look at it.
The key? Make sure it fits on a shelf or tabletop. And make sure it's not too heavy.
You can switch out knickknacks from time to time to change up the look of your space without changing everything. This is a great way to keep that timeless look and feel of your space and keep things interesting.
7. Throw Pillows? Yes. Personality? Double Yes.
Get the throw pillow you like, not the throw pillow you think some random friend that comes over to visit will be impressed by. Some people recommend the karate choppable kind you can style to impress guests and that's fine, but I say go with the throw pillow that suits your personality.
I love a deep blue one with a velvety texture that happens to get rave reviews and compliments by nearly everyone who has ever seen it. I also have one with one of my pet's name scrawled across it (I found it at a store that way!) and hands down it's the fun conversation pillow of my friends and family. It's not even choppable yet it suits my personality so much I can't look at it without getting happy vibes.
Get the throw pillow (or pillows) that show real personality...preferably yours.
8. When in Doubt, Always Have a Fuzzy Blanket
If you live somewhere where winters are brutal, this goes without saying but if you live in a warmer climate blankets can still be a timeless way to add some comfort and joy to your living space. Throw it over a seat, a bed or drape it across an ottoman for super soothing vibes. They also work great with a good book or movie night.
Look for something that compliments your statement pieces and mirror that also injects a little bit more of your personality in the mix. Animal print or plaid counts. And for my guys, if you want something on the deep masculine side, go with a solid, dark green or blue, sports team, camo or a no frills pattern of greyscale or deep, earthy hues.
Remember the importance of adding texture? A fuzzy blanket is a great way to do that.
9. Add a Welcome Mat
Or add two: one for the indoors and one for the outdoors.
Happy tip: You could even add a third welcome mat if you live somewhere with a back door.
I personally leave the generic, very practical ones outside (the ones great for scraping any gunk off your shoes) and keep the happy and friendly ones on the inside but you can do as you wish. The goal here is to have a very pleasant mat for you and your guests to look at often. A welcome mat is kind of like adding a necklace to an outfit or a belt to an epic pair of jeans - it's not required but it can sure look nice when you do.
10. Balance the Color Scheme
Some people love a farmhouse white or grey on grey kind of thing. If that's you, fabulous. If it's not, that's okay too.
For me, I look for neutrals evergreen enough to last a while but not so boring that a punch of color can't add to it's elegance. Whatever you choose, keep in mind that colors can clash or compete with each other so you'll want to make sure you do your best to balance them out without eliminating them all together.
If you are a floral or pastel person, muted tones are a great combination. And if you are into royal or jewel tones, you can risk going several shades darker with your interior (taupe, deeper beiges, brown, or even darker hues).
11. Aim for Peaceful
Your living space is where you can unwind, let your hair down, get some work done, study something, have friends over, or hang out with family. As you add amazing to your living space, aim for peaceful too: a peaceful look, feel or atmosphere. This is can help encourage happiness overall.
The goal is to make your space reflect the kind of vibes you can love for a long time.
With these totally doable and evergreen steps to spruce up any place, you are sure to add more comfort and joy to your living space.
You got this!
This post was all about making living spaces look amazing.
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