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When many people hear “rental apartment,” they don’t necessarily think of a warm and cozy home. While the personalization of a rental home can certainly be more challenging, there are still plenty of small touches that will make your Boulder townhouse or apartment feel warm, cozy, and totally unique.
House Plants
Indoor plants are an easy way to bring the life and beauty of nature into your apartment. Houseplants have been shown to relieve stress, as well as to boost the humidity of the air indoors (a huge plus during dry Colorado winters!). There are a wide variety of plants available to perfectly compliment your apartment space. Hang plants in front of windows to catch light, or even grow culinary herbs like basil and mint right indoors. Not much of a green thumb? Choose easy-to-grow succulents, which are members of the cactus family and therefore don’t need much water. As an added bonus, many types of houseplants have been proven to purify and clean the air indoors. Check out Harlequin’s Gardens (4795 26th St.) or Sturtz & Copeland (2851 Valmont Rd) for a great selection of indoor plants.
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Throw Pillows & Blankets
While finding the perfect couch or coffee table is one of the first steps in decorating, if you really want your apartment to feel modern and stylish, you should invest in a few decorative throw pillows. These pillows come in thousands of styles and colors to perfectly compliment your design and help embellish a plain room. Here is a handy guide for decorating with throw pillows. As an added bonus, invest in a large and attractive basket or bin for storing comfy blankets near the couch. You can find baskets in a variety of fabrics and textures, and having blankets within arms reach will keep you warm during the colder months. Houzz.com is a great way to search for the pillows, blankets, or baskets you need to make your couch extra-cozy and comfortable.
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The Right Lighting
Adding unique lighting features to your apartment is the key to making it feel welcoming. Save the chandeliers and track lighting for when you buy a home, and make use of lamps of all sizes to modify the lighting in any room with ease. Tall lamps are perfect for illuminating shadowy corners, while shorter lamps can provide great reading light. Try The Amazing Garage Sale, (4919 N Broadway) a North Boulder consignment shop, for some remarkable deals on vintage lamps. Or check out the beautiful and eco-friendly “leaf lamps” at Boulder Furniture Arts (1200 Pearl Street). Or, for a simple lighting fix, simply arrange clusters of candles around your apartment to give your rental home a soft warm glow.
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Curtains
Hanging colorful drapes is an unexpected (and impermanent) way to give your apartment walls some color and texture. A great alternative to painting or wallpaper, curtains can be used creatively to make your apartment home feel personalized. Patterned drapes not only provide visual interest, but also some much needed privacy (as well as helping to retain heat during the winter months). Here is a helpful guide to finding the right drapes for your apartment. Check out Ona Drapery, a Boulder-based company, for some beautiful curtains and hardware. World Market (1685 28th Street) also has a great collection of funky and colorful drapes for jazzing up your apartment.
The Right Art
The quickest way to make your apartment feel like home is by hanging decorations on your walls. Whether you choose art, framed photographs, candle hangers or mirrors, adorning your walls with decorative touches will make your apartment feel lived-in. Remember that art doesn’t need to be expensive. Check out Clutter Consignment Shop (1909 9th St, Suite 130) for plenty of interesting pieces of art, both antique and modern. You can even frame your own snapshots of family and friends and hang them throughout the house for personalized, meaningful pieces of art.
With a little bit of effort, your Boulder apartment will feel like your warm and cozy home in no time. Just a few tweaks and you can easily transform your rental into a comfortable and personalized retreat that invites you to relax and rejuvenate.