Apartments can be difficult to decorate. Someone else owns the space, so some décor basics, like painting, may not be allowed. Some units may be on the small side, so you don't have a lot of room to work with. And what fills the space must be balanced or delicate. No one wants to worry about how to lug an expensive, heavy piece of furniture up three flights of stairs.

Fortunately, a select group of bloggers continually finds creative, even genius ways to transform four white apartment walls into an extraordinary living area. With tastes from modern to vintage to eclectic, these bloggers focus on what makes small spaces shine. Plus, some offer tips for green living, sharing your home with pets, decorating on a budget and more.

If you’ve ever moved into an apartment only to discover you don’t know how to make it your own, worry no more: We have chosen the top five apartment-decorating blogs. We guarantee you’ll find interior design inspiration on at least one – if not all – of these extremely useful sites:

The Thrift Shop Romantic

What it is: The writer behind the Thrift Shop Romantic is self-professed “packrat descendant” Jenn Thorson, who advises how to find vintage, Victorian and romantic decor on the cheap. For those in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, the site suggests thrift shop, antique store and flea market resources.

Why We Love It: Jenn is excellent at do-it-yourself, but her humor also shines through. If you're hesitant to start, she'll help you get over that hesitation. Some of her thrift store finds are hilarious, such as Better Homes and Garden’s 1971 decorating ideas under $100. Three words: Victorian robot bathroom.

Making It Lovely

What It Is: New mom and stationary creator Nichole Balch has decorating tips for transforming older spaces into vintage-modern havens on Making It Lovely. She also suggests storage and fashion solutions and encourages readers to appreciate all shades of pink.

Why We Love It: The Making It Yours category of the site is genius. Balch photographs a single piece of furniture and shows readers through mood boards – which include purchasing information – how to work the piece into five different rooms of the house.

Young House Love

What It Is: Young married couple Sherry and John Petersik blog through Young House Love about their home improvement projects that they tackle themselves. While many posts require renovations, apartment dwellers can take advantage of tips on transforming furniture pieces and discovering new art ideas.

Why We Love It: After nationally recognized interviews and appearances on HGTV and CNN, you might think these two don’t need any more exposure. Oh, but they do. Even the smallest, most drab spaces would benefit from the how-to’s found on the site, such as how to transform an ugly mirror, paint any piece of furniture, decorate in stages and upholster a headboard.

Photo credit: Shutterstock/Africa Studio
By: ApartmentGuide.com