Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Choosing Your Apartment’s Colors

A great color scheme for your apartment will turn every room into an inviting and personalized environment that promotes comfort and creativity. Choosing the right colors for your apartment involves establishing a basic color palette for each room that consists of three to four colors, then using these colors as a foundation when choosing furnishings, window treatments, rugs, and other decorative items. The final colors featured in each room will influence factors such as atmosphere and purpose, from bright, vibrant colors that imbue daily living spaces with life to calm, serene colors that make your bedrooms and bathrooms a personal haven from the world.

Start Big
The largest color choices you’ll have to make for each room are the colors in your furnishings and larger decorative accessories, such as area rugs and window treatments. These colors will create a background against which you’ll place your smaller color choices. Large color choices should focus on setting the mood you want for each room—brighter colors work better in active living spaces, such as your kitchen and living room, while softer colors are often preferred for the spaces in which you relax, such as your bedroom. If you want to use a similar color scheme throughout your entire apartment, taking the bold color choices you’ve made for your daily living spaces and choosing more muted versions for your bathroom or bedroom is a great way to tie every space in your apartment together.

Add Depth
Smaller color choices come in the form of decorative accessories such as pillows, throws, artwork, lamps, and tabletop accessories. These colors add depth to your apartment’s decorative scheme, creating a personality in each room through diversity. Choose colors that work well with the larger color choices of your furniture and window treatments, but don’t be afraid to make these choices bold. The greater the separation of the colors you choose on the color wheel, the more your accessories will stand out against the backdrop. If you prefer a more integrated, blended look, select accessories in colors that are similar to your larger choices, such as pairing reds with yellow and oranges, and greens with blues or yellows. Patterns are also a great way to incorporate color and texture into your apartment’s decorative scheme. Your choice of pattern can also help to create the atmosphere you want in each room, from classical and elegant to fun and quirky.

Altera Riverside blends luxury and convenience in our newly-renovated apartments in Lawrenceville, GA. We are pleased to deliver an amazing apartment lifestyle experience in the location you want, just minutes from I-85 and Hwy. 316. You can find out more about our community amenities, spacious apartment floor plans, and local neighborhood hotspots when you click through our website, or contact us directly for rental details and personalized tours.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Weekend Project: Kitchen Cleanup

Your kitchen is one of the most frequently used rooms in your apartment, making it also one of the most likely to accumulate clutter and develop disorganization. Keeping your kitchen clean and organized will not only improve the look and of this space, it will also reduce the time and effort needed to prepare meals.

Tackle Your Countertops First
Your countertops are one of the first features you see when you walk into your kitchen. However, countertops are also one of the places where clutter and dust is most likely to accumulate. Clean countertops will enhance the look of your apartment’s kitchen and make this space feel even larger and more luxurious for a kitchen environment you’ll love to occupy. Quartz countertops are one of the easiest materials to clean—all you’ll need is a damp cloth to wipe away most dust and dirt, but mild dish soap and warm water can be used to address any stubborn stains. Once your countertops are clean, dry them with a second cloth to prevent water spots. Reducing the number of items you keep on your countertops will ensure that your kitchen always feels large, welcoming, and uncluttered. Pick two to three of the gadgets you use most frequently to set out, and keep any additional items stored inside your cabinets for a cleaner look. If you want to keep items such as utensils, cutting boards, and trivets handy, consider installing hooks to make use of your kitchen’s wall space and turn these necessities into a personalized display.

Organize Your Pantry and Cabinets for Convenience
Behind the doors of your pantry and cabinets, disorganization can easily take over. While your kitchen may look neat at first glance, overflowing or poorly-organized cabinets will increase the amount of time it takes to prepare meals and can even result in wasted food if you lose items in the back of your pantry and inadvertently let them expire. The best way to organize your pantry and cabinets is to remove everything and start from scratch. Before replacing any items, take some time to wipe down your shelves with a damp cloth to remove any dust or crumbs. For greater convenience, store pots, pans, and other bakeware near your stove and oven, and keep plates, glasses, and utensils near your meal preparation areas. Any dishes or glasses that are damaged should go into the trash, while lesser-used items such as party platters should be kept on upper shelves, leaving your lower and more accessible shelve open for everyday items. Placing cleaning supplies inside a bucket or caddy keeps these items together and contained so you’ll spend less time cleaning. As you replace food in your pantry, check each item’s expiration date; throw away all expired items, then replace foods with the longest shelf life at the back so you’ll pull out the items that expire first when cooking. Grouping like foods together in zones, such as spices, baking mixes, cereals, and snacks, will make it easier to find what you want when you open the pantry door.

