If you have recently moved into a newly-built apartment block, you will doubtless be embroiled in the business of making your shiny new flat look more like home. Often, this is more difficult than it initially appears, and, unless you are careful, can involve a good deal of time, energy and money.
To begin with, it is a good idea, if you are able, to introduce some colour into your new living environment. If your lease allows you to paint your walls, do this and choose a colour palette that reflects your personality. If your lease agreement prevents you from making serious alterations to the colour scheme, make some DIY wall arts in to brighten up the place.
The same kind of strategy is applicable to the rest of the flat as well. Put rugs down on the tiles, and choose blinds or curtains that are not simply neutral and functional. Try to select every item so that it is a statement about who you are and your personal tastes.
Remember that turning your sterile new apartment into a place that looks like your home is not simply a matter of filling the rooms with clutter. It is a selective, strategic process and it does require some consideration. Never make a purchase simply for the sake of doing so, and weigh up every decor item carefully before deciding if its worth buying or not.
In short, the business of making your new flat into a warm, habitable environment is very much a matter of projecting your identity onto the blank walls using colour, fabric and creative design. However, it is also about streamlined and selective shopping strategies, and about recognising the difference between meaningful objects d'arts and clutter.