If you’re planning on buying a house or moving soon, you’ve probably spent a lot of time fantasizing about how you’ll decorate the space, what colors you want to paint the walls, what sort of throw pillows will adorn the perfect couch-- maybe you’ve even dedicated a mood board to your ideal home aesthetic. But this type of planning can get you itching to get out of your current space and leave you unsatisfied in the meantime. This can especially be difficult if you have to wait a long time to buy or move into your next house. But there’s no reason you should have to wait to create your dream space! You can transform your current home into something wonderful for the time being. It’s still your home, after all, and you deserve to love it.
Interior design and mood
The space we live in has a huge impact on the way we feel. One article about Aesthetics and Well-Being from Psychology Tomorrow Magazine states that even science can back these claims up, as neuroscientists have done the research to find that interior design elements can evoke positive or negative emotions. So you should absolutely take your living space seriously, even if it’s just temporary. There are plenty of easy ways to spruce up an apartment or rented house!
How to paint a temporary home
One of the easiest ways to change the mood of a room is to paint the walls. This may sound difficult if you’re renting, but there are ways to get away with it! The very important first step is to make sure to note the original color of the walls, because you’ll need to repaint them before you move out. If you take a little chip of paint off the wall and take it into a paint store, they should be able to identify the color for you.
When picking out a new color to paint the walls, follow your heart, but try to stay away from warm colors like red, orange, and yellow, as well as any extra bright or dark shades. These will be hard to paint over.
Once you choose a color, do some prepping like gathering the necessary tools, moving furniture, and masking outlets. Then you’re ready to paint! Start with a brush, feathering outward from the edges and corners, and then move to a roller to get the job done quickly. You’ll probably want at least two coats of paint, but make sure you let each one dry for a few hours.
Once you’re finished with the walls and have done all the necessary clean-up, take a step back to admire your work! You’re one step closer to loving your home.
Just don’t forget to repaint the walls to their original color if you’re renting. It’s a good idea to sand down the walls before doing this, as it helps remove leftover paint drips and promotes a smooth, easily applied new coat. It’s important to use a good primer as well because this will ensure that the old color is completely hidden.
Other options
If you’re not up for the risk of painting your walls, there are still plenty of ways to decorate your home. Try out removable wallpaper or wall stickers, which will easily peel off. Hanging art and mirrors on the wall can also make a huge difference and add a wonderful personal touch to a room. And don’t forget the difference lighting can make! Play around with LED lights or string lights.
No matter what you do, at the end of the day, what’s important is that you’re comfortable and satisfied with your home, even if it’s temporary. You don’t have to wait to buy a home to love the space you live in!
