Moving In? 15 Cool Ideas For Décor and Meeting New Neighbors!
Whether you're moving into your first apartment or tenth, moving into a new place is an exciting time and opportunity to try something new! We've put together 15 creative ideas to help you express your style and turn your new digs into a cozy home.
1. Personalize Your Door
Make a fun first impression by creating decorations for your door. It’ll be more personal than just a door number and makes it super easy for your friends to find you when they come to visit! It’ll be a great conversation starter with new neighbors!
One unique art form that we love is string art. String art is the art of wrapping string around pins or nails to create shapes and designs. You can do this yourself at home by using a cork board and push pins to create shapes before winding string around the pins or stop by Craft Loft where all the supplies are ready for you.
2. Custom Wall Tapestry
A wall tapestry is a dynamic and easy way to add color and pattern to your walls.
Usually, we prefer to use a frame loom to create woven tapestries, but you can easily make your own loom at home using a piece of cardboard. Just take a long piece of cardboard and cut small notches along the bottom and top edges. Make sure your notches line up from top to bottom. Using these notches in the cardboard, you can thread your cardboard just like you would a frame loom!
You can also attend a Tapestry Weaving Workshop for expert advice and walk away with a ready-to-hang tapestry. All materials are included!
3. Create a Succulent Terrarium
Introduce a touch of nature to your desk by creating a succulent terrarium. Not only do terrariums look sleek and elegant, but succulents are super easy to take care of if you have a bright window. You can also augment lighting using an LED or fluorescent desk lamp.
Terrariums are also fairly simple to create, requiring only a glass bowl or terrarium, a succulent, rocks, and soil. For extra fun, you can personalize your terrarium with fun figurines, unique stones, and other fun decorations like plant tags!
Come by Craft Loft’s walk-in studio and make your own!
4. Paint a Pot and Plant It!
Do you like painting and plants? Then Paint and Plant is the perfect combo for you.
First, paint a pot with fun designs and colors, or even decorate it with charms and jewels for extra bling. Then, plant it! We actually recommend planting first and then painting, that way you don’t have to worry about getting any soil dust on wet paint.
Plants that are great for this project include dwarf snake plants, pothos, palms and succulents.
5. A Mini Easel Painting
It’s the little touches that surprise and make a place feel like home.
We love creating mini paintings because they're quick to make when you're running low on time, yet so much can be captured in a miniature canvas.
Not sure what to paint? We’ve seen lovely abstracts, landscapes, floral and insect inspirations. Most importantly, enjoy experimenting with watercolor, acrylic, or oil paints while you delve into your creative side. Even a simple block of color can brighten a corner.
6. Make Your Own Scent Diffuser
Did you know that our sense of smell has a direct link to memory? A great way to make a new place your own is to impart your own scent to it. Scented candles, incense, and maybe even Febreze can do the job, but perhaps those are not your thing or you want to create your own?
Enter scent diffusers! Scent diffusers are completely customizable, using a mix of essential oils and use the principles of capillary action and vaporization to diffuse scent particles. There is no burning. It works subtly all the time and the bottle looks elegant as a décor.
Craft Loft walk-in studio has all the materials you need to create your own scent diffuser (and add some color too)!
7. Create a Dried Floral Arrangement
We love a beautiful floral arrangement, but of course it doesn’t last. Dried flowers offer beauty and color forever, the ultimate plus for nature décor.
It’s easy to make:
1. Pick a vase. This can be big, small, tall, etc. Or you can make one using air-dried clay.
2. Choose the dried flowers. Dried foliage, pine cones, grass seed heads, and many more can be combined to create a beautiful arrangement. You can even try drying your own flowers.
Craft Loft also has a large selection of dried flowers that you can choose from and workshops if you'd like to learn how to arrange them!
8. A Moss Art Frame
Did you know you can create art with moss? By using different colors of moss and other natural materials – like dried florals, wood pieces, and branches – you can create beautiful patterns and images.
The best part? Moss art is a touch of green and none of the maintenance! Moss art also does really well in a humid environment, so if you're looking for art for your shared bathroom this might be the perfect thing.
Come to a Moss Art Workshop or drop in at the walk-in studio to make your own.
9. Knit a Cozy Chunky Blanket
To take the coziness up a notch, why not knit your own chunky blanket? Not only is it something that’ll keep you cozy on a cold night, but it also looks great as a throw over a couch or foot of the bed year-round! We recommend using an extra chunky yarn gauge for extra coziness.
If you've never tried knitting before but are interested, this is a perfect place to start! Craft Loft’s Chunky Knit Blanket workshops are perfect for beginners. The best part is that you’ll walk away with finished projects! Get ready to be the envy of all your friends on movie night!
10. Hand-knit a Velvet Tote
New place means new friends. What a great way to start a conversation by carrying a conversation-starter! Make a velvet tote using soft, velvety chunky yarn! These are also great for both casual and more formal occasions.
Hand knit velvet tote is taught as a workshop at Craft Loft and is designed for beginners. Come with curiosity and leave with a bag!
11. Pressed Flower Frame
Dried flowers but in a flat frame! Nature always looks great and you don't need to water these flowers for them to keep blooming! Check here for workshop schedule with everything you need.
12. Hand Painted Glassware
What a great and unique way to host new friends and visitors! It's also a nice way to show off your newly acquired local sports team and your painting skills. Walk-ins and workshops are available
13. Resin Light Switch Plates
Yep, light switch plates don't need to be white! You can make your own and make your new home super fun, wherever you go. Resin is indeed a fire retardant.
14. Mosaic Coasters and Serving Trays
What a fun way to serve beverages and snacks! Your mosaic coasters will sure to be a conversation starter. Make one or make a whole set!
15. Bring back disco!
Make your own disco-covered candle jar, vase, bear, or letters. Let its shine and light bring you magic and good luck in the new place!
If you’d like to learn more about any of the techniques discussed, we offer a range of beginner workshops in arts and crafts, including yarn arts, plants, mosaics, resin art, and more. Walk in during store hours at our open studio space or attend a workshop!
We hope these 15 ideas ignite your creativity and set you up for a fantastic start in your new place!
Happy crafting!
