City life is exciting, demanding and expensive in equal measure, and if you’ve just moved to a new place right in the thick of things, you’ll no doubt want to create yourself a space to wind back and relax in come to the end of the working day.

When it comes to decorating a city apartment, there are usually a couple of issues that might limit your creative freedom.

One is you may well be renting the apartment which prevents you from carrying out any big changes. The other is you’re probably going to be working with a relatively small space.

With those two factors in mind, you’re likely going to have to rely on accessories overfull room overhauls, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the apartment your own.

Here’s how you get the job done.

Good Lighting

Lighting can make or break a space, especially in the traditionally tighter confines of a city apartment.

Good lighting can come naturally or artificially. Naturally speaking, you want to be able to let as much as light in as possible to illuminate your space, but also be able to block out the hustle and bustle of the city when you need. Venetian blinds are a good way to do this; stylish, adaptable and easy to install and remove for the renters.

If you’re going artificial, you’ve got an opportunity to add some style to the apartment with the type of lighting you choose. Wall lighting and tall floor lamps are good options if you’re short on room.

Use Your Space Accordingly

As has already been alluded to, the amount of space you have to play with and how you use it will be key to nailing your apartment design.

The key is to choose accessories in proportion to the size of your apartment, nothing that will be overbearing or go missing in amongst a larger area.

You should also have a focus on quality over quantity; a city apartment should have a clean, decluttered look, with a handful of standout pieces defining each room.

Take advantage of handy tips and tricks like the ceiling to floor curtains to make the room seem taller and stylish storage solutions to maximise space.

Inject Some Character

Finally, good city space is one that feels personal. City life can sometimes make you feel like ‘one of the masses’ and apartment blocks can often be fairly uniform and plain in their design, so it’s important your home represents a little bit of you.

Whether it’s some artwork that echoes your style, some house plants to breath some air into the place or a football table and gaming setup that creates your very own man-cave, make sure some of your design ideas incorporate your character and give you an apartment that you’ll look forward to getting back to on an evening.

So, embrace the light, use your space and follow your own design path. Three steps that should make modifying your apartment fun and give you a great place to hang out during your time in the city.