Walls, Windows and Floors

advice from move:

The designer's motto is: If your walls, windows and floors are well taken care of, all else will fall into place. You'll be surprised how attractive curtains, a tasteful arrangement of artwork and thick, quality rugs on your floors really make your room feel warm and complete.

Put these on your shopping list:
Collection of a series of old botanical prints, maps, paintings of animals or ceramic plates
Curtains or shades in colorful, quality fabrics
Architectural salvage to create a "built-in" dimensional feeling
Paint on the walls, if your landlord agrees
Large area rugs in living room and bedroom, even placing on top of wall-to-wall

Create a custom look with highly-styled designer curtain rods and finials.

Make good use of unique scatter rugs for kitchen, hallways, bathroom.

Whether braided ovals, flat dhurries or bound Wilton remnants from your local carpet shop, rugs add warmth and color while absorbing noise. Be sure to use a quality pad.

Curtains are apartment essentials for privacy in living room, bedroom, kitchen and bath. Make yours full and dramatic in olive velvet, shapely and natural in burlap or muslin, romantic and ruffled in chintz. Curtains let your personality shine through and suggest a polished finish. Create a custom look with highly-styled designer curtain rods and finials. Look for elegant gold-brushed artichokes, acorns, lions' heads and abstract geometrics.

Tricks of the TradeSearch for four tall, old shutters at a garage sale or flea market. Prop them up on the windowsill, gently leaning their tops against the window frame to create a fitted wooden "curtain."

Instead of hanging one lonely picture, cover your walls with a collection of photos.
Create a "wallscape." Instead of hanging one lonely picture, cover your walls with six botanical prints arranged in rows, a collection of rich green majolica plates, 12 black-and-white art photographs framed with extra-large matting. A collection is better for filling the big expanse of walls often found in newer apartments.

Use old architectural salvage crafted from wood or iron. Find an interesting piece the width of your door and hang directly above it to fake a molding or door surround. Seek out interesting, carved pieces featuring fruit, eagles, cherubs or iron grillwork.

Not enough can be said about the power of color. In many states, a landlord is required by law to paint an apartment before any new tenant moves in. Ask him if a pale shade of blue, salmon, yellow or cream could replace the stark "apartment white" (paler colors are easier to paint over later). Painting even one wall gives a room an immense lift and acts as a mood enhancer—it's worth asking your landlord.

Use storage solutions that do double duty as display. Hang eight attractive hat hooks in your tiny entryway to show off your straw and woolen hats. An iron pot rack hung from the kitchen ceiling displays your basket collection. A coat rack in the boudoir turns into an elegant display of lacy lingerie and silk robes. Use tables that have shelves beneath for holding books, magazines and pottery.