After the deposits and fees accompanying the signing of a new lease and moving into a new apartment, many people don’t have much of a budget left for glamorous interior design. Many apartments are furnished with thrift store finds and ready-to-assemble pieces from big-box stores. But fortunately, there are many innovative and crafty ways to enhance what you have. Do it yourself to create a stylish, personalized look within your budget.

Furniture

Spruce up old wooden furniture with decoupage. This is a cost-effective way to add a unique look that can easily be done in a small space with no mess or toxic fumes (assuming non-toxic glue is used).

The only materials needed are wrapping paper or wall paper, decoupage glue and a sponge. Put simply, the process involves spreading a thin layer of glue on sections of paper, smoothing the paper onto the furniture and giving the piece a final two to three coats of decoupage glue or clear sealant to finish. Decoupage glue brand, Mod Podge, has helpful instructions on its Web site.

Accessories

One of the easiest changes you can make in decor is to switch out accessories. Throw pillows are an especially quick way to change the look or style of a sofa or chair due to the variety of colors and patterns available.

But pillows are surprisingly pricey. High-end pillows can cost hundreds of dollars. However, it’s easy to achieve the luxury look on your own without dropping big bucks –you don’t even need to sew! Many craft stores carry no-sew pillow forms and the only additional supplies you’ll need are fabric and a decorative accessory (a button, flower or ribbon), also available at the craft store. Cut the fabric to size and follow the pillow form directions. This usually involves tucking the fabric into a slot in the center of the pillow, then covering the opening with the ribbon or button accessory.

Walls

Painting the walls in your apartment is not always an option. And why even go through the hassle when there are easier ways to add a splash of color? Wall decals are one of the hottest new trends in home decor.

Several stores and home décor companies carry the decals, which are usually a colored silhouette of an object or motif. Blik wall decals come in a huge variety of designs and colors. Simply place the decals on the wall in whatever pattern you wish. Use several small decals for a wallpaper-like effect, or place a few large shapes on a wall for a bold statement. Be sure to look for the removable variety so that you can take them off if you ever leave the apartment.

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According to the 2007 National Multi-Housing Council tabulations in the Annual Social and Economic Supplement from the U.S. Census Bureau, the 32 percent of Americans who rent — whether they are young, old, married or divorced — are probably going to be looking for a roommate.

Ahh, roommates. Can’t live with ‘em and you can’t pay the bills without ‘em.

In our “Roommate Scenarios” series, Apartment Living aims to help those lucky 32 percent of us to look at the good, bad and the day-to-day drudgery of living with a partner-in-crime.

Most of us are probably unaware of some of the do’s, don’ts and absolute no-no’s of sharing our space. Your roommate abandoned the place? Well, unless you follow the letter of the law, you’re stuck with the bill. And it’s doubtful your landlord will let you wash his dishes to stay another month!  

Because you and your roomie both signed the lease, you are jointly liable for the rent. Period.

What is unfortunate is that people often enter a legally-binding situation like this without having the basic points nailed down. The following questions to consider come courtesy of the folks at Avalon Communities, a rental property management company:

• How long will each roommate stay in the apartment?
• What are the basic house rules concerning guests/smoking/drinking/cleaning/groceries?
• What happens if a roommate wants to leave early? Who pays the rent? How do you find a replacement?
• How will you divide the rent?
• Who gets the bigger room (and does that entail a larger share of the rent?)?
• Who will have their name on the utility bills?

Even if you and your roommate are best friends (sometimes especially so) it is a good idea to have a written contract — either a roommate agreement or a sublease agreement — depending upon your situation. These can be provided to you by your landlord. It’s in his or her best interest to see all parties involved understand their legal obligations.

Unexpected problems can occur—an argument, job changes, whatever—and a prior agreement sets obligations and rights of the roommates (it’s kind of like a pre-nup if you think about it!). Although these types of agreements can be either oral or written, both are equally enforceable under the law—but obviously in written agreements consequences are clearer.

That last point will be made ever more poignant in Living With Roommates: Part Two. The first subject in the series had been living with his girlfriend for about eight months. His story covers the move-in, the meltdown and the eventual hassle of dealing with the aftermath of a roommate who, in every respect, violated every obligation of being a tenant.