POSTINGS!  |  Post an Ad!   |  Help!  |  Short-term Corporate Housing  |  Email us  |  Home

Search listings for Austin apartments, houses,
duplexes, condos, lofts and town homes

Decorating Austin Apartments Shabby Chic Style

Decorating Austin apartments on a budget is easier than every before. Today, shabby chic has elevated second-hand shopping from a necessity to an art. Peek in many Austin apartments today and you’ll see the evidence. Vintage furniture (once called old), slip covered sofas and distressed furniture.

The shabby chic philosophy is “less is more.”
The goal: to create living space that is comfortable, functional and fun.

Start by considering what you already have – couches, tables, beds –
and decorate your Austin apartment around them. Scan the decorating magazines for ideas and then hit the stores in search of treasures. Thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales are your best bet. Estate sales and classified ads are also filled with unexpected treasures for your apartment in Austin, Texas.

Consider some of these shabby chic decorating tips, popular with decorators, both amateur and professional:

1. Buy or make slip covers to disguise that ugly old sofa and chair. Slipcovers add colour and make cleaning spills a breeze.

2. Save and fill clear bottles with colored water. Place then in the bathroom or on the windowsill where the sun can shine through.

3. Decorate the apartment with plants. They are cheap and look great. Ask for help at the nursery if you are unsure of what to buy.

4. Buy old picture frames at rummage sales or the thrift store and fill with postcards or your own photos.

5. Create a feature photo wall. Put your favourite photos in inexpensive wood frames that have been stained a warm tone.

6. Paint an accent wall with a fresh vibrant color (if your lease permits painting.)

7.  Create a coffee table by resting a piece of glass on hard-covered books or magazines. Cover cardboard boxes with wallpaper and use as end tables or as extra storage in your Austin apartment.

8. Choose items that serve a dual purpose. A steamer trunk used as a coffee table and for storage, for instance. Sofa beds and Murphy beds (although expensive) are also ideal for making the most of limited space.

9. If space is limited in your apartment, then eliminate furniture that is not essential. If you have a place to sit, eat and sleep, then you’re set.

10. Minimize clutter in your Austin apartment by limiting your possessions and storing items creatively. Use decorative hooks and shelves to maximize storage space.

11. Use vintage suitcases to store extra clothing under beds.

12. Paint or stain a small carpenter’s toolbox and use in the bathroom to store toiletries.

13. Mix and match to your heart’s content. Nowadays, as long as you are happy, anything goes.

Take the time to browse our classifieds for Austin apartments.  We work with realtors to provide only the best listings.