Decorating With Screens

Living in an apartment means you quickly get creative when it comes to making the most of every inch of space. Hidden storage, double-duty furniture and decorating with useful items all suddenly become things you think about. And let’s face it, some apartments have some unsightly elements that you just don’t like but can’t do anything about. We are going to add another component to your design repertoire – screens.

Simply put, screens are great. You can easily find some affordable ones, they give you the opportunity to create ‘rooms,’ they block things you don’t want people to see and they can act as a decoration. Let’s look at all these possibilities in more detail.

Let’s first look as a screen as a moveable architectural element. If you have a studio, a screen obviously is perfect to create a sleeping nook. A large main room can also be portioned off into an office/study space; living space and perhaps even an exercise corner. Look critically at the room to decide where is the best place to carve out a new niche. A corner or side of the room away from the entry way is better as it won’t cut the room in half, which could make it appear smaller or crowded. You also don’t want to interrupt traffic flow. In general, the space behind or to the side of the screen will be smaller in area than the ‘main’ space.

Connected with this is the use of screens as a way to block an architectural eyesore in the apartment. Perhaps you have pipes, chipped paint, dented walls or other problem spots you don’t want to look at every day. A screen will not only hide them, but allow you to decorate without hanging anything on your walls. A screen adds warmth and color to a room; and can be picked up and relocated whenever the mood strikes. Depending on the use of the screen, you can find a two-three-four or even more paneled one. Two or three panels typically work for most people.

Look at an inexpensive furniture or home improvement store for a basic screen. If you are creative you can find one at a secondhand store and give it a new covering. There are two ways of thinking about screens. You may want it to be as unobtrusive as possible. In this case, look for something framed in a wood similar in color to other furniture items in the room and with a covering that also matches. For example, if you have dark wood and richer colors in the room, look for a dark wood screen and a solid color covering, for example a dark blue or red. If you are looking at your screen as part of the décor, this is when you can get creative. Buy a basic frame and give it a new look with a fun fabric of your choice. Material printed with a scene of some sorts is great for this; as is a flower or other bold motif. You can also buy a basic screen, like mentioned above, and toss a cheerful blanket over one end. This gives the not so artsy a chance to liven up the room with something a bit more unusual.

Screens are an inexpensive solution to a number of problems apartment dwellers often face. And don’t forget, when you move, the screens go with you, ready and willing to adapt to your new abode.

via:http://ohmyapt.apartmentratings.com/decorating-with-screens.html