Making Your Condo Your Own

Do you remember what you thought the first time you walked into your condo? You did not own it and, probably, the previous owners had all their stuff there. Or the place was totally bare. All you had was a picture in your mind of all the things you could do and improvements you could make. But now the condo is yours, and you can do with it what you want. Following are five tips for making your condo your own.

1. Paint. There are few upgrades that are easier to accomplish, and that will have such a dramatic impact, as painting the walls. Or even just one wall. You can attain a feeling of warmth, for example, with greens and beiges. Or if you like darker colors, you can go that direction, too. Point is, the paint color you choose can set the tone for your entire condo.

2. Personalize. Find some pictures of you or your family. Or your friends, or places you have visited. The pictures you decide to hang say a lot about you. If you choose vacation spots, for example, they may reflect your overall approach to decorating. (Just because you live in one area does not mean you cannot decorate as if you live somewhere else. Just ask the person with reggae music and pictures of Jamaica all over as they stare out at the snow.)

3. Flooring. It can get expensive to change your flooring, but if you plan to stay in your condo for a long time, if may be worth it. After all, if you are a hardwood kind of person, how much happier will you be with hardwood floors as opposed to, say, linoleum? And if you live in a cold climate, you may appreciate having warm carpet on the floor as opposed to cold tiles (assuming they are not heated, of course).

4. Decorate. Your decoration options are limitless. You can keep your place very Spartan and utilitarian, if you prefer. But if you like trinkets and to display your stamp collection for example, you can do that, too.

5. Exterior space. Many condos have balconies or decks. You can see them from the outside, and what they look like says a lot about who owns them. Some appear as little more than extra storage spaces, while others have tables, chairs, plants and a grill. The latter signal a person who enjoys being outside. The former signals a person who likely just needs some extra storage. The point is, you can make the call about how to utilize your deck or balcony space.