5 DIY Ideas to Beautify Your Apartment

You don’t have to spend money to add some character to your apartment. All you need are a few simple craft supplies, an hour or two, and a passion for crafting (or at least the patience for it). If your walls are looking a bit barren, try one of these DIY ideas to beautify your apartment:

Monogram your living room. Really, you can use these large, decorative letters from 346 Living to spell out anything, anywhere—your surname over the entryway, the world “EAT” under the kitchen cabinets, or even a short quote down the hallway. The process is simple: trace and cut large block letters from Styrofoam, spray-paint them a zinc-inspired silver (or any color you like), and mount them on the wall.
Frame your switch plates. Small details can have a big impact, which is why revamping your apartment might be a matter of fixing something small—like your switch plates. Simply scour local thrift stores or craft stores for small frames that fit your home’s various switch plates (you’ll need to measure them, first). Then, paint the frames, unscrew the switch plates, and glue the frames right on top. It’ll just be a matter of screwing the plates back into the wall to complete the project. See the detailed instructions at Me, Myself, & DIY.
Make your own decorative mirror. Aptly named Dollar Store Crafts is the DIY blog behind an $11 mirror that closely resembles one by Pottery Barn. Though the exact price tag of your mirror might vary slightly, you’ll certainly spend less on this project than the real thing. All you need are 10 small mirror tiles, an old picture frame (from a thrift shop or a store like Ikea), bamboo skewers, a foam core board, paint, and glue. Paint the parts of the project that will be visible (the frame and the bamboo skewers), glue the mirror tiles to the foam core board, and affix the frame. Fill in the gaps with the bamboo skewers (you’ll have to cut these to fit). Voila! A framed mirror that looks more like a window.
Keep your makeup in mason jars. This project is as functional as it is pretty. With just a few components on hand—mason jars, a small slab of wood, a picture-hanging kit, and hose clamps—the crafter at The DIY Playbook mounted a row of mason jars in her bathroom that were perfect for holding everything from makeup brushes to cotton balls.
Transform rain boots into springtime vases. Whether you have some old rain boots on hand or need to grab them at a thrift store, you might be surprised by how easily you can incorporate them into your decor. Simply find a pair of rain boots (or even a single boot) with a fun, colorful print and place some fresh flowers inside. You can set the boot-vase on a windowsill or use a large nail to hang it beneath the window. Glean some more inspiration from the Aiken House & Gardens’ blog.