Have you sometimes felt less than truly at home when celebrating the holidays in an apartment unit? Maybe you were still new to the place, or you discovered that your roomful of decorations wouldn't suit the available space. Maybe you simply didn't know how to give your apartment the proper atmosphere of holiday cheer. This year, however, will be different. Check out these simple yet effective tips for creating a holiday-ready Chicago apartment.

Seasonal Scents

When you think about this time of year, you probably recall the smells of gingerbread cookies, candy canes, vanilla-rich desserts and, of course, pine needles. You can create some of these lovely odors simply by baking your favorite holiday treats. When it comes to scented candles, however, you run the risk of violating apartment rules, setting off the smoke alarm or even causing a fire. Instead, look for seasonal aerosol sprays or scented odor-absorbers. A spritz of scent here and there, and it's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas.

Spirit-Warming Beverages

A lot of holiday ambience can be evoked by the hot or cold beverages you serve to your loved ones. For instance, ginger and cinnamon can both be brewed into delicious, warming teas that evoke the spirit of the season beautifully. You can also mix cranberry and pomegranate juices into a delicious, ruby-red drink that matches your holiday decor. A delicately-spiced "virgin" eggnog will make even Santa envious — unless, of course, you leave some out for him.

Festive (Yet Sensible) Decorations

You can get away with minimal holiday decorations if you've downsized to a modest apartment. Consider getting a mini-size tree that fits handily on a table and comes with its own tinsel. You've just made one major aspect of holiday decoration much easier, while leaving plenty of foot traffic for guests. If you're allowed to hang lights that are visible from the parking lot, go with a more minimal look so your neighbors don't regard your apartment as an eyesore.

An apartment in Chicago, Illinois, can be the perfect place to enjoy a happy holiday. If you're in the market for one, contact River Park North!

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Use Them for Table Decorations

If you have a large square or round vase, fill it up with little mementos. For example, if you love the beach, fill the vase with shells. Or if wine is your thing, use the vase to hold corks from the various bottles you've enjoyed. 

Paint Them

The problem with most florist vases is that they're typically very simple glass and just not that pretty. But you can change that quickly by painting your vase in a pretty color. Some crafters recommend spray painting your glass vases.

Other crafters suggest that you swirl around a paint (acrylic is a good choice) inside of the vase until the interior is evenly coated. Then, place the vase upside down on some newspapers to allow the excess paint to drip out. Once dry, you can use a brush to paint the exterior of the vase. You might be surprised how upscale your ugly little florist vase will look with just a simple coat of paint. 

Use Them for a Planter

A small vase can be turned into a pretty planter for bamboo. Simply fill a vase with small pebbles and water and add a bamboo shoot.

Illuminated Decoration

Want to add a little whimsy to a room? Then add a tangle of fairy lights to a few vases and place around a room for magical mood lighting. 

Have you been thinking about up-cycling your living space, as well, as your vases? Perhaps, you're even in the mood for a big move to a whole new apartment. If so, please check out our stylish apartments in Chicago, IL. We offer a host of much sought-after amenities, including a 24-hour fitness center, dry cleaning, valet and package services, as well as close proximity to the Brown and Red CTA lines. 

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1. Give Your Living Room a Facelift

Summer brings some serious color into your life, which is why experts recommend choosing a neutral theme as the backdrop for your decor. If you have relatively pale furniture, it only takes a few vibrant accent pillows or art pieces to dress up your living room. A small vase of fresh flowers on your coffee table or a whole bucket of them in a corner can really make the room spring to life. It can be as easy as adding a window gallery of colorful prints or shadow boxes full of pressed flowers.

2. Change Your Bedding

Sometimes, we have a tendency to ignore bedding or to use the same shades over. But your bedding can set the tone for the beginning and end of the day, so why not add some warmer summer pastels or even extreme purples and oranges for the next few months? You'll score extra points if you can find sheets and spreads that work in the many hues of the sunset.

3. Embrace a Nautical Theme

You may not be all that near the ocean, but you're not all that far from a big body of water either. From roped candles to wind chimes made of shells and starfish, there are a variety of ways to bring the beach to you. Plus, you can make them on your own and save some cash. The longer days can give you the boost of energy you need to finish these crafts long before the calendar turns autumn.

Summer-themed apartments start with the right space. If you're searching for a new home, River North Park has the floorplans and amenities that can make all your decorating dreams come true. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment or to take a tour of our beautiful apartments in Chicago.

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Remove crayon markings with baking soda toothpaste 

Crayon markings from wax crayons can be tricky to remove, especially on light-colored walls. However, if you have a soft sponge and some baking soda toothpaste on hand, you're good to go. Simply rub a dab of the toothpaste onto the markings and gently scrub in a circular motion with the sponge. The waxy residue will come off on the sponge. Just make sure you wipe down the walls with a dampened washcloth to remove any remaining toothpaste residue. 

