Introduction

Decorating an entire apartment in just 4 days sounds like a daunting, near impossible task. However, with some planning, creativity, and hard work, it can be done! In this article, we will follow along as an interior designer rises to the decorating challenge and magically transforms a blank slate of an apartment into a beautiful, livable home in less than a week.

From setting a realistic budget and sticking to it, to repurposing old furniture and scouring secondhand shops, the designer uses clever tricks and tips to pull off this decorating feat. Choosing a cohesive color scheme, utilizing multifunctional furniture, and displaying personal mementos gives the space an inviting, personalized touch. We will provide a day-by-day breakdown of the designer’s process, offering insights into how she selected paint colors, arranged furniture, accessorized, and finished the space with final styling touches.

While perhaps not ideal, decorating an entire home in a few days is possible with grit and imagination. This real-life example provides inspiration and actionable ideas for those looking to quickly transform their own blank space into a stylish, livable oasis. If you need to decorate an apartment on a tight timeline and budget, follow along on this inspiring journey of interior design mission possible!

Setting a Realistic Budget

The first and most critical step when taking on the mission of decorating an entire apartment in 4 days is to establish a strict decorating budget. Equipped with a realistic spending cap, our intrepid designer can make informed choices about where to allocate funds to maximize impact.

Here are some budgeting tips when decorating on a tight timeline:

• Take inventory of what you already have – Evaluate any existing furniture, household items, linens, artwork etc. and determine what can be reused. This prevents over-purchasing.
• Prioritize key items – With limited funds, decide which pieces need to be purchased new for durability, like a sofa. Save money on items like side tables or throw pillows that can be sourced used.
• Set numeric spending limits – Calculate total budget, then break down into caps for different spaces like $500 for a bedroom or $150 for a bathroom.
• Factor in “hidden” costs – Don’t forget smaller expenses like light bulbs, cleaning supplies, extension cords that add up. Account for 10-15% more as a buffer.
• Find free or cheap items – Check Facebook Marketplace, Buy Nothing groups, thrift stores. Scope out hand-me-downs from friends and family too.
• Take advantage of sales and promos – Follow retailers to get sale alerts and coupons. Sign up for loyalty programs for additional discounts.

With some diligent number crunching, our designer sets a decorating budget of $2,000—a reasonable amount to transform the empty rental apartment within 4 days. This clear spending cap will guide all purchasing decisions on the fast-paced decorating mission.

Day 1: Planning, Painting, Purchasing

Armed with a decorating plan outlined on paper and a trips to the hardware store for essential paint and supplies, our interior design hero gets to work bright and early on Day 1.

Selecting a Versatile Color Scheme

Choosing an adaptable color palette is key when decorating quickly on a budget. Sticking to a simple scheme of 2-3 complementary hues streamlines the process of pulling spaces together. Our designer selects a versatile color trio for the blank apartment:

• Charcoal grey – This rich neutral works in any room as a sophisticated backdrop. Grey color grounds the scheme.
• Crisp white – Bright white naturally opens up small rental spaces and reflects light. Timeless white color adds flexibility.
• Emerald green – A splash of emerald green in accessories and art injects personality. Vibrant jewel tone completes the color trio.

Beyond walls, having a cohesive palette enables quickly matching furniture, art, pillows and other affordable decorative items from thrift stores down the line. Keeping the main walls white or grey allows changing up accent colors over time.

Tackling Painting the Walls

With a Lowe’s run for Valspar signature paint in white and grey tones, our designer gets to work painting immediately. She starts in the main living area, applying 2 coats of grey Valspar to the walls and white on the ceiling and trims. For the bedroom, she uses light grey on the accent wall plus white elsewhere.

Painting pro tips for speedy apartment makeover:

• Use paint with built-in primer to eliminate extra steps
• Only do 1 accent wall per room for impact without time of 4 walls
• Apply with a paint sprayer attachment for faster coverage
• Start in most visible areas like living and kitchen
• Paint top to bottom to avoid drips on finished lower areas
• Don’t forget the ceiling for a polished look
• Maximize ventilation by opening windows

End of day 1, our determined designer has painted the main wall of every room – a huge sense of accomplishment!

Purchasing Initial Furniture Pieces

For a cohesive look, having a few key furniture foundations is a must. After an initial scour of local secondhand inventory online, our designer makes some strategic purchases:

• 2-seat sofa – Charcoal grey linen sofa provides seating in the living area
• Queen bed frame and mattress – Needed for a functional bedroom
• Floor lamp – Essential lighting for living room
• Small kitchen table with 2 chairs – For eating meals in rental

Some flexibility was required with availability at thrift stores, but the designer stuck close to budget on Day 1.

