Getting your first apartment is a big step and full of exciting new ways to express your individuality. Although, unless you come extremely prepared, once you get your bedding situated and your clothes stashed away, decorating tends to be an afterthought. Suddenly, you’re halfway through the school year and realize all the decor you had planned for became forgotten! Not to worry, I’ve come up with a list of ways not to decorate, but also create a calm, beautiful space that you’ll want to show off to your friends. Stay tuned because this is how to turn your apartment into a sanctuary!
First things first, you want your sanctuary to be an inviting, perfect space for chilling, sleeping, or meditating, and nothing says that better than sherpa furniture! Sherpa or faux fur can be a bit expensive, but even a small addition, like a sherpa floor pillow, will do the trick. You can also get a bed bench and put a sherpa mat on top of it or set it on top of a big chair. If you find yourself tight on cash, anything comfy will work. Make sure there are lots of blankets or cloths in plain sight throughout your sanctuary. Even if your original decor is hardwood, a sherpa blanket or pillow will transform your space into a sleepy pillow kingdom.
Turning your apartment into a sanctuary requires something unique in your space. This unique artifact is something that any average joe apartment wouldn’t dream of including. Regular furniture touches the floor, why not add a touch of creativity and have your decor hang from the ceiling? Hanging decor could consist of a hanging basket, a hanging light, or a swinging beaded door entrance. Anything that will give the illusion of hanging from above versus starting from the ground up. If you want to splurge, you could get a hanging chair! Big or small, whatever you decide to hang from the ceiling will entice your visitors into thinking this apartment is swinging with chicness.
Similar to how a scent brings you back to a vacation, you want your visitors to remember your sanctuary! Getting some incense or some nontoxic candles will help set the mood of your unique space. If you’re on campus and they don’t allow burning scents or are particularly sensitive, you can always get a diffuser. Diffusers are a great healthy, nontoxic way to help promote a healthy mental and physical space. Certain scents can help ease stress and relieve anxiety; furthermore, inhaling a smell will let you focus on your breath. Who wouldn’t want a space that radiates peaceful energy? Get some organic essential oils and dilute it with water to create the perfect aroma to cleanse your chakras.
If you find that your apartment lacks light or windows, there’s an easy and relatively inexpensive way to fix it: hang a tapestry! Some might think tapestries are overdone, but that’s not necessarily true; what’s overdone is the pattern on the tapestry. There are thousands of designs and images to choose from, including complete artworks and landscape images. Not to mention, the material of the tapestry plays an essential part in setting the tone of your sanctuary. Cloth tapestries help take your apartment sanctuary to maximum comfort because they’re light airy but also warm and cozy! If you don’t have room for a wall tapestry, you can also buy a landscape painting. So if you have a mundane view of the parking lot, incorporating a tapestry with snowy mountains or a beautiful sunset will undoubtedly give your space natural zen.
Most college campuses or first apartment complexes lack plant life. It tends to be more of a cement-filled drab than a green garden. Fear not, your apartment sanctuary is here to turn that around! Indoor plants are a great way to include a bit of life in a place that doesn’t have much of it. You can get long vines, a little ecosystem, or even a simple succulent. If you’re worried about time, don’t be, there’s plenty of plants that are beautiful but don’t need much care at all. Beyond a pretty centerpiece, let’s not forget the number one reason we love plants is because they provide clean air for us! Breathe easier in your home and get a plant to create the perfect sanctuary!
There’s something so restful about the outdoors, which is why the best apartment sanctuary will include some of the earth’s prized possessions. This possession can be crystals, seashells, or pieces from carved wood. If you don’t have the time to go out and find treasures from the earth, you can always purchase items that were modeled after them: like a salt lamp! Work with themes; for instance, if you have a beachy apartment, seashells might be the way to go. As long as your treasures are in agreement with the colors you have preset, the possibilities are endless. There’s room to be creative here, so whatever special decoration you find, make sure it represents you!
Do you hear it? The roar of waves, a song from the river, the kisses of a pond, these are all sounds we associate with tranquility. You don’t have to hike into the woods or drive 3 hours to the beach to hear those sweet melodies; you can bring that peaceful piece of the earth right into your home! Water fountains don’t take up much space, are only around 20-30 dollars, and can bring you all the music you’ve been missing. Not many people have thought to include this as decor, and when they visit your apartment, they’ll be running out the door to get one! Become the trendsetter in your friend group and fill your residence with the mystical sounds of nature.
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