Alta West End is pleased to offer luxury apartments in Houston, TX, with everything you need to enjoy a comfortable and modern lifestyle. Our apartment kitchens include quartz countertops, pendant lighting, custom cabinetry, and large under mount sinks to increase comfort and convenience every day. You can check out our full list of amenities or explore our one- and two-bedroom apartment floor plans on our website, where you’ll also find our online gallery and contact information.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Creating an Effective At-Home Workspace

Setting plays an important part in your ability to focus on a single task and see it through to completion. At-home workspaces can be large or small, but should always deliver exactly the tools you need to get the job done. Whether you routinely work from home or only need an at-home workspace occasionally, creating an effective home office in your apartment will provide the environment you need to foster creativity and focus.

Start with Your Desk
The centerpiece of any workspace is the desk, which makes this feature the foundation of your home office. Your desk will lay the groundwork for the look and feel of your home office space, regardless of whether your workspace is part of a larger room or located in a room of its own. Choose a desk that accommodates your needs—if you tend to do all your work via computer, a smaller desk may be appropriate, but a larger horizontal surface might be necessary if you need to spread papers or other items out as you work. The size of your desk should also fit the space available for the best aesthetic balance, as a desk that is too large or too small in the wrong place can affect the larger overall look of the room, especially if your workspace is part of a living room or bedroom layout.

Choose a Comfortable Chair
The idea of an at-home workspace is to create an area where you can focus in comfort. Seating plays a vital role in your ability to concentrate for extended periods of time, as an uncomfortable chair can lead to pain, stiffness, and fidgeting that interfere with your physical health and your mental focus. While it may be tempting to choose a chair based solely on appearance, make sure to test any chair you are considering before you buy it. There are several chair designs that marry comfort and style to allow you to make the visual statement you want in your workspace without compromising on healthy long-term posture.

Add Personality
While any at-home office should center around the tasks you need to complete, adding personality to this space can boost comfort and creativity for a more effective working environment. There are many ways to imbue your workspace with personality, including colorful office accessories, an appealing area rug, and motivational posters or photos. Although you should avoid cluttering your desk with too many accessories, one or two well-placed items can make the difference between an impersonal at-home office and a space that blends in with the personality and style of the rest of your apartment. Flowers and plants have been shown to increase workplace productivity; you can put this concept to work for you in your at-home office by adding a few simple flowers and houseplants to your desk or work area. Popular indoor plant species that require minimal care include orchids, bamboo, and succulents.

The Grand Estates at TPC has the luxury apartment living experience you’re after near San Antonio, TX. Our modern apartment community is located just north of beautiful downtown San Antonio, offering life against the breathtaking backdrop of Cibolo Canyons. You can take a peek at our long list of amenities or click through our apartment floor plans when you check us out online for a closer look at everything our apartments have to offer.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Tips for an Easy Moving Experience



Choosing to move into a new apartment in Calgary is an exciting experience; however, moving is an activity that is often associated with high levels of stress. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to make moving to a new apartment a simple and stress-free process, reducing anxiety about the moving process so you can begin enjoying all the benefits of your apartment home as soon as you receive your key.

Plan Ahead and Act Early
The key to making your move easy is to plan ahead as much as possible. As soon as you know you’ll be moving, begin sorting through your belongings to separate the items you’ll definitely want to bring from those that could be thrown away or donated. Additionally, consider the shape and size of your new apartment to determine how you’ll want to use your new space and whether the furnishings you currently have are appropriate. Once you know your desired move-in date, it’s best to begin calling moving companies to ensure you’ll be able to move on the day you want, especially if you’ll be moving during a busy season. Addressing issues such as transferring your cable, mail, and other services as soon as you have a move-in date planned can also prevent these important tasks from being forgotten as you become busier with packing and other moving plans.

Organize and Label Your Boxes
Packing is often a hectic process that can result in items from several rooms mixing together in one box. While this technique isn’t a problem before your move, it can make finding the items you need after you’ve arrived at your new Calgary apartment much more difficult. Taking the time during packing to organize and label your boxes will make the unpacking process much easier, even if all you’re able to do is label each box with its general contents or the room where it should be left. If you have the time to make a more complete list of the items in each box, this can help to prevent losses if you’re shipping boxes or know you’ll be looking for a specific item shortly after move-in day. When packing boxes, it’s also worth remembering to spread out weight—avoid placing too many heavy items in a single box, especially if that box is large. Even if you will have movers helping you or plan to use tools such as a hand truck, more manageable loads will make your move easier on everyone involved.