Day 2: Installing Flooring, Hanging Art, Decorating the Bedroom

The painting is dry and our fearless designer is ready to tackle apartment decor day 2!

Laying Vinyl Plank Flooring

To make a major impact without heavy installation, floating vinyl plank floors are selected for the entry, kitchen and living zone. The designer opts for grey wood-look planks to match the color scheme. Professional flooring installation is not within the 4 day budget, so DIY YouTube tutorials give step-by-step guidance.

Tips for fast vinyl plank flooring installation:

• Use planks with click-lock edges for easy floating installation
• Undercut door jambs with a handsaw so planks slide underneath
• Start installing by the walls and work towards the center
• Use spacers between planks and walls for expansion gaps
• For straight planks, use a laser level across the room as a guide
• Be extremely careful measuring and cutting planks to fit at ends and edges
• Allow 24 hours for vinyl planks to set before moving furniture on top

After a long day of precise measuring, cutting, and clicking planks into place, light grey wood floors coordinate perfectly with the painted charcoal walls. The main living, kitchen and entry zones are transformed.

Hanging Wall Art

To quickly infuse personality into blank walls, our talented designer scours for budget art pieces. Local thrift stores yield frames and prints to hang gallery-style. For the living room, black and white city prints are collaged together. The modern kitchen gets a pop of green with vibrant fruit art. And for the bedroom, peaceful landscape prints pull together the palette.

Tips for styling art on a budget:

• Check thrift stores and garage sales for inexpensive framed art
• Buy frames to display your own prints or photos
• Repurpose colorful scarves, tapestries or fabric as art
• Create an eclectic gallery wall with a mix of frames
• Stick to simple black frames for clean, neutral look
• Size art appropriately to spaces for visual balance
• Lean larger pieces against walls rather than nail hanging

In just a few hours, strategic art placement brings blank walls to life and ties spaces together.

Pulling Together the Bedroom

Our motivated designer turns her focus to crafting a restful, neutral bedroom retreat as day 2 wraps up. The accent wall and crisp white paint provide a neutral backdrop. Next, she makes the space functional for sleep.

• Floating wood shelves flank the bed for books and bedside lamps
• Textured jute rug layered over floors adds softness underfoot
• Cotton sheeting and quilt in light blue selected for soothing color
• Soft pillows and lumbar support pillow for comfort
• Neutral curtain panels hung to block light for sleep
• Table lamps on dimmers installed for lighting options
• Extra throw blanket folded at end for additional warmth

With limited time, our designer selects versatile pieces like white shelves and table lamps that can transition to future homes. The serene bedroom is now an inviting, livable sleep space.

Day 3: Finishing Touches in Living Spaces and Kitchen

Powering through the halfway point, our driven designer turns her focus to completing the main living areas and kitchen on day 3. Vignettes, styling and personalized elements make this space feel pulled together.

Styling the Living Room

To complete the living room, final decorative flourishes humanize the space:

• Throw pillows – 4 green and grey pillows add comfort and tie colors together
• Rug – Natural fiber rug over grey floors warms up the room
• Coffee table – Rustic wood table provides surface for books and remotes
• Blankets – Cozy woven throw blanket on sofa for chilly nights
• Plants – Potted snake plant and aloe add life
• Decorative objects – Rattan tissue box, candleholders, table books and framed photos add personality
• Wall mirror – Visually doubles the small space

By layering textures, colors and decorative accessories, the once blank living room now has a collected, welcoming look and functions as a comfy lounge.

Finalizing the Kitchen

The kitchen requires functionality for actually cooking meals. Our resourceful designer implements these finishing touches:

• Dishes and cookware – Stock plates, bowls, utensils, pots and pans
• Hand towels – Neutral cotton towels for drying dishes and hands
• Cleaning tools – Place containers for dish soap, sponges, towels, etc.
• Food and supplies – Fill pantry with non-perishables; buy refrigerator staples
• Plants – Mini herbs in window add freshness
• Organizational tools – Use lidded clear canisters and bins to organize
• Rug – Soft rug makes standing at counter or sink more comfortable

A few key kitchen implements allow our designer to actually use this cooking space right away. The room now has a homey, welcoming vibe.

Day 4: Final Styling Touches to Complete the Apartment

With purchasing, painting, cleaning and basic decorating complete, Day 4 is all about tying up loose ends and styling a polished space.

Entryway First Impressions

Since the entryway greets residents and guests, final touches here are essential:

• Mount a mirror and wall hooks for function and visual interest
• Add a console table for dropping keys and mail
• Include a tray to collect personal objects like phones and sunglasses
• Put down a nice natural fiber doormat for wiping feet
• Install floor guiding lights on dimmer switch forsafety at night
• Place decorative basket for umbrellas and outerwear
• Hang art or framed prints to personalize the space

These personalized elements make arriving home pleasant and welcoming.

