2 Step Low Cost Apartment Decorating Ideas

1.  Wake Up a White Wall with Scrap-booking Paper. 

I wanted to create a dynamic entryway without spending a bundle of money.  Wallpaper is hard to find, really expensive, and generally has to be ordered with a long wait time of at least a week.  I found an inexpensive fast way to create a mock wallpaper display.  Michaels and JoAnn Craft Stores have an assortment of gorgeous scrapbook paper to delight anyone's artistic fancy that can be used for many purposes.  I chose the 48 Sheet  Far East 12x12 Acid Free Printed Cardstack and mixed it with a Neutral Metallics Cardstock stack of the same size.  Luckily they were on sale and I got the two for $19.99.  (I would advise cleaning and or painting the wall waiting a few hours until the wall is dry).  Creating a checkerboard pattern I laid the squares on the floor and taped them together on the backsides.  Starting at the bottom of the wall I affixed the paper, 3 squares at a time.  To form a border at the top I cut up 1 square of metallic paper in 2" strips.  I used a glue gun at the top and bottom corner to affix it to the wall.

 I used about 36 squares for the finished wall.

2.  Create a Cozy Table For Two

Make dining a delight in your own home by setting up a restaurant style atmosphere.  The table is a glass fold up, 60" round top.  I had an existing cream textured tablecloth, purchased a chocolate brown round table cloth at Roses for under $5 to cover the table/.  To make it interesting I tied knots in 4 places on the sides of the table attaching them with clear miniature hair elastics.  The table is topped with silk flowers, gold platters, Studio Nova Rose Chinz China, Grace's Teaware found at T.J. Maxx, and Pottery Barn Wine Glasses.  The refurbished chairs were $12 each at the Habitat ReStore.  I spray painted them with white Krylon Gloss, added chair cushions, and fashioned 2 pillows by cutting down 1 large silk faux rose wine colored pillow from Pier 1 Imports.