As much as you love your parents, living with them as a millennial seems worse then when you were a child. Even though Mom still does laundry and packed your lunch, you were finally able to save enough — despite crushing student loan debt — to rent a loft in the city. You’re excited to get all settled in until you realize the mismatched furniture, rainbow lamps, and classic rock posters you collected throughout college look even worse next to the polished, sophistic interior of your new space. Yikes.
Like many other tenants who choose to rent a loft, this is a common dilemma. In fact, lofts for rent can be tricky to decorate. This is due to large, open spaces. While many tenants feel the lack of defined and designated rooms lends a sense of openness, it can seem understandably intimidating to some.
However, a loft apartment can be quite easy, fun, and simple to decorate once you consider the basics: theme, color, pattern, and texture.
Sure, mismatched college furniture may seem out of place in chic city loft apartments, however, that doesn’t mean mismatched furniture is always verboten. In fact, combining furniture from different styles, periods, and colors can add character. It all depends on the choosing the right kind of pieces. This is where theme comes into play. Perhaps you find yourself drawn to a particular style of furniture or color. Have fun finding inspiration.
Color can also be used to create a cohesive look. An accent wall provides a center of interest, while adding a brightly colored furniture piece or accents, such as a throw, can provide just the right amount of contrast. Color can also be used to “break up” the space, providing invisible “boundaries” which separate the areas, creating rooms. In this instance, using large area and accent rugs are great for centering an area.
Considering using a monochromatic color scheme when choosing your rugs for a subtle look, or experiment with different patterns and colors for a bolder look. This is also a good time to experiment with texture. For example, a Persian or Oriental style rug can be used to center the ground the dining area, while shag or fluffy accent rug — using the same colors from the dining area rug — can be placed in living area. Pulling similar colors from the the rug in the dining area creates a clean look, while the mismatched textures add character.
The best loft apartments are ones that show character. If you choose to rent a loft, you don’t have to be a professional interior designer or decorator to create an enviable look. Simply have fun exploring your own aesthetics, and express that in your design. Reference links.