Simple upgrades and clever styling turned this space into a cozy, curated haven.
The journey to creating the perfectly decorated apartment is filled with ups and downs. From filling the space with necessities like a couch and coffee table to adding small pieces of decor, it’s easy to lose sight of the full picture. On her quest to make her apartment feel cozy, content creator Charisma (@charismastev) discovered that starting with a clear plan is the key to revamping her living room into the space of her dreams.
Her mission was simple. Though she’d been living in her apartment for several months, she felt the items in her living room weren’t very cohesive or telling of her personal style. She knew she was ready for a change, but wanted the outcome to reflect her taste and feel like home. So, she began with a mood board and created a mock-up of the room with a curated color palette that would serve as a reference during the transformation.
Having this game plan helped bring her vision to life. For this refresh, Charisma planned to make simple adjustments to the living room. Instead of purchasing new furniture, she opted to refresh her staple pieces with new textiles and decor. While the transformation didn’t happen overnight, she was able to create a space she loved with just a few changes. Below, see everything she did to breathe new life into her living room.
Floor-to-Ceiling Curtains
In her video, Charisma explains that floor-to-ceiling curtains can elevate a room, making it look more elegant and modern. Recreating the look doesn’t have to be hard. Instead of installing curtain rods, she went with a more affordable and renter-friendly approach with adhesive curtains. Similar to peel-and-stick products, these curtains easily attach to the ceiling to instantly transform the space.
Upgrading the Sofa & Chairs
It can be tempting to buy new furniture when revamping a room. Sure, a new chair or couch is exciting, but remixing your current pieces can also give the space new energy. Instead of shopping, take stock of the accent pieces in your living room and look for ways to make them stand out. Charisma’s pink accent chairs made a statement on their own, but adding coordinating pillows gave them a chic feel. She opted for mauve throw pillows to match the pink tone of the chair and a simple striped lumbar pillow to tie in the colors and pattern of her rug. She then gave her couch the same treatment, swapping out her eclectic printed pillows for soft shades that fit her color palette.
Styling the Coffee Table
Coffee tables can make a statement with the right accessories. As Charisma explains, styling your coffee table can create more opportunities to play with color and show off your personal style. To brighten up her rectangular coffee table, she added an assortment of coffee table books, vases, magazines, and candles. While these are all typical decor items used to style a coffee table, choosing colors and prints that speak to your personality will make the table feel unique. For her table, Charisma went with a bold yellow coffee table book, two decorative vases to hold her favorite flowers, and a luxe candle with a collection of kitschy matchbooks.
Revamping the End Table
Since the end table in her apartment already had a bold shade, it didn’t need much to make it pop. After applying a fresh coat of paint to enhance its color, Charisma styled it with a cool chrome lamp and diffuser in a coordinating sage shade.
Adding a Room Spray
Room sprays can enhance the ambiance of a space and help build your home’s signature scent. However, Charisma took things one step further and decided to incorporate the spray into the decor of her living room. Swapping out the packaging with a gorgeous vintage bottle means the room spray can be placed anywhere in the space without being an eyesore. It also gives you easy access so you can refresh the air anytime you like.
Add a Stylish Bookshelf
Libraries are trending, but if you’re limited on space, you can still create a stylish reading area. Charisma opted for a floating bookshelf to house a small collection and double as decor. To enhance the look of her shelf, she added two art prints on the adjacent wall.
