Olympus at Daybreak shares our pro tips and tricks for creating a stunning space, while avoiding common interior design bloopers

1. Everything Against the Walls

A blank wall in our apartment really is like a blank canvas. It’s a starting point for our furniture and decor placement. But this doesn’t mean that every single item in your home needs to be pushed up against the wall – here’s why. Try pulling your sofa away from the wall and into the room to make a more inviting space, or maybe just pull it a bit away from the wall to allow for a pretty sofa table to go in between.

2. Dark Decor Pieces

While your floor plan at Olympus at Daybreak is a roomy 799 to1342 square feet, let’s face it, most apartment homes are smaller than a typical freestanding house.

The fix: There are quite a few ways to make your spacious apartment home feel even bigger, like swapping out heavy, dark furniture pieces and wall art with lighter and brighter options. Here are a few visuals to check out, like the difference between this heavier-feeling bedroom space, compared to this airy one.

3. Crowded Surfaces

From bedside tables to bathroom counters, there are plenty of surfaces throughout your home that easily collect clutter.

The fix: Keep surfaces clean and organized, and try to keep decor elements to a maximum of five pieces or less per surface space. And if you’re looking for a little more inspiration on how to stylishly decorate a bookshelf or surface, check out this helpful video!

4. Clashing Color Schemes

Let’s avoid rainbow rooms – unless intentional – and stay away from dark, dreary spaces.

The fix: Start with the largest decor or furniture pieces you want to keep in your home. Maybe it’s a velvet mustard-colored couch or a large framed canvas painting that will be your home’s focal point. Whatever you choose, use it as your launching pad to sprinkle in complementary colors that play off of that piece. Here’s a pretty gallery of visuals from HGTV and a go-to color matching guide to help you get started.

5. Mismatched Themes/Styles

If you’re into the midcentury mod look in your home, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep tufted bed frames or glitzy framed mirrors hanging around.

The fix: Choose your overall theme or interior style and select decor, art, and furniture pieces to match that desired look. And if you’re not sure exactly what your style is, take this quiz to find out.

6. Not Enough Light

Lighting is everything! Nothing weighs down an apartment more than a dark space.

The fix: Invest in some good quality lighting and count on the natural sunlight from your apartment’s expansive windows. Use sheer curtains and be sure to draw them back each morning to let in as much light as possible. A pretty floor lamp next to an armchair looks elegant, while a diffused table lamp on your bedside table offers a warm glow to ease into the evening.

When you’re ready for more home decorating ideas, check out our other blog posts for inspiration.