Category Archives: interior design

Apartment Decor Trends in 2024 for Your Consideration

Comfort, Decor, Downtown Pittsburgh Apartments, interior design,

With a new year comes new décor trends, making it the perfect time to try out a new look in your apartment. In 2024, there are trends like we’ve never seen before — no longer are we focusing on “bigger is better” and bright colors and patterns.

We’ve all been on a roller coaster during the last few years, so it’s time to strip it back and relax a little! Here are 10 apartment décor trends that you’ll want to try in 2024.

  1. Vintage
    The vintage vibe is coming back for multiple reasons. On top of the unique look that can only be achieved with older pieces, vintage décor is more sustainable than the modern style. Rather than buying brand new pieces that have taken extra energy and materials to create, upcycle and reuse already-existing antiques for a one of a kind look without further damaging the planet.
  2. Emphasis on comfort
    Comfortable bed

We’re now spending more time than ever at home, with many companies allowing their employees to work remotely 100 percent of the time. And when we spend so much time in one place, we want it to feel comfortable and inviting. Many of us would rather snuggle up on our cozy couch and settle in to watch a movie, rather than sit awkwardly on a piece of furniture that isn’t comfy.

For this reason, some apartment-residents may opt for furniture and decorative accents like pillows and throws that don’t have quite the look they want but are more comfortable to them. However, there are still plenty of comfortable and stylish pieces to choose from!

  1. Neutral colors and earthy tones
    Stripping colors back to more of a nature-focused vibe is calming and less distracting than some past trends with bright colors and busy patterns. Colors like Sherwin Williams’s Evergreen Fog, are soothing colors, and not too much of a distraction. Choosing colors of both paint and fabrics that are shades of white, beige, gray and muted greens and blues will keep things feeling relaxed and cozy.
  2. Natural materials
    Along with colors, using natural materials will further invite a calm feeling to your apartment. Rather than choosing wood furniture that’s been painted a specific color, opt for some pieces with a natural wood finish. And instead of using synthetic fabrics, choose materials like cotton, linen or wool for upholstery and accent throws and pillows. You can even use flowers to add a little bit of color, such as dried lavender, and pair it with a matching paint color, like Pantone’s Color of the Year. As a plus, using natural materials often has less of a negative impact on the environment.
  3. Black accents
    Black accent walls

Since more of the neutral tones will be prominent, it’s hard to add depth to a space. Going with black accents, like kitchen hardware and picture frames, adds more depth without being overwhelming. It’s a subtle way to catch your attention without going overboard on bright colors. And black is an easy color to match with almost any style and theme in an apartment.

  1. Natural lighting
    It’s been found that spending time in natural light helps you focus, maintain more positive emotions and be more productive. As we spend much of our time at home, we want to keep ourselves exposed to this natural light to keep us in a better mental state.

Furthermore, natural lighting is more calming than LED lights or other harsher lighting that comes from a bulb, and allowing light to come in from outside can make your apartment feel larger.

  1. Texture
    Textured accents on couch

We used to focus on adding variety to a room by using lots of bold colors. But that can distract and make it hard to focus or relax at times. Instead, adding more texture will be a nice change that diversifies the space. Going with a combination of textures in neutral tones adds a fun look to any room, whether it’s different textures in textiles, wood or wallpaper.

Add a chunky knitted throw to your couch along with a faux fur pillow. Use wallpaper with embossed designs. Put a beveled vase on a side table. There are so many different textures, the sky’s the limit!

  1. Sustainable bedding
    Being conscious of the planet is very much becoming part of people’s decorative choices. That includes not just up-cycling old pieces of furniture but also using sustainable fabric and bedding. Such bedding uses organic, natural fabrics created through low-impact processes and without harmful pesticides. You can find everything from sheets to pillowcases to duvets that are all sustainable!
  2. Bathroom tech
    Smart homes have already become popular, praised for being energy-efficient and convenient, but now it’s moving into the bathroom! It might sound silly and many think “what technology could possibly be added to the bathroom?” There are many cool gadgets that can turn your bathroom into a more convenient part of your apartment.
  3. Open concept
    Open concept apartment

The idea of an open concept or open and airy spaces has slowly become more popular over the last 20 years. The starloftspgh owners have designed these spacious apartments in the open concept way. It’s an assumption that only large homes could feel open, but as we’ve seen more recently, even a small apartment can feel large and open if it’s situated the right way. An easy way to make a room look and feel more open is with simple furniture that’s lower to the ground vs. unnecessarily bulky pieces.

Ring in the new year with these décor trends
Kick-off 2024 with these décor trends in your apartment! Even if you aren’t planning on going all-out and updating everything, there are simple changes you can make that will make a world of difference in how your apartment looks and feels. Now, give these trends a try in your apartment!

