Best Colors To Paint Your First Apartment Walls

By Alexia Gonzalez on August 13, 2015

This article is brought to you by CORT, a subsidiary of Berkshire-Hathaway and the world’s largest furniture rental and relocation services company. To learn more about how we can help college students like you, click here.

After paying your dues and living your first two college years in the dreaded dorm halls, you have finally upgraded to off-campus living. In other words, you are really becoming an adult.

Your first non-dormitory residence is an opportunity to step up your decorating game in a mature way that reflects your newly grown-up tastes and sense of style. This means no more walls covered in magazine cut-outs and white boards, no more extra-long twin sheets, and no mini-fridge.

It is time to eschew your dorm habits and pick up more sophisticated decorating habits. Besides, the way that you decorate your living space speaks volumes to your tastes and is a direct representation of your personality.

The best way to get your feet wet in the interior décor game, add life to a space, and reflect your personal style, is to add some color by painting your walls. Whether you paint your entire apartment or just one wall, adding some color to your living space can go a long way.

Color is the one design element that can completely transform a room. Painting is actually the least expensive and easiest way to refresh a space. Adding color to white walls can instantly make a huge difference and can serve as a source of decorating inspiration.

One of the best ways to maximize a small space (and let’s face it, most of our first apartments are pretty small) is to paint your chosen room in one color. This is because covering all the surfaces of a room in one color makes it feel more open and larger.

In order to seemingly increase your space by painting an entire room, you need to first choose a warm and rich or soft and soothing hue, and envelope the space in it, including the ceiling. One unified color fades defining lines, which enhances the coziness of the space and makes it feel larger.

For a more modern and contemporary feel, you can combine two colors in one room. Repeat colors in a room at least twice to create a unified flow. Use your wall color at least one other time in your space, either in a throw pillow or in a small accent piece. The repeated color will help to pull your style together.

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If you’re not yet able to commit to a fully painted abode, you can start by adding color to just one wall. Start by choosing the most noticeable wall in the room and paint it to create a striking accent wall. The contrast of the colored wall against a white room instantly makes an impression and can add life to a space.

Always be sure to use your decorating scheme as a source of inspiration for your painted walls. For instance, if you have a piece of art that you are just dying to showcase, pull colors from there for your walls. If you have a piece of art that you love, but don’t know how to decorate around it, choose your two favorite colors from the piece and use them in various instances throughout the room.

Keep in mind that the color that you choose for your living space will have an effect on your mood and disposition at home. You want your place to feel refreshing, not imposing.

These go-to wall colors, recommended by the pros, are all you’ll need for your first grown-up apartment.

White

 

A clean white room can make the perfect base for a lot of accent colors. If you want to use brightly colored furniture, accessories, or pieces of art, white walls are the perfect backdrops. Whites should only be used intentionally – not as a default color.

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If you use clean white, make sure your décor calls for a clean white. If your décor is warm, choose a creamy white to add warmth to the setting. Introduce small pops of color while still maintaining a soft, neutral overall look.

Here are some other colors to consider:

•Peach/Blush Pink

Gray

Light Blue  

Yellow

Earth Tones

 

 

Looking for a more convenient way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Rent stylish furniture from CORT and save time and money. For more information on furniture rental packages, click here.

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