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We know the struggle of trying to make your first time rental feel more like a home. Here are our best tips to upgrade your decor on a budget! Use them to upgrade your decor without breaking the bank this fall.

Experiment with textiles

When it comes to making your apartment decor feel like your apartmen decor, textiles play an important role. Fabric can make a statement, on a budget, in any space. Look for blankets, pillow shams, and tablecloths in textiles that appeal to you in terms of their look, colour, pattern, style and texture. Stores like Winners and HomeSense are great spots to hunt for textile decor at great prices. Try to ignore what's trending and pay attention to what you like and what catches your eye. Trends come and go, but your personal taste will last.

If you're a DIYer, making your own pillow shams out of fabric you find at the fabric store will add a very personal touch to your decor. You could even knit your own blankets by hand!

Add curtains and blinds

Your windows can be personalised on a budget with your choice of curtains and blinds. They come in all kinds of styles, fabrics and materials. Selecting the right window treatments for your space can be hard. Try to get something that will pair well with the rest of your decor, that isn't too dark and heavy feeling, and that will add a touch of your personal style to your space. Just like pillow shams, you can make your own curtains pretty easily with your fabric of choice.

Paint the walls (if you can)

Your paint job can really set the mood in your space. Before you add even a single brushstroke, be sure to check with your apartment property manager if there are any rules about painting in your apartment. Some apartment buildings do not allow you to paint any bold colours or patterns, for example. Some do not allow any painting by the tenant whatsoever. Ignoring such a rule could result in losing your security deposit at the end of your lease. If you can paint any way you like, consider using different colours in different rooms to make each one unique. When it comes to what paint colours to choose, try to work within a colour palette of tones that work well together so you don't create a jarring experience going from room to room.

Use removable wallpaper

A cool way to customize the walls of your rooms without painting or  risking your security deposit is by using removable wallpaper. This wonderful stuff peels and sticks to your wall and can be removed just as easily. Wallpaper is a great way to add a ton of personality to your space on a budget. If you love to draw, removable chalkboard wallpaper is another great option that's as customizable as your imagination.

Add plants

Forget adding expensive bouquets of cut flowers to your table and opt for live plants instead. Living plants can bring a lot of life and personality into your indoor spaces. You'd be amazed by what you can grow in an apartment! From flowers to trees and even fruits and vegetables, now is the time to grow your green thumb.

Express yourself with art

Whether you're an art lover or an aspiring artist, adding art to your home is a great way to personalize your space. You don't need to be rich or an artist to create attractive wall art yourself. You can also purchase very affordable art prints online and frame them to hang on your walls. Into photography? Blow up and frame your favourite shots. Even if all your walls are white, adding art you love can make them pop.

Fiddle with furniture 

If you still need to furnish your space, there are many stylish shops that sell affordable options. IKEA Canada has been a first time renter's best friend forever and for good reason. Its well made and affordable pieces add style and function on a budget. Wayfair.ca is another great place to find budget furniture with flair.

We hope these tips help you make the most of your decor on a budget!

Looking for an apartment to call home and make your own? Panoramic Properties would love to welcome you home. Please visit our website to browse our available apartments.