Schedule Deliveries After Moving Day
If you’ll be making any new purchases, such as furniture or other household items, make sure to schedule their delivery for a few days after your moving day. Regardless of the distance you’re moving and the number of boxes you’ll be transferring, moving day is always a little hectic, and it can be made more confusing by the arrival of delivery trucks and extra packages when you schedule their arrival for the same date. Giving yourself a day or two to recover after moving so you can make sure there is time and space to accept deliveries will go a long way toward a more enjoyable moving experience.

Are you looking for a new Calgary, AB, apartment to call home? The Metropolitan features beautiful upscale apartment homes in a pet-friendly community with easy access to all your favorite local destinations. We invite you to visit our website for additional details about our one- and two-bedroom apartments, or contact us online with your questions.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Tips for Getting More from Your San Antonio Studio Apartment

Studio apartments in San Antonio traditionally feature a single open living space that serves as the setting for both daily activities and sleep. While these apartments typically include less square footage than layouts that incorporate separate bedrooms, studio apartments remain a popular and comfortable apartment style for several reasons. Using your space to its fullest will mean enjoying greater comfort and convenience every day, while ensuring your apartment home never feels cluttered or cramped.

Start with Your Largest Furniture
When developing a smart layout for your studio apartment, start by placing your largest pieces of furniture first. The bed and the couch—if these are separate pieces—are often the biggest furnishings in your home, so determining where they’ll go before you arrange the rest of your furniture can help you create a more comfortable and functional space. Placing your bed in the area furthest from the door is often a good way to create a separate bedroom space, while arranging your couch or other seating in the center of the room can help to delineate a separate living and relaxing area that helps your apartment as a whole to feel larger.

Consider Combining Your Sleeping and Living Spaces
While creating a separate sleeping area is a great way to enjoy a personal corner designed just for relaxation, combining your sleeping and living spaces using a couch or futon that doubles as a bed can also be a smart use of your studio apartment’s available space. Hanging curtains or using bookcases to surround your seating area can create additional privacy and a place to unwind as you’re getting ready to sleep for the night, while eliminating a bed from your apartment altogether can give you more storage space if you have a significant collection of clothing, shoes, or books that you don’t want to compromise or hide away.

Choose Multifunctional and Collapsible Furniture
Keeping your space clean and organized is the key to enjoying the full extent of your home’s square footage and maintaining a comfortable and relaxing studio apartment. Multifunctional furniture, such as ottomans that double as storage and tables that include shelves or drawers, can expand the amount of storage space in your studio apartment to reduce visible clutter. Collapsible pieces, such as folding tables and chairs, allow you to increase the amount of available floor space when you need it, while rolling carts can be moved from space to space when necessary for added functionality. Wall-mounted shelving can also increase your available display and storage space, allowing you to take advantage of your walls as additional square footage in your apartment.


The Grand Estates at TPC features beautiful studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in San Antonio with easy access to all your favorite local shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations. Inside our apartments, you’ll find luxury features that include granite countertops, crown molding, energy-efficient insulation, and high-speed internet service for amazing home comfort and convenience. Please check out our website for more information about our luxury apartment community, including our floor plans, neighborhood map, and ebrochure.

Simple Tips for Organization in Every Room of Your Apartment

A clean, organized apartment in Lawrenceville is a joy to enter and a relaxing, comfortable space where you can unwind and focus on work, hobbies, and the company of family and friends. The key to maintaining a clutter-free apartment is to implement simple organizational tips that are appropriate for each space in your home. While there are several universal techniques that will cut down on clutter and disorganization throughout your luxury apartment home, keep reading to discover a few room-specific tips you can use to put the finishing touches on your Lawrenceville living space.

In the Kitchen
One of the biggest sources of clutter in the kitchen is kitchen gadgets, such as coffee makers, mixers, blenders, and crockpots. A simple way to reduce kitchen clutter is to keep only the two or three gadgets you use on a daily or weekly basis on your counters, while storing the rest out of sight to pull out only as needed. This system will maximize your available counter space and keep your kitchen counters from looking too cluttered with unnecessary items; you can also use this system to assess just how often you do use your gadgets, and consider donating those you’ve found that you no longer use enough to justify storing. You can also use this technique to organize other items, such as pots, pans, and utensils, by separating those you use most from those you use only rarely. Going through your drawers every few months and pulling out the items you haven’t used at all can help to clear out more drawer space as well.

