4 Common Apartment Decorating No-Nos

There aren’t many “no-nos” when it comes to apartment decorating. You’re encouraged to experiment, have fun and enjoy your apartment. However, there are a few mistakes you should avoid. Here are 4 big “no-nos” you want to stay away from:

1. Rent-to-Own Furniture

You might find a chair that would be the perfect fit for your apartment decorating at a rent-to-own store, and persuade yourself that you should “rent to own” it. In a recession, some renters look to alternative means of getting what they need when they can’t afford it. Many have woken up to the fact that charging your credit card with decorating purchases is not wise, and so rent-to-own schemes look attractive. However, it’s not a wise choice, and that’s putting it lightly. These are “deals” should be avoided at all costs. Rent-to-own agreements for consumer goods, like furniture, are money traps waiting to snare the poor and those not savvy about money. Cut your spending, save and make the rounds at yard sales, thrift stores, moving sales and estate sales until you find what you can afford.

2. Decorating without Lamps

Apartment lighting is a key component of apartment decorating, and not including lamps is a no-no. They make excellent accessories. On a more practical level, they’re useful for reading and a number of tasks that you’ll want to do while sitting on the couch or laying in bed. With the right lamp shades, decorative bulbs and lamp stands, you can give a unique and finished look to your room. Consider adding floor, table and desk lamps to your apartment decorating.

3. Too Many Themes

There are many themes to choose from when it comes to apartment decorating, making it hard for renters to decide which to choose. Some compromise by adding a little of everything, resulting in a chaotic looking apartment. It’s much better to stick with one theme throughout your apartment, or at the very least, pick one theme per room. Keep in mind, you can change themes down the road, or seasonally if you want. That’s why it’s important not the overspend on decorations, because you may decide that it no longer suits you, or you’ve moved on to the next trend.

4. Planning without Family Input

You may be the “expert” when it comes to apartment decorating in your family, but that doesn’t mean you should run with your ideas without getting family input. For example, it’s not a good idea to plan out your teen’s bedroom without soliciting their ideas on what you want to do. Likewise, you shouldn’t plan to replace your spouse’s favorite computer desk for a corner desk that matches your interior design plans without talking it over first. Your family’s contributions and ideas matter, as they’ll be living with you. Before you become too excited, ask them what they think about the decorating ideas you’ve researched and would like to implement.

Apartment decorating can be fun and at the same time help you to feel relaxed and comfortable. Avoid these common apartment decorating no-nos and you’ll be one step closer to creating the haven of your dreams.