The Penthouse, Suite 2000 @ 139 7th Street

5 simple ways to appoint you’re apartment.

Clean APARTMENT, Comfort, Downtown Pittsburgh Apartments, interior design, , ,

As intimidating to see an empty apartment and not know what to fill it with. Thankfully, there’s a simple decorating style that requires far less furniture and decorations than other styles, and it’s trending too! This style is minimalism, of course, so read on below for five great minimalist decor ideas for your first apartment.

Functional decor

One important principle that can guide your minimalist decor journey is knowing that your decorations can be functional pieces. Having decorations for the sake of decorations isn’t always necessary – you can often make your apartment look fantastic by tastefully arranging the functional items you use on an everyday basis.

Multi-purpose furniture

A great way to minimize clutter in your apartment is to invest in things that serve more than one function, and multi-purpose furniture can be a perfect choice. When shopping for a couch, ottoman, or sitting chair, look for an option that can be opened up to provide extra storage.

If you live in a small studio apartment and you want to minimize even further, consider buying a Murphy bed. By combining your bed and a table, two of the largest floor-space items in an apartment, you can simplify your surroundings and save a significant amount of space.

Floating shelves

Whatever your style of minimalist decor is, floating shelves are a must-have for displaying decorations and other items in a simple and practical way. Whether in the kitchen, living room, bathroom, or bedroom, a floating shelf feels refined where a regular shelf could feel like it just takes up wall space.

Simple wall art and mirrors

Minimalism doesn’t just mean simply removing everything unnecessary from your living space, and it’s still good to have interesting art and decor to make your apartment feel comfortable. Simple wall art can add a unique element to your apartment, especially when tastefully color-coordinated with your other pieces.

Alternatively, mirrors are another great apartment wall fixture that can add depth and light to your apartment. Too much wall art can feel cluttered, but large, simple mirrors can make the apartment feel more spacious. 

Neutral colors with an accent color

Many aspiring minimalists have a hard time knowing how to decorate in a simple way, and color is one of the most difficult aspects to grasp at first. Putting together a color palette can be tricky if you haven’t done it before, so here’s an easy way to get started.

Choose an accent color to use for your color palette. It’s helpful to use a color that you already have furniture or decorations in, but you can purchase items later to supplement this. Then, simply choose two to four neutral colors that go together well with your accent. Consider tinting everything the same for a monochromatic look, like a deep blue accent color with bluish-gray neutrals. You can also try to balance the color scheme by pairing a warm accent color with cool neutrals or vice versa.

Have fun at http://www.starloftspgh.com

How to make your StarLoftPgh look like an art gallery.

Decor, Downtown Pittsburgh Apartments, interior design,

Turning your apartment into a fabulous art gallery is one of the best ways to style your place. You can fashion your space into a show-stopper with genuine, gallery-quality pieces or by creatively framing and positioning affordable reproductions, prints, and posters. While you get the artwork, remember that galleries are often minimalist settings, so decluttering your home will be part of your efforts.

When conversation starters drape your walls, there’ll be no more awkward dinner parties with icy interactions. With the decor tips we will share in this article, every room in your apartment will deliver color and pizzaz. Switch out the gloom and dreariness for daily immersion in art.

Transforming your starloftpgh into a never-ending exhibition implies that you focus less on furniture and more on your art pieces. The process will challenge your eye for detail and your ability to put together cohesive designs. Here is some ideas, so let’s get into it.

Opt for White or Neutral-Colored Walls

The appearance of your home is mainly determined by the walls. With simple white or neutral walls, your rooms appear larger, broader and have a more minimalistic ambiance. You’ll be able to experiment with a wide range of artwork as a result of this. Compared to crowded patterns or harsh tones, the colors and designs on the walls shine out better against a plain background.

You should think about the statement that a particular shade of white sends before choosing a can of paint. A white with somewhat warm undertones is fantastic for home decor. Too bright a white makes a place appear unwelcoming as if you’re entering into a grocery store or a hospital.

The starloftspgh uses the neutral oyster bar as the wall colors, and is very clean and appealing to almost everyone.

Set Your Space Apart With Sculptural Art

Sculptural pieces elevate the space above knick-knacks. Install large, stand-alone works on a pedestal to grab attention when anyone walks into the room. If you prefer, you can display smaller sculptures in groups of three or five. Lighting also has a role to play as illumination can highlight the details of your pieces. With a wall mirror behind the sculptures, you can also add depth and dimension.

Remember to keep delicate sculptures away from areas with high foot traffic to avoid accidents.

Drape the Walls With Art

Unless you’re an art curator, artist, or gallery owner, buying art isn’t something that comes easily to everyone. However, following a few straightforward criteria can make you realize that selecting art for the house is far more natural than one may expect. Though certain principles, such as investing in neutral sofas or carpeting, may be followed, utilize your wall art to make more eclectic selections. Express yourself through colors, content, and texture that speak to you.