Finishing Bathroom Details

Our designer puts completing touches on the bathroom:

• Coordinating towels, hand towels, bath mat in neutral colors
• Tidy woven basket for toiletries out of sight
• Candles, plants and art make the space feel spa-like
• Under sink storage for cleaning supplies to keep tidy
• Folding step stool to reach tall shelves and top of mirror
• Extractor fan installed and vented outside to control humidity
• Motion sensor LED light added for middle of the night visibility

With the bathroom providing needed function plus a soothing vibe for getting ready, the apartment overhaul is nearly complete.

Install Window Coverings

To finish the rented apartment’s look, our talented designer selects window furnishes that unify rooms:

• Light filtering white roller shades allow plenty of daylight while obscuring views
• In the bedroom, blackout curtains layered over shades block external light for sleeping
• Hanging rods mounted just below the ceiling maximize glass coverage
• For a finished look, curtains long enough to just graze the floor
• Clips and tie backs to hold back curtains during the day as needed

Strategic window treatments in complementary solids polish off the home decor mission.

Conclusion

When we began this journey, the prospect of designing an entire apartment in 4 days seemed impossible. However, by following the careful planning, budgeting, resourceful sourcing and solid workflow of our dedicated designer, we learned it can absolutely be done.

Each decision from space planning to color schemes, flooring installation to art selection works together to transform empty spaces into a beautiful, livable home. While certainly a challenge, tight timelines and budgets need not prevent crafting inviting, personalized rooms. It simply takes creativity, grit, and a dash of interior design magic.

The next time you face a blank space or decorating project under time or budget constraints, draw inspiration from this example. Establish your vision, make a plan of attack, set realistic budgets, take it step-by-step, and don’t be afraid to get creative with sourcing. You may just pull off your own interior design miracle. With some determination and the right approach, decorating mission possible can become decorating mission accomplished.

Mission Possible: A Designer Decorates a Blank Apartment in 4 Days

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions about decorating an apartment in 4 days:

How do you decorate an entire apartment on a tight budget?

Prioritize purchases for key items like sofa or bedroom set bought new for durability. Save money on accessories like throw pillows, rugs, wall decor from thrift stores/Facebook Marketplace. Repurpose items you already own. Borrow or DIY when possible.

What are the best tricks for painting quickly?

Use paint with built-in primer for fewer coats. Only do accent walls rather than entire rooms. Use a paint sprayer for faster coverage. Ventilate with windows open. Start at the top of walls and work down methodically.

Where can you find affordable secondhand furniture?

Check thrift stores, consignment shops, Facebook Marketplace, Buy Nothing groups and Craigslist. Drive through wealthier neighborhoods on bulk garbage day for roadside castaways to refurbish.

How do you pull together a cohesive look on a deadline?

Pick 2-3 complementary colors like navy, tan and white as the palette. Repaint existing furniture to match. Choose versatile solids over loud patterns. Layer in pops of color with inexpensive accent pillows, art, throws.

What are budget-friendly ways to decorate walls?

Thrift store art, frames with your photos/prints inside. Use removable wallpaper or contact paper for quick color. Hang tapestries, scarves or textiles. Floating shelves display items while covering space.

What pieces of furniture are worth spending more on?

Bed, as you use it daily for sleep. Sofa, since it anchors living space and must withstand frequent use. Kitchen table if you cook often. Dressers for ample clothing storage.

What are the best places to source furniture secondhand?

Garage/yard sales, Craigslist, thrift stores, consignment shops, Buy Nothing Facebook groups, university surplus auctions, estate sales, curbside bulk garbage day pickups.

How can you make a rental apartment feel homey?

Warm lighting like table and floor lamps rather than overheads. Cozy textiles on sofa and beds. House plants for freshness. Framed family photos. Area rugs over floors. Decorative accents like throw blankets, candles, books.

What are DIY tricks to customize a rental on a budget?

Removable wallpaper or contact paper for quick color changes. Use painter’s tape and stencils to create fun patterns on walls. Install floating shelves. Upgrade hardware like cabinet knobs/pulls. Paint backsides of cabinet doors a bold color.

Final Thoughts

Decorating an apartment on a short 4 day timeline may seem daunting. But with careful planning, a realistic budget, savvy sourcing of furnishings, and a few late nights, it can absolutely be done. Don’t let a tight schedule or budget deter you from crafting a personalized, welcoming home. Just follow this guide for inspiration to take on your own miraculous decorating mission possible!