You've just moved in but that new space just doesn't feel like yours yet. There are still signs of the previous tenants, even if the landlord did a perfect job cleaning. You need to make some changes to that apartment to make it feel like yours. These suggestions will guide you through creating a space that feels like home to you.

See Yourself in the Space

Apartment Therapy suggests visualizing how you'll be using your space. Then you can make changes to the apartment to match how you will use it instead of you adapting to the space. See yourself sitting in a comfortable chair in front of the stereo in the living room. Or working at your writing desk in front of a window in your bedroom. Perhaps you're chopping vegetables for a gourmet meal on the island in your kitchen. These images show you how you really want your space to look. Once you have those images in your mind, start making them a reality by modifying your living space.

Painting is the Foundation

Nothing changes the character of a room like a new interior paint scheme. Your landlord may have painted the apartment with neutral colors. Lighter, warm colors will make a small room look larger. One wall painted in a darker color will make the room look longer. Light colored ceilings open up a room. Darker colors in a bedroom create a more closed, intimate space. Have a painter/interior designer come in and suggest paint treatments to get the results you want.

Accent Rooms with Window Treatments

Use custom window treatments to allow more light into a room, or to create warm shadows. Dark curtains create contrast that appeals to the eye. Draperies that go to the floor make a room look taller. Create a unique look with designer blinds that control how much sunlight comes through the windows. Consider vertical blinds in colors and patterns that show off your windows.

Make Changes Under Your Feet

Neutral-colored carpet rarely gets noticed. Use patterned throw rugs to guide the eyes through a room. A rug with a central pattern draws the eyes to the center of a room, making a large room feel more intimate. A rug with lines that lead the eyes out to the edges makes a small room feel larger. Use long, narrow rugs to create boundaries between areas of a large room.

Experiment with Lighting

Brighten up rooms with full-spectrum compact fluorescent lights. Use halogen spots in cans hanging down from the ceiling to create focal points in any room or to light up art on the walls or on tables. Use floor and table lamps to remove shadows in rooms. Darkly lit rooms feel small and constrained. Lighter rooms feel more open.

Create your living space to match your interests and moods. Use interior paint, window treatments, rugs and lighting to make that new apartment feel like home. Check out companies like Paints & Papers to get started.