Infuse Classic Designs

Pick an odd number of pieces with which you can arrange uniquely and artistically. Regardless of the total number on display, odd numbers often look better than their even counterparts. For a cohesive atmosphere, follow a color scheme, e.g., black, gold, and violet prints or paintings. Envision a layout and place your pieces on the floor before you hang them up.

Lit Up the Space

You can add a whole new way of looking at your space with smart lighting. The tricks of lighting are endless, whether it’s using light to accentuate your wall hangings or frames, choosing the appropriate lights source for an antique table, or installing faint yellow lights in a fake ceiling. The starloftspgh have enough controllable lighting to make this possible for you. You can also use lights to concentrate attention on certain places. You may also use fairy lights to create a relaxing atmosphere in a room.

Where to Get Art Pieces for Your Apartment

Pittsburghers like their art, particularly in the Culural district where local artists display, and sell their artworks. Empty walls can leave you feeling quite gloomy staring at those lifeless walls, particularly in the winter months. 

You can avoid this by using your some of your budget to make smart purchases to transform your house into an art gallery. You can get great works at pocket-friendly prices from the following locations:

Artsy

If you seek fine art from New York or international galleries, then you should check out Artsy. Some curators may chide you for buying art you did not appreciate in person, but it’s 2021, and e-commerce is the norm. Artsy sells works in all styles, showcasing artists like Jean Dubuffet, Damien Hirst, and much more. Though these do not qualify as cheap art, they host live auctions, display sales from international fairs, and give emerging artists a platform. 

Society6

Society6 carries artworks from hundreds of thousands of artists all over the globe. Their inventory displays creative works from international artists and designers who supply their original works to the company. Society6 then reprints them with high-quality materials, which makes them more affordable for you.

From wall art to tapestries, you can get them delivered right to your door. The artists are fairly compensated for their works by receiving the majority of the sale proceeds. 

Art School Exhibitions

Though you may wish for a Picasso or Basquiat, those may be unrealistic at the moment. In the meantime, why not stop by a college exhibition to support new acts? College students are taught the techniques of these masters and infuse their ingenuity in creating pieces that may one day be renowned. While their works may have not yet graced the walls of a top museum or gallery, this just translates to you having a genuine original.

Local Pittsburgh Artists

Save Energy and Money While Staying Comfortable This Winter at Starloftspgh.com

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In you StarloftPgh apartment in downtown Pittsburgh manage your comfort and utility bills.

Don’t just set one temperature and forget about it. Get in the habit of turning it down several degrees every night before you go to bed. If you’re like most people, you sleep better in the winter when lying snugly under several blankets. You can’t do that when the furnace is heating the http://www.starloftspgh.com to 75F all night (plus you’ll break the furnace that way).

• Manage the thermostat part 2. If you are away from your apartment and expect to be gone all day, turn down the thermostat before you leave. There’s absolutely no reason to heat an abandoned apartment eight hours every day. Turn the heat back on when you get home.

• Manage the thermostat part 3. Consider using a lower temperature setting for normal daytime and evening hours when the apartment is occupied. Just give 68 degrees a try, rather than 70, 72 or 74. You might find that you become accustomed to the lower temperature setting. If you’re still chilly, throw on an extra layer of clothing. This can save you abundant bucks on your gas and/or electric bills.

• Manage the thermostat part 4. If you have house or apartment partners, have a quick meeting to establish who has the responsibility to manage the thermostat, either all the time or week to week. You definitely want to avoid a situation where two or three people are constantly changing the setting.

• Close doors to unused rooms and shut the heating registers or vents in those rooms. The less space your central heating system has to service, the more efficiently (and cheaply) it can heat the rest of your apartment. However, there’s one caveat to this. If you close up too much of the apartment, your furnace or heat pump likely will short-cycle. This means it quickly heats the “open” parts of the apartmentq, then shuts down. It stops and starts time after time, which itself wastes energy and stresses the equipment. So in general, it’s OK to block heat to one or two bedrooms but not an entire floor.

