Furnishing Shades

STYLE TIPS FOR A STUDIO APARTMENT

A studio apartment can be difficult to decorate, given that there aren’t any real distinctions between the various rooms. But even a small den can be refurbished to have both comfort and style. You could hire an interior designer, which would be expensive and you may just end up with a factory product home. Or you could just do it yourself! Here are some tips on how.

Choose the right furniture

Cane, wrought iron and particle board furniture suit a studio best because these materials don’t look bulky and make a small room look spacious.Choose furniture you can put to multiple uses like a box bed with storage space inside or a sofa bed or recliners.

Studios may sometimes lack in privacy. You can place an antique book shelf or an elegant screen to separate your bed from the living room area.This will also make your space look classy. Place hooks behind shelves or screens to hang clothes. You could also attach a soft board to pin up notes, phone numbers and photographs to personalize your space.

Alternatively, use one main piece of furniture that can have multiple uses. For instance, a single big cabinet can accommodate a TV, music system, a mini bar, books and other knick-knacks. The shelves can be used to keep clothes.

Even with a small space like a studio, it is possible to add personal touches rather than just keeping things functional. For instance, use a shoe cabinet as a table and place a potted plant and a small wrought iron magazine holder there to add style to it.

Avoid putting many pictures on the walls to avoid clutter. One large painting or a series of 4 posters or two posters as per size shall do the trick.

A studio can look messy very easily so avoid clutter like scattered laundry and newspapers. Keep a cane basket for laundry and hang a nice jute newspaper holder in a corner.

There isn’t any place for too many props but one or two stunning pieces are a must. Invest in big sized curios as per the theme of the place and place them in places where they do not obstruct movement. This will give a character to your home. As far as possible make these exotic. And as a rule do not decorate with small knick knacks.

Use light-coloured curtains, letting the sunlight in, which will make the apartment look brighter and bigger.

GIVE YOUR HOME A FREE MAKEOVER!

You’ll probably never win that free home makeover from the magazine you so diligently subscribe to and there’s really no chance you’ll have one of those spiffy TV shows doing it for you either. But don’t give up hope, yet.

Here’s how you can give your home a makeover at no extra cost (well, almost) when everything you need is already within easy reach!

1. Use those accessories

Your personal accessories collection is growing larger by the day and you need to make space for all the new stuff? Well, here’s how you can do it without throwing away any of it. Pick out the bracelets / bangles you’ve had for a really long time and use them as napkin rings! Use the plastic ones for a casual family meal and bring out the metal ones for a formal dinner. Likewise, use belts to tie your curtains together or even your colourful scarves you are bored of using.

2. Play with colour

Let your imagination run wild! Don’t waste your money in giving that seen-better-days chair a new coat of polish. Instead, give its arms and legs a fresh coat of paint. If you are skill full with the brush, decorate it with some simple motif like creepers, flowers or simple and pleasing geometric designs. Similarly, if you can’t find a particular colour for your corner lampshade, well, just get a white one and paint it your favourite colour!

3. Dress up the dresser

Add colour and some funk to your child’s room with all those decorative scarps you’ve been saving from birthday parties. Tie colourful ribbons around the knobs on a chest of drawers / dressers, door handles and even on the stem of a lamp or table legs. Cut decorative / shiny wrapping paper in the shape of stars and paste them on the bedroom ceiling or on the walls. Make a poster with all those cute birthday cards and jazz up a wall with that.

4. Say cheers!

Don’t have the space to fit in a bar? Simply turn a tabletop into a drinks table! Choose liquor bottles for their shapes and labels, and then buy lots of glasses and an ice bucket. Do everything in one colour: Picture green bottles and glasses on a green tray.

5. Colour me purple

it’s the colour of royalty and all your home needs is a dash of it! So when all else fails, buy something purple. Anything! Throw in a couple of purple floor cushions, a bunch of orchids, a pleasant purple poster, a vase and so on. Nothing wakes up a room like a little purple!

Go on; make your neighbours envy you for your home decor flair!

JAZZ UP YOUR WALLS

Does the hole in your pocket curb your urge to redesign your room? Here are some simple ideas and tips to give your room a new look by just re-decorating a wall.

For a classy look, paint one wall with your favourite colour. Now use this wall as a palate and add whatever you think will spice up that room. For that, begin with a theme. Here are some examples:

Memories: Collate all your black and white childhood photographs. Select the most memorable ones and make a collage out of them on a large white paper and get it framed with a black border.

Props: To make a wall look lively, add masks, a musical instrument like a guitar, hats or antique items.

Posters: Get hold of old classic movie posters. Frame them in basic wooden frames and hoist them up on the wall.

Rustic: Been to a rural location lately? Make sure you collect absolutely rudimentary tools or craftwork prepared by the village locals. Hoist them up on your wall to give a rustic effect.

Elegant: Got some of your mother’s old bone china plates and you don’t want to use them for fear of chipping them? Get hooks and adorn your wall with these beautiful plates for an elegant touch.

FURNITURE SAFETY GUIDE

The right furniture can help you make a style statement with your home decor. However, apart from looks, it’s very important to keep in mind basic furniture safety, especially if you have kids or pets. Here are some handy tips for furniture safety at home.

Safe Furniture For The Home

The surface of the furniture should have a smooth finish. Any roughness or sharpness on the surface or edges should be avoided.

All the screws, blots etc. should be well hidden and fixed firmly into the furniture to prevent any snagging.

The foot stand of your bed should not be too high. It might get risky if you try getting off in the dark.

Fix your bookshelf to the wall; this will prevent it from tipping over in case overloaded with books.

Fix anti-tip furniture straps/brackets in the wall for furniture like cupboards, book shelves, racks etc.

For Kids and Pets

For bunk beds, the top bunk should have safety rails on either side, with at least 15 inches open at each end.

For kids below six years of age, avoid getting a bunk bed as they may roll off in the night and/or hurt themselves against the railing.

Replace square/rectangular tables with round tables or tables with blunt edges. This can prevent kids from getting hurt.

Install child-proof locks for cabinets containing medicines, toiletries and harmful kitchen items.

Avoid using glass table tops. Stick to durable wooden tops which do not pose a breaking risk.

Remove extension cords from the kitchen to prevent tripping. More so, wherever possible, get enclosed wiring to prevent any accidents.