Easy Eclectic CHEAP apartment decorating?

girls bird bedroom decor image

Lestat

Hi! I'm moving into my first apartment. It's actually going to be the first time that I'm going to be living on my own. It's a small apartment (not like box or coffin apartment small) and I'm looking for some tips or ideas on design. Some of my likes / dislikes are:

Likes
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1. I like the color black, but not as in "goth" or batcave.
2. I like classical music.
3. I also like history. I'm very font of italian stuff and the renaissance.
4. I love paintings.
5. I'm generally a very eclectic person.

Dislikes
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1. Any feminine colors or pastels. I'm a guy.
2. Many people like pop music. I dont.
3. I dont like brown. I think that bright yellow should be reserved for "Big Bird".

Please, any help that you can give would be obliged. How would I describe my taste and my views? I believe strongly that I was born into the wrong century.

Thank you very much for any help!
Something else, I'm a sucker for anything elegant.

Answer
Scan magazines and decorating books at your bookstore to see if you can find inspiration there. By scanning through them you'll see what wall colors and furniture you like. You can bring a magazine page with the color you like, bring it to Home Depot and they'll be able to reproduce the exact color for you. The furniture you see will in the magazines will probably be high end, but you can get the style you want, and go to furniture stores to find less expensive ones with the same look.

Based on your tastes (Italian Traditional?), I think you may like furniture and items from:
- Bombay Company store (they have sale going on!)
Some examples:
- http://www.bombaycompany.com/gp/product/B000CSRYKE/sr=1-8/qid=1158963427/ref=sr_1_8/104-6537866-5767921?ie=UTF8&bmBrand=core&m=A2Z4DUPX2Z8M59
- http://www.bombaycompany.com/gp/product/B000EB9D30/sr=1-14/qid=1158963558/ref=sr_1_14/104-6537866-5767921?ie=UTF8&bmBrand=core&m=A2Z4DUPX2Z8M59

- Ballard Design (you can order a free catalog online) -- A bit pricey, but you might want to look at the accessories and wall decor:
Some examples:
- http://www.ballarddesigns.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1776&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C5%2C38%2C191&iProductID=1776
- http://www.ballarddesigns.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2503&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C21%2C84%2C371&iProductID=2503
- Crate and Barrel store (Might be pricey. But watch out for sales.)
- Cost Plus (No, it's not very european.. But they have inexpensive furniture that can be used for any style)
Example: http://www.worldmarket.com/furniture/living-furniture/upholstery-sofa/Taylor-Leather-Bench/lev/4/productId/693/Ne/1100001/Ns/NEW_ARRIVAL_FLAG%7c1%7c%7cCATEGORY_SEQ_2889%7c0/N/1100039/Nty/1/view/10000/index.pro

For sofas and other furniture, check out the selection at COSTCO.COM. You have to be a member, or ask a member to buy it for you. They have traditional styles, and the price can't be beat.

Decorating suggestions:
- Put a big (the biggest one you can afford!) mirror on one wall. It will greatly enhance the sense of space. Or buy those mirror panels at Ikea and put them together to make one big mirror.
- Use "leggy" furniture. When you see the space underneath, again it increases the sense of space.
- For every room, select a focal point, and place your furniture in such a way that your eye goes to the focal point. For bedrooms, the bed is the focal point.
- Make black an *accent* color. Try not to buy a black leather couch. Looks nice, but none of us girls will like it! :-) Anyway, that is too much black. Buy sofa with a neutral color, and put black accent pillows.
- Personalize with the paintings or prints that you love. Your art and history books will also look nice on display.
- Don't settle for something you don't really like just because it is cheap. Wait for it to come on sale, or look for it on ebay/craigslist. Take your time furnishing and decorating your apartment. If you get something just because it's cheap, you'll never grow to like it . Eventually you'll decide to get rid of it and buy something else.

how does this bedroom sound?

Anonymous?

it is small, only about 10x13 ft.

i am redoing it. currently it is lime green with all white furniture, a pink and green and white floral comforter set, and a white rug.

after it is redone, i was planning on keeping all my furniture...
which is btw, a nightstand, a dresser, and a desk.

i was going to replace my white, rectangular shaggy rug with a round brownish rug from ikea. i was planning on keeping a rectangular ikea mirror with burnout flowers in the corner, and my off-white chair with studs and legs that match the bamboo flooring.

new rug i oplan on getting
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00198261/

this is the duvet set i am getting:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80224727/
(for my twin bed) and i have a white bedskirt. i plan on putting blue and gray and purple throw pillows i will either purchase or sew myself.

i will put up a clear glass shelf above my dresser to hold my vases of flowers and books and stuff... probably. or my various jewlery stands and perfume tray...

my desk has a green stool with white leaves on it, i plan on keeping it but putting a throw blanket on top (the top is gross and dirty) and using it as an ottoman for my chair. (u will still see the green)

my curtains are white with silver grommets and i have these inner curtains:
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/white-bird-and-botanical-burnout-curtain-panel.do?from=Search&cx=0

i figure keeping it ties in my weird ottoman i dont want to get rid of. i may replace my grommet curtains with teal ikea grommet curtains instead of white, but im not sure...

i also do not know what color to paint my walls!!!

please suggest something that goes with my duvet cover i plan on getting. (maybe grey or purple or pale blues?)

oh also i plan on painting 3 black and white paintings to hang probably above my bed, and they will be of the chicago skyline, paris, and the london bridge.

cool throw pillow ideas, paint colors, and opinions help. keep in mind i am a teen girl...

ermmm thanks :D

p.s. i am going not for the "cool" thing, thats obnoxious, but i am hoping for a spa-ish or maybe just calming room...

Answer
Hi there,
I would suggest a pale Soft blue on the walls. This color will blend well with the soft grey and if you choose to add the purples as well. Also you may like to consider a Soft misty grey, or pale turquoise. In life there are always options! Even more so when you are painting.
Hmm the brown rug on the floor visually is not working for me. I would suggest that you stay within your color fields.
The atmosphere that you are setting sounds very nice,soothing and well visually balanced use of colors. The rug on the floor is going to draw the eye downward when in reality it is your beautiful rom that you want to enjoy. ( To me it is the elephant in the room and could gain unnecessary attention)
I truly applaud your dense of decor. I was not able to view the link you add for ikea bedding it shows something else. Either way you are definitely on the road of a well design decor-ed room. Happy Decorating!

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