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Ask A Baltimore Expert: Decorating Your First Apartment On A Budget

So you have become independent and moved into your first apartment. What a feeling of accomplishment! Now that you are in the real world (away from familial influences) and dealing with real life issues and problems, you will want to save as much as possible. How do you decorate without spending a lot of money? This article will provide a few tips, from the mouth of an expert, to help get you on your way to style and comfort.

shofer_s_furniture_store.jpg
Credit: Vickie Lawson

Frank Bush
Shofer's Furniture
930 S. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 752-4212
www.shofers.com

Shofer's Furniture is a 100-year-old, third generation family-owned business. The company carries 150 lines of furniture and meets the needs of any Baltimore area shopper by providing a great range of prices and selection. It is also a huge resource for local designers in the Baltimore and Washington DC area. The store is open daily from 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Mondays from 10 p.m.-9 p.m. and Sundays from noon - 5 p.m.

Frank Bush has been working at Shofer's Furniture for 10 years and has been an architectural and interior designer for 30 years. His work is featured on houzz.com under FGB Interiors. Bush has won several awards for interior design. Here are his expert tips on decorating your new apartment with limited funds.

Related: Best Places For Used Furniture in Baltimore

Create Focal Points With Paint

Use paint as a main focal point for yours rooms. An example of this would be to select soft colors on three of the walls and do a darker or brighter color on the fourth wall. This will give a greater visual impact to your room by creating contrast. A fresh approach to wall coverings today is to cover the ceiling. Today, designers are using textural wall coverings for a more relaxed feel.

Integrate Patterns And Colors

The scale is the size and proportion of an object, or perhaps the size of an image on a fabric. Use different scales and patterns in each room. Try putting small prints and large prints or soft colors and bold colors together to create interesting combinations of patterns in the room.

Mix The Scales

Another way to create excitement in a room is to use scale change. For example, you can use it in a room when selecting furniture. Mix and match your scales in the rooms. If you have a large sofa, use a small coffee table. Try placing large lamps on smaller end tables. You do not have to spend a lot of money, just add a creative touch.

Refresh Used Oieces

Go to second hand stores for that special piece of furniture and buy inexpensively. You can always paint furniture to give it a fresh look, especially if you use a bold color. You can find great chairs and paint them a fresh color, which will give you a more contemporary feel--a fresher approach.

Tap Into Your Creative Self

Buy inexpensive panels for draperies and do something new to them. You can decorate them by sewing something, like jewelry, on the leading edge of the panel. This will provide a more glam-look. Get in touch with your creative side by using jewelry pieces or stones. Shop at hobby stores for precious jewels and stones on the cheap.

Related: Decking Out Dorm Room on a Budget

Vickie Lawson is a freelance writer whose work can be found on Examiner.com.

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