In the Bathroom
Bathrooms are another common area for clutter to accumulate, but allow for amazing creativity in terms of easy organizational solutions. Items such as trays, jars, and even wine racks can make keeping small, loose, and mismatched items contained in a fun and stylish way that will encourage you to put items away when they’re not in use. Hooks and shelving are great space-savers in the bathroom, and allow you to create small visual vignettes using your everyday toiletries and gadgets that can turn your clutter into unique decor. Just as in the kitchen, it’s also important to periodically excavate the contents of your bathroom cabinets and drawers, separating out items you haven’t used, didn’t like, or that you might consider donating to save space. It’s also important to separate out older items such as sunscreen and makeup—these products should be discarded after one to two years.

In the Bedroom
Your bedroom should be a comfortable and organized space that allows you to relax each night before and during sleep. The master closet is the perfect space to focus on organization and decluttering in the bedroom. Creating a storage system for out-of-season clothing will keep your closet from overflowing, making it easier to choose the perfect outfit each morning. If you have several items you aren’t sure you want to keep, set aside a small space in your closet for them and assess this space every six months. Each time you wear an item from this area, move it to the main portion of your closet. At the end of six months, the items that are still separate might be better off in the donation bin.


Are you ready to enjoy an organized luxury apartment in Lawrenceville, GA? Altera Riverside features newly-renovated apartment homes with amazing amenities in a pet-friendly community you’ll love. Please stop by our website to learn more about our features, our amenities, and our floor plans.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Give Your Lawrenceville Apartment a Pet Friendly Facelift This Spring!

Sharing your lifestyle with a pet offers several rewards, from unwavering companionship to measurable mental and physical health benefits. Enjoying apartment life with your pet doesn’t mean giving up on sophisticated and fresh interior decor—in fact, there are several pet-friendly ways to update your apartment’s look this spring for a home you’ll both love to spend time in each day. Keep reading to discover a few simple decorating ideas that will inspire you to imbue your apartment with personality and style that won’t pose a hazard to your pet.

Add Area Rugs
Area rugs and mats are the perfect way to add color, texture, and comfort to your apartment floors. Placing colorful mats inside and outside your exterior doors will brighten your entryways and reduce the likelihood of you or your pet tracking in dirt and mud after enjoying the weather outdoors. Rugs can also reduce slipping hazards for both you and your pet, as well as increase comfort underfoot on tile and and outdoor flooring materials, such as concrete and wood. Make sure to purchase rugs with sewn-in no-slip backs or add a slip-proof rug pad for better traction and to avoid accidental damage to your floors.

Elevate Your Lighting
Lamps and lighting add comfort and safety while creating the perfect atmosphere for completing everyday tasks, keeping up with at-home work projects, or relaxing with your favorite book after a long day. However, lamps can be susceptible to damage if your pet is particularly curious or exuberant. Elevating your lighting by placing lights on higher shelves or adding suspended lights and string lighting is the perfect way to keep light sources out of your pet’s reach and highlight your apartment’s nine-foot ceilings to make your space feel even larger and more welcoming. Colored lights or lanterns are a perfect personalized accessory for a vibrant apartment home, while standalone floor lamps take advantage of unused corners and other vertical space.

Coordinate Your Pet’s Accessories
Providing your pet with his own space in your apartment creates an area where he feels safe and comfortable in your home. When choosing accessories and toys for your pet, consider your existing decorative scheme and choose patterns, colors, and fabrics that complement the personality of your apartment. The right pet bed will blend into the background for a coordinated look, while providing your pet with a personalized space to call his own. Purchasing stylish containers and organizational tools, such as baskets, jars, and hooks, allows you to keep your pet’s belongings organized and reduces clutter in your apartment for a more welcoming and sophisticated home.


Altera Riverside is a pet-friendly apartment community featuring luxuryapartments in Lawrenceville, GA. You and your furry family member will love our outdoor picnic areas, onsite bark park, elegant gardens, and spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments for rent. We invite you to visit us online to learn more about our community or to check out our available floor plans to choose your new GA apartment home.