How to make my flat feel like home on a budget

[thetorturedpoetsdepartmentssecretary]

I live in a housing association flat, for which I am incredibly grateful. However, due to various reasons I can't seem to make it feel homely.

One is the glass door from lounge to hallway, I don't know what it is, but it just looks wrong.

Secondly the stairs to the flat are concrete and lead up from the front door to the landing. I sort of feel as if I'm living in the upstairs of a house - which I suppose I am! But it doesn't feel like a home because of that. I've painted the stairs white and put carpet treads down, but I don't like it at all. When I moved in I was on an incredibly tight budget, and still am. I'd love to carpet the stairs, but just can't afford to.

I like my living room, have vinyl flooring and a big rug, but due to the glass door and stairs in the middle of the hallway it all feels disconnected somehow. I don't think I can do anything about it though.

The other problem is the walls in the living room and bedroom are wallpapered in old fashioned embossed wallpaper. I removed it on the landing, the walls underneath were in terrible condition, plaster coming off etc, so that removing the wallpaper in the other rooms isn't an option, as I can't afford to get someone in to put up lining paper and can't do it myself due to a health condition.

I have to stay here, so really want to make it feel like home, but am struggling to see how I can. I like it light and airy, it's all painted white with one turquoise feature wall, light flooring, cream sofa, pale wood and then shades of blue wall art, soft furnishings.

What could I possibly do?

can you post some photos? (including the embossed wallpaper) 🫡

I'll try.

Lamps, plants and blankets make a big difference!

Photos I've got .. I'll post more tomorrow. Excuse the cat! He's the reason I can't get up and take more now!

I do have a couple of lamps, lots of plants and blankets. The living room is lovely, it just feels like it doesn't fit together with the other rooms because of the long landing with the concrete stairs leading down to the front door.

What about window film on the door? Like a patterned one
it looks really cosy already

More photos

That's an idea actually. Any good websites for window film?

Amazon is probably your best bet, depending on size about £10-15 so not too expensive

You could get a plant ladder too in future if you like the look, like this
https://amzn.eu/d/4AvQcwz

Thanks. Just looking now, there's some lovely ones.

I like it, but my cat would be constantly up and down it 😂

Funnily my cat hasn’t bothered but he is a lazy lump! He loves his cat tree though (mostly to snore away on)

I think it takes time, the decor in my flat has changed so much since I moved in and it feels more like home every year

from what i can see your place looks lovely! i was expecting a depressing slum. looks like you have lived there for ages, very upbeat 'vibe'. got a pic of this: "the stairs to the flat are concrete and lead up from the front door to the landing" ?

so far so good. it strikes me you have struck lucky with this place 👍🏾

Also this website is decent for what it is. No it’s not stuff that will last forever but I’ve had a couple of throws and bits (the check fleece ones are good) and storage stuff that’s been fine

https://www.onlinehomeshop.com/

Aw thank you. I'll post more photos in the meningitis, of the stairs and stuff.

You could paint the door including the glass. Although it could be glass to let light into the hallway so is there another source of light or could you put a standing lamp out there?

I also have rooms in different colour schemes by choice so don't view that as something that needs fixing.

Where there's knackered plaster I've just painted it as it is. Better than nothing.

Carpet on the stairs sucks anyway, it's a PITA to hoover. Is there even a plug socket at the bottom end of the stairs to plug into? I'd stick with the painted concrete, that's easier to mop/wipe down.

Reckon you just need to live there a while and settle in. It looks lovely to me.

Should say "in the morning "!!

There is an overhead light on the landing, there's not enough room for a standing lamp.

I've painted over the knackered plaster in the hallway, it looks awful!

No there isn't a socket at the bottom, but I just use a handheld rechargeable hoover.

Not really seeing the problem.

I know it's not a huge problem, just little niggling things I'd like to change.

I think your place looks really nice, especially the living room

How about tiling (or something tile effect) on the uprights of the stairs and then adding plants? (Lots of inspiration on Pinterest) Pic attached.

You could continue the Mediterranean/boho vibe by painting some furniture in bright colours.

That looks great, although the plants wouldn't survive my cat charging up and down!

Lots of pictures on Pinterest of different versions without plants. You could maybe use the tile pattern to do some kind of window decal/stenciling, or use something in a similar style on the windows.

Have you tried painting over the wallpaper in an unobtrusive spot? Years ago we bought a house with shiny vinyl wallpaper and it was a bugger to remove so we just painted over it. It looked ok, not as good as freshly skimmed walls would have done but way better than the wallpaper.

I’d also suggest big artwork to tie it all together (you could buy canvases and paint your own abstracts) and a big rug on the living room floor.