Make oily handprints disappear with chalk and a cloth 

Oily handprints happen all over the house, from the kitchen to the hall, and these suckers can be hard to get rid of. There's a simple solution that may sound counterintuitive. Grab a stick of plain old white chalk and use a rounded end to cover the markings. Allow the chalk to sit for a few minutes and then wipe away the residue with a soft dampened cloth. The oily residue gets absorbed by the chalk, and you wipe the chalk away. It really is just that simple. 

Tackle scuff marks with a melamine cleaning sponge 

Scuff marks can come from a lot of things. Maybe you accidentally dragged a chair across the painted surface or perhaps a rowdy young visitor put shoes on the wall. In either case, these scuffs tend to be easy to eliminate with melamine sponges. These plasticized sponges have just enough abrasion power to slough away scuffs, and they are soft enough that they will not damage the painted surface.  

By nabbing those pesky wall marks with these simple tactics, your painted walls will not look dingy and dirty with time. Reach out to us at River North Park to find out what apartment floor plans we have available. 

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Here are some ways you can give your new home a look that's uniquely Chicagoan.

1. Grayscale colors accented by just one bright shade.

Blacks, whites, and grays are very evocative of the whole "windy" aspect and it's incredibly easy to put your own spin on decor with a vibrant accent color. Think rich charcoal-hued furniture with pops of color from lipstick-red throw pillows, silver-gray drapes accented by yellow or gold ties.

"Industrial meets modern" is commonly seen in Chicago interior design, and grays touched with color is the way to go.

2. Rustic brick is always a good choice.

Exposed brick walls are seen in many homes and businesses in Chicago. Buildings have come and gone but the comforting style of bricks remains popular. Brick-print wall decals can lend an exposed brick look to your walls.

If you don't want to commit to that many "bricks" or it would clash with the rest of the decor, just one or two decorative bricks inscribed with a custom phrase or image are a fun and kitschy decoration that can add a Chicago vibe to any room.

3. Go for "floating" decorations.

Decorations that literally float haven't become a thing yet, but wall hangings that extrude add an artistic touch that can be as rustic or modern as your taste allows. You can also create simple and elegant "floating" decorations using fishing tackle to suspend decorative items from the ceiling.

Geometric shapes are a popular choice for a slick modern look while Art Deco style is a great way to stay consistent with older Chicago style decor.

No matter your interior decorating style, you'll be excited to call River North home and get the most of the Chicago experience in the heart of the city. Contact us today to speak to a leasing agent.

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Door Headboard

An old, wooden door can easily be repurposed into a chic headboard for your bed. Find a door to repurpose, or buy an unfinished one from the hardware store, and add crown molding to one long edge of the door to create the top of the frame. Then paint it to match your style, and screw it to your bedframe for a unique and homey headboard. If your bed frame won’t accommodate the new headboard, mount it to the wall behind your bed to get the effect of a headboard without all the hassle.

Old Drawer Footrest

Is your dresser too old and outdated to hang onto? Save a couple of drawers to make footrests, and add your own personal touch to any armchair. Stain or paint the drawers, stuff them with batting, and staple fabric over the pouf to make a comfy footrest. If you need some extra height, repurpose old dresser legs as your new footrest legs!

Barstool Desk

If you need a place to sit and get work done but are afraid of a traditional desk taking up too much space in your home, a tall, slim desk pushed up against the wall can solve both your problems. Paint a couple of tall and sturdy bar stools, and attach them to a long plank of wood using screws to create a desk to line up on the wall that will be both functional and beautiful. Do you want to know the best part? You will be sure to use your space much more efficiently than you might with a traditional desk.

No matter your skill level, you can easily complete any of these DIY furniture projects and make your apartment communicate your style and feel like home. Put your crafting skills to the test by personalizing one of our Chicago apartments to match your style perfectly. Contact us today to explore available floor plans.

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Minimalism Can Be a Good Thing

There's no reason you have to fill your space with too much stuff. Buying the basics and then reevaluating what you have is generally a better choice. When you're considering our apartments in Chicago, you will find plenty of options, layouts, and different sizes. But no matter the size of your apartment, you can be a minimalist and still have all the things you need. By keeping your items down to a smaller amount you'll save money, too.

Consider Decor That's Also Useable Space

When you decorate, make it useful. For example, consider buying pretty canisters for the kitchen counter, and decorative racks for coats, keys, and mail to hang on the wall by the door. There are a lot of great ways to use all of your available space in a way that makes your apartment really stand out. A pop of color here and there, along with some shelving or storage options that are creative, fun, and fashionable, can give your apartment a great look that you'll love to show off.

You Don't Need Everything All at Once

While you might be tempted to try to buy everything you can think of for your new place, your Chicago, Illinois, apartment doesn't need to be completely furnished the very first day. Instead, you can focus on the minimalism previously mentioned, and then only buy new things that you really need. If you find yourself consistently needing that extra mixing bowl, or more spoons, go out and get them. But you don't need to buy a whole bunch of stuff until you're sure it's worth having.

Ready to find your next apartment? Contact our office at River North Park Apartments today and get started on a great space you can decorate just the way you like.

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