We have tips for transforming a boring apartment into a space full of creativity, colour and character.
If you’re living in a bland apartment that feels like an empty box without any personality, don’t despair. It is possible to add flair and creativity to a cookie-cutter space.
Here’s our guide
Concept
The secret to making it work is developing an interior style concept. The first thing to do is define an overall look. Start by asking yourself what home means to you. Think about the story you want to tell in your space. Then give careful consideration to how each individual item in the apartment will help you to tell that story.
Don’t chase trends, follow your passions. Do you like to display lots of interesting stuff? Or do you prefer a simple and spartan decor? If you curate well and stay true to your own style, you’ll create an interesting home that makes you feel good — and it will look good, too.
Luxury linen designer Angela Wickstead likes her apartment decor pared back, favouring a simple yet striking dark and light scheme. Her living room features white slip-covered Philippe Starck sofas and a collection of Fornasetti plates hanging on the wall. The black and white theme continues in her bedroom, where crisp white Italian linen from her own collection is showcased.
“I believe that good design can make a difference to one’s wellbeing,” she says. “I set my table with beautiful linen every night, even if it is just me at home for dinner.”
Colour and composition
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Advertise with NZME.In a small apartment, continuity will make the space feel larger. Having a colour story is important to any home decor, but even more so in an apartment, where space can be limited.
Consider the overall colour scheme, not one room at a time. It’s best to adopt a restricted palette as a way to control how intentional the space looks. Having a core foundational colour story for your home acts as a unifying agent that pulls together adjacent spaces.
Tell your colour story over and over, from room to room, with two or three recurring main colours. A consistent theme will ensure the decor looks harmonious, not haphazard. When you are looking for paint, fabrics and furniture, always refer back to your colour story.
Carefully considered furniture placement is also important when it comes to creating an apartment that feels spacious. If it’s open-plan, defined zones for sofas and dining tables will help to avoid literal and visual clutter. Play around with the layout until you get the flow right, with groups of seating arranged to allow for easy conversation.
Creativity
The key to creating a personality-filled apartment is telling visual stories within your home that are a reflection of you. Styling the contents of a room can be approached in many different ways but the overall aim is to take an assortment of things and make them look like they belong together.
Group smaller objects as one display instead of spreading them out. This lends more impact to the collection itself, and it also clears the way for some negative space, which gives the eye a visual break.
Some groupings are obvious, such as a collection of white vases on a shelf together. Other vignettes can be more random. You may not get it right first time. Interior designers and stylists hone their aesthetic over many years.
Play around with specific areas, such as coffee tables, sideboards, open shelving and artwork groupings, until you find out what works for you.
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Auckland artist Deborah Crowe has enjoyed apartment living for several years.
For her, styling is a creative outlet: “I love to take time positioning objects in relation to each other. It’s almost meditative for me, and feels a bit like the objects are dancing, with space as their partner. The object, the space and I respond to little actions from each other, working out a nuanced partnership that feels complete. Slight movements of a few centimetres or so create the tension or flow of the conversation to just what works in relation to the intention,” she says.
Comfort
Making your apartment feel comfortable is all about the ultimate add-ons: cushions, throws, table linen, trays, candles, rugs, vases, books, flowers, greenery, family heirlooms, flea market finds and bed linen (guest linen is just as important). Good lighting is also crucial.
To make a room feel warm and inviting, have a mix of floor and table lamps. Look for furniture items that can do double duty — ottomans that provide storage, vintage stools that also act as side tables, and large throws that can either be used on the living room sofa for extra warmth, or as a bedspread when required.
Wellington-based stylists Nikki Burnet and Katie Peck have almost 30 years of design experience between them. The co-owners of Kurio interior design studio know what brings the comfort factor to a room.
A single cushion acts as a focal point and can be an “artwork” in its own right, says Nikki. Don’t be afraid to use cushions in different shapes and sizes for extra interest and comfort.
When it comes to rugs, the number one rule is the bigger the better. Rugs are a handy tool for defining and dividing spaces, outdoors included. There’s a wide range of options, from tonal and textural to custom-designed art pieces.
Greenery instantly softens an interior with its organic form, texture and colour. If you’ve not had much luck in the past being a live plant parent, try low-maintenance options such as succulents, or opt for good quality faux versions, says Nikki.
Art can certainly be a great investment, but don’t let trends dictate what you buy. Select pieces that speak to you, evoke emotion or simply make you appreciative of the talent of the artist. That way, the piece will always feel right in your interior space, she says.
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