We are approaching the end of peak moving season, when leases are signed and rental prices in the city are typically their highest.
Once you land on a place, it might seem daunting or unaffordable to start decorating, but even in New York, design doesn’t have to cost much.
“There’s so much room for creativity in small spaces,” said Lauren Phillips, associate editorial director for “Better Homes and Garden.”
She shared tips for decorating on a budget with WNYC’s Alison Stewart on a recent episode of “All of It” – covering topics such as stick-on wallpaper, so-called dopamine decor and more. Below is an edited version of their conversation.
Alison Stewart: When you move into a new place, how should you start thinking about decorating? What are your first steps?
Lauren Phillips: Always start with the essentials, like the bedroom. As much as we love decor, you have to live in this apartment. You want a place where you can sleep, of course, and the things that really contribute to sleeping, so think about that bed, that mattress, and curtains. From there, you can think in terms of building blocks. Maybe start with rugs and those larger furniture pieces, and then you can fill in around those.
How do you suggest people develop their own aesthetic?
Phillips: It’s all about trying things. One of the beauties of living in New York and switching apartments – maybe more than you’d like – is that you get to try different things in different apartments. Maybe you pick up three paintings in your first apartment in the city, and then in your next, you pick up three more that look similar.
It’s about trying to pinpoint what about something you like and then looking for more things like it. Just finding the elements that speak to you and bringing those into your home however you can is really a great place to start.
What about folks who have roommates, or a partner or maybe they’re still living with family?
Phillips: That is so tricky. Ultimately, it comes down to communication. You need to talk to people so you don’t end up with two couches or two of anything, really. You don’t have space for that here.
If you switch roommates a lot, which some people do, it’s a reality of the city, it’s figuring out what pieces work in any space. Let’s say you get a sofa that you love, and it’s a solid gray or something adaptable, you can bring that with you, and it’ll fit into what other roommates bring into the apartment.
Especially if you’re moving a lot, thinking about that adaptability is huge because the worst thing you can do is get something that you love and then it just doesn’t fit into your next apartment because the roommate already has a sofa and they were there first.
What are you observing about the latest trends in interior design?
Phillips: I just love that people are really dialing into what speaks to them. “Dopamine decor” is huge right now, with people just styling their homes with what makes them happy. At the same time, people are really leaning into more serene spaces, so organic, natural palettes are huge. A lot of really nice, mossy greens, creamy whites – whether that’s on the walls or in your decor. I love seeing that.
You mentioned color. Looking ahead to 2025, what are you seeing?
Phillips: We’re seeing more muted colors. The recent Behr’s color of the year is “Rumors,” which is this really nice red with brown undertones, but we’re also seeing some timeless blues from other brands. Things are going in a lot of different directions, but it boils down to: Use the color in your space that you love.
What are your most important pieces of advice for us to shop resourcefully?
Phillips: My one note is: Take things home carefully. Definitely, search the stoops, walk around your neighborhood on trash day, and see what’s out there because there are incredible gems, but just be careful. Check items before you bring them home. Check for bugs. Check for damage. Honestly, a nightmare scenario for me is you find the perfect side chair and it has bedbugs and you bring it into your home. Absolutely not. You don’t want to mess around with that.
Which items are consistently inexpensive but can elevate a space?
Phillips: Rugs are great. If you are looking for affordability, there are some incredible high-quality, affordable rugs out there that make such a difference in your space. It’s kind of overlooked, but many leases actually require that a certain portion of your floor is covered in carpet.
Rugs make such a difference for your enjoyment of the space. You don’t have to have your feet on those cold floors all the time. In terms of accent pieces, mirrors are incredible for bringing your space to life. If you are limited in the amount of windows you have, the natural light is a little low, mirrors help to lighten and brighten a space as well.
Meaning, a mirror up against a wall?
Phillips: Whatever speaks to you. I love a floor mirror. That said, floor space is rare sometimes. I myself only recently had room for a floor mirror in my apartment. Wall mirrors are also great. You can get a nice, round mirror to hang right by your door so you can check your reflection on the way out the door. You can also get really decorative mirrors. I personally love the squiggle decor trend that’s big right now.
What are some ways to make it feel like you have more space?
Phillips: Make the most of that vertical space. We love to talk about vertical space, where you can put hanging shelves or hang a lot of things on the wall, that add storage and decor at the same time. I personally love wall-mounted shelves. I love features that enhance that organizational element.
What about the wallpaper that you can remove? Does that work?
Phillips: I can say firsthand it does. I just moved and I had wallpapered one of the walls in my bedroom. If you get a trusted brand, absolutely it works. I cannot say enough good things about how much it brings your room to life.
Painting — I get nervous. You might have to paint it back. Your landlord might not sign off on your painting. That removable wallpaper, there’s so much variety, and it really does wonders to add that color to your walls.
When it comes to decorating on the small side, any design hacks that are best suited for small spaces?
Phillips: I know a lot of people love to decorate with big, large art, but if your wall is not that wide and you put a large piece of art up there, it’s going to overpower the whole wall. I think prioritizing what elements you love the most, what is going to fit in your space, and going from there is really helpful.
It sounds like you should opt for practical versus the beautiful thing you can bring into your house.
Phillips: Yes. That practicality is so important, especially in a small space, especially if you move pretty frequently. It’s about matching your tastes to your space, but then there’s room for creativity still. Even painting just one sliver of a wall, if that’s the only space you have or you don’t want to invest too much because you’re going to have to paint it back.
In our final moments, what are some renter-friendly upgrades?
Phillips: Removable wallpaper. The science of it has come so far. There’s even no sticky residue. Painting is your friend as long as you’re prepared to paint it back if you need to. Rugs are fantastic. Then I think curtains are underrated. You can get a tension rod so there’s no drilling, not even sticking something to the wall.
They bring so much color to your space, and it’s really just a wonderful way to both enhance the comfort of your home because you can block the light, you can sleep better. Also, colorful window treatments are just beautiful.