From the Floors Up

Decorating Do’s and Don’ts for Your Apartment Walls

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Getting a new apartment can be exciting! You have a fresh start and the ability to fill your space with your own furniture and belongings. However, many apartments have rules and regulations on what you can do. Since walls are in every room, they . can be a quick way to express yourself. However, your landlord probably will not be happy if you use them as your canvas and graffiti all over them. But this does not mean you cannot decorate your walls. To help you let your creativity flow, here are several do’s and don’ts to decorating your apartment walls the safe way:

Do Not: Paint

Paint is one of the quickest and most effective ways to transform the feel of a room. However, many leases will forbid you from painting the walls. This means you will most likely have neutral colored walls with little to no color.

Do: Pictures or Gallery Wall

Instead of painting, consider adding pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and this is a sure way to make your home feel tailored to you. You can even make a gallery wall of a collection of all your favorite pictures in all shapes and sizes.

Do Not: Wallpaper

Wallpaper has come back into style, and many homeowners love adding this stylish design to their homes. Unfortunately, wallpaper is hung with adhesive being applied to the walls. This adhesiveness will most likely be difficult to remove without leaving a sticky residue and lead to getting charged later.

Do: Tapestry

Instead of wallpaper, consider hanging wall tapestry. There are many designs and patterns available that can still give your room the flair that you are looking for in your home.

Do Not: Backsplash

Backsplashes are gorgeous as well as functional. Nevertheless, if your bathroom or kitchen did not come with one, it is not worth the investment. Investing in a tile project can be something you save for your own home later!

Do: Wall Décor

Consider adding some wall décor. Three-dimensional wall art can give your room character as well as adding depth to your space. There are hundreds of genres of wall décor to choose from, ranging from rustic to modern and even more!

To go above and beyond, make sure you touch up your walls when your lease has ended. You do not want to get gouged with an expensive fee for putting holes in the walls to hang pictures. Plus, this step can be a quick and inexpensive process.

In the end, just remember to use your walls to express yourself in your home. Do not let the fact that your leasing stop you from being creative!

Creative Design Hacks for Your Apartment’s Bathroom

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Apartment bathrooms can come with their own series of problems. They can be smaller than some home bathrooms while also lacking the freedom to remodel. While you cannot install the tile of your choice or paint the walls the color you want in most leases, there are still several ways to make your bathroom personalized to your taste. Take your apartment bathroom’s aesthetics to the next level with these easy tricks.

Two Shower Curtains

If your apartment needs to have a shower curtain, this is an opportunity to get creative. Traditionally, you would purchase one shower rod, your rings, and the shower curtain. However, there is a creative, functional, and more aesthetically pleasing look to consider. Purchase two matching shower curtains. Allow them to part in the middle like curtains do on windows. You can also improve the look even more by investing in curtain hooks or a curved rod!

Add Another Mirror

Another common amenity your bathroom probably offers is a mirror. While the single mirror serves its own purpose, adding another mirror will double the benefits. You can find a framed mirror in any shape to add to your bathroom. This second mirror will move light even more around your bathroom and help eliminate visual barriers, making your bathroom look and feel bigger.

Floating Shelves

With limited space available in many apartments, functionality and aesthetics should be attempted to be used together. Add some floating shelves to your bathroom to allow you to add some personalized and stylish décor. Use these as extra spaces to help display your taste will providing more storage.

Upgrade Your Showerhead

While aesthetically, this feature will not make a significant difference, you will love this upgrade. Changing your showerhead to a more efficient and personalized one will make your shower time much more enjoyable. This feature is an easy fix that you can switch back after your lease ends.

Do not let a lease limit you from making your home feel like home. Add some personal, stylish, and creative additions to your bathroom with these tricks. What design tricks do you use in your own bathroom? Let us know in the comment section.

Studios vs. Lofts | What Is the Difference?

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There are hundreds of housing options available on the market today. From condominiums, houses, apartments, and everything in between, there is a style provided for everyone. Many people use “loft” and “studio” interchangeably, however, they both have very distinct differences. While the open floor plans and attic influences create the design, lofts and studios are structurally unique and different from one another. If you are considering either of these two excellent options, here is everything you need to know:

Loft

Lofts can be much more than an attic storage space. Usually found in urban landscapes, lofts are made from warehouses, industrial buildings, or factory spaces. This blueprint usually allows lofts to have high-rise ceilings and become more extensive than studios. These architectural differences make lofts ideal for industrial and urban style design. Exposed brick walls, concrete floors, and exposed ductwork are not uncommon in the design.

Studios

The most notable differences between studios and lofts are their sizes. Studios have much smaller atmospheres, tailored to an individual or a couple lifestyle. Usually, studios will consist of only one room with little to no privacy. This makes the environment not ideal for hosting guests. Yet, the comfort and coziness of studio living are unparalleled to any other space. This quaint living style is highly desirable and can come with a low-price tag comparable to other options.

Which One Is Better?

It simply comes down to what will accommodate your living style best. Studios lack privacy but can be less expensive for renting. If privacy is not a huge concern of yours, this option may be tailored for you. Studios are not very accommodating for family living, yet they are more cost-friendly. However, lofts have a larger layout. They give you more space for hosting friends and family. If this is something you plan on doing, you may want to consider living in a loft.

Both styles have benefits for different types of lifestyles. They are very unique in their look and can give you an edgy style of living. Which style do you like best? Let us know below in the comment section.

Checklist for Your First Apartment

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Moving into a new apartment can be very exciting. Whether it is your first time renting or you are just looking to relocate, you want to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Each apartment will come with different amenities and options. Try to get your list down to about 3-5 apartments you are considering. If you have too many, you will be overwhelmed, whereas not enough will not allow you to make an educated choice. You want to find one that is best tailored to your specific needs and wants. In order to do this, we created a comprehensive checklist to consider. Use a scoring system of 1-5. Let 1 represent not adequate, while 5 represents superb. Talley up your apartments at the end and discover the winner.

Location

One thing you should consider is the location of your apartment. What is the neighborhood like for your lifestyle? Are you near work and family? Try using this checklist on your apartment options.

  • Distance to work
  • Distance to loved ones
  • Distance from gas stations
  • Distance from freeway entrances or main roads
  • Distance from grocery stores
  • Safety of the community
  • Is the location quiet

Cost

Your budget will play a massive role in your apartment search and this goes deeper than just rent. Additional fees may add up quicker than you think. Here are some things you may need to consider:

  • Rent
  • Security Deposit
  • Water
  • Parking
  • Waste Management
  • Gas
  • Renters Insurance
  • Late Fees
  • Laundry

Appliances

Since we are looking at if your apartment offers laundry, we should consider appliances. Not all apartments come fully loaded. This may happen problematic to you. Remember to view all the appliances:

  • Laundry Machine
  • Dishwasher
  • Stove/Range
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Services/Amenity

Services/Amenities

While everything in your unit may make a significant role, do not forget amenities. Look at services you plan on using–this can quickly create an outlier for some apartments:

  • Gym
  • Movie Theater
  • Pool
  • Entertainment
  • Convenient Store
  • Maintenance Office Hours

Before ranking everything, you should consider what is important to you. If you do not need a garbage disposal, do not make it a deciding factor on your list. If you are not looking for an apartment with a gym, do not add it to the list. Once you determine what is important to you, rank each item 1-5. This can give you a definite number ranking for each apartment. However, if you feel like you are in love with one option over another, always go with your heart. For more lifestyle and living tips, make sure to subscribe!

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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