The http://www.starloftspgh.com of downtown Pittsburgh have high insulation value to keep you very comfy during the cold winter months

Have a great day! Janet

How to Give Your Bedroom That Dark Academia Aesthetic That Every Bookworm Loves

Decor, interior design,

INTERIOR DESIGN

Andrea Neculae

ByAndrea NeculaeDecember 6, 2021

The dark academia aesthetic has seen a rise in popularity in the past 18 months, making it one of the pandemic’s fastest-growing trends. Revolving around classic literature (particularly ancient Greek) and the pursuit of knowledge, dark academia is more of a lifestyle than a fashion choice. What began on Tumblr in the mid-2000s as a book club with a gothic twist today romanticizes academic life at Ivy League universities, such as Harvard and Yale. And, with many students left this year to live out their college experiences in their childhood bedrooms, the appeal of a preppy campus is undeniable.

dark academia

However, dark academia doesn’t have an age limit, and you don’t need cobblestone walls or pointed arches to achieve this look in your own bedroom.

dark academia

Color Me Moody

As the name suggests, this aesthetic is mysterious and dark — and so is its color scheme. Earthy colors are also commonly used to convey that beginning-of-the-school-year, autumn feel. Meanwhile, if you want something more exciting than muted earth tones (like beige, brown and off-white), a burgundy and olive green mix can be the choice for you.

Granted, as a renter, you may not always be allowed to paint the walls or stain the floors, so you might need to get creative with your use of the dark academia palette. For example, removable wallpaper is a no-strings-attached solution to giving your bedroom walls a darker vibe. Likewise, potted plants are also a great renter-friendly way to add color to the room, while keeping in line with the look you want to achieve. Plus, plants that fit this sub-culture best (which are usually from the ivy family) are a renter’s dream because they’re low maintenance.

dark academia

Going Back to The Roots

Don’t forget what dark academia is all about: Books. Arrange them on a bookshelf, stack them or use them as your bedside table. Just make sure they’re everywhere. Specifically, “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt is hailed as a staple of dark academia and is a must-have in your book collection, along with “The Iliad,” “Dead Poets Society,” “Pride and Prejudice” and anything by Oscar Wilde. And, the older the books, the better. Not only will they give you that vintage feel that you’re going for, but their sweet, musky smell will also add to the experience.

dark academia

Plaid It Cool

When it comes to fabrics, use rich patterns and heavy, ornate tapestry. To that end, adhesive strips are a sure-fire way to adorn your walls with textile art — without damaging the walls and ensuring you get your security deposit back. Luxurious materials — such as cashmere and wool — should also be on your decorating list. After all, you’re trying to replicate the way of life of Romantic-era nobles and upper-class American preppies. And, remember that there’s no room for minimalism here, so layer your bed with duvets and blankets, and add some plaid or tweed pillows for extra coziness.

dark academia

Have Decorating Down to a Fine Art

If you’re attracted to the dark academia aesthetic, you’ll most likely be found wondering around museums and art galleries or listening to Tchaikovsky while sipping tea. If this sounds like you, don’t be afraid to showcase your interest in the humanities: Musical instruments, Greek sculptures and art supplies can make excellent décor. Moreover, you can find all of these items in thrift stores, second-hand shops or garage sales, making them affordable. And, don’t worry about wear and tear — it will only add to their charm.

dark academia

Lumos!

A common motif for dark academia is chiaroscuro, which is the contrast between brightness and darkness. Most rooms that are decorated using this aesthetic are illuminated by flickering lights. The magical world of Hogwarts is considered dark academia by many, so you can take inspiration for your Muggle bedroom from its candle-lit corridors. And, while a hanging chandelier checks all of the boxes of a more theatrical, decadent feel, it isn’t an option for everyone. Instead, scour your nearest antique shops for a vintage lampshade or a lamplight to curl up next to with your favorite book.

dark academia

Don’t Shun Technology

Social media has always been a place of self-expression for mainstream styles and many subcultures. And, with the help of algorithms, users can more easily become immersed in the internet aesthetic of their choice. As a result, nothing is too niche — if you can think of it, you can find a mood board of it on Pinterest. And, of course, there’s a community out there for dark academics to share ideas, visuals and hobbies. Although technology doesn’t seem to match the core of sweater-knitting, flower-pressing, calligraphy-writing academics, it’s nonetheless a great source of inspiration. Your vast collection of highbrow literature can also come in e-book form, especially if you don’t have enough space for a library.

The #darkacademia has surpassed 1 million posts on Instagram, and the topic has sprouted many YouTube videos, including tutorials and hour-long whimsical playlists. All of this along, with its multiple facets and timelessness, make dark academia a trend that seems to be here to stay.

We encourage you and freely grant you permission to reuse, host, or repost the images in this article. When doing so, we only ask that you kindly attribute the authors by linking to RentCafe.com 

Andrea Neculae

Andrea NeculaeAndrea Neculae is a creative writer at RentCafe, with a passion for bringing human-interest stories to light. Writer by day and bookworm by night, she loves reading and reviewing anything from the classics to sci-fi and fantasy. Her writing skills are complemented by a special interest in graphic and web design. From research about the rental market to home décor and interior design, Andrea’s articles cover many layers of a renter’s universe. With an academic background in Language Arts, Andrea is always looking to develop new skills and further her knowledge. You can connect with her via email.

Set up your place at http://www.starloftspgh.com like a nerdy bookworm!