With apartment and rentals it can get a bit tricky when it comes to the design of your space as you'll have to ensure everything you hang or change can be left in the same way it was when you arrived at the apartment.

However most of the time you're styling in this space and working with what you have ,can make a huge difference. Just like a fresh lick of paint on the walls. Another idea to update a rental space can be chatting to your landlord about painting kitchen cabinets a unique colour and changing out the handles for more modern ones; as well as new light fixtures (obviously this all comes at your own cost but the great thing is you can take these with you when you leave - putting back what was their originally) and it can also add value to the apartment for the next rental should the landlord like it.

In this 1 bedroom, open-plan living and kitchen apartment, I kept the calming grey/green wall colour that was already there when I moved in, and worked with what I had in terms of furniture as my budget was very tight at this stage in my life. Then it just came down to purchasing a nice comfortable couch (something I see as an investment) I had been following zorora sofas on instagram for a few weeks and the timing was perfect as they had just launched their new showroom in Cape Town and were having some specials. I went through to view their different styles and colours and loved what I saw for such great value.

When it comes to styling; the first step is to go through all your items and keep what brings you joy and has sentimental value and then anything that you don't use or like anymore you can sell online off Facebook Market place to then save and put away a bit of cash for anything else you might need in the future. I did this before I bought a new sideboard for the apartment with drawers for storage and rattan cabinet door that complimented my boho theme. I purchased this off Takealot (tip: click the assemble button so you don't have to do the flat pack like I did :) there is that option when you buy.

With styling I find less is more, place out a few items that create a mood , plants are always a great add to any space - they bring the outside in and some can help with sleep (lavender) and clean the air or provide oxygen (snake plants). You can always visit a local nursery and ask them for some help when choosing. I used my mom's old kist for a coffee table; as I didn't have one and it doubled up as storage for my work files and documents etc. I used my grandparents side tables all the way from Zimbabwe in my living area, which brought me so much joy thinking of them everyday. All the gifts I had been given from friends or anything with happy memories I put out to remind me of all my loved ones. Just some tips for a happy and inviting home!