Even when you live in a space that you rent instead of own, you can still make your home different and comfortable. While you don't want to make any permanent changes to the apartment, you can use your creativity in your Lake Oswego apartment and make the space unique to you. Enjoy your living space by creating an environment you love to come home to.

Pay Attention to Lighting

Lighting in any rental unit will be sufficient, but it isn't going to make your apartment unique. Pay attention to the lighting, and use small accent lamps to brighten up dark areas. Soft lighting will make areas feel cozy and can be used just about anywhere to make your space different.

Take the Time to Decorate

Many people don't bother to do much decorating in their apartment. Find some fun art, and decorate your space. If you leave your walls blank, it is going to be a boring space. Frame some pictures of loved ones and place them strategically around your apartment. When you want to feel like you are home, decorate the apartment with things you love.

Use Quality Window Treatments

Good window treatment make a big difference in your living space. While you may already have blinds in every window, consider enhancing the window with some curtains or drapes. Different hardware can look great, and you are only limited by your imagination. This will bring color to your apartment and help make your space look finished.

Throw Rugs Make a Big Impacts 

Throw rugs give you the ability to put spots of color all over your apartment. Even when you already have a rug, a well-placed throw rug can give you the added color you want. Throw rugs are affordable and easy to clean, and they provide you with floor covering options even when you can't make permanent changes.

If you are searching for apartments in Lake Oswego, Kruseway Commons is ready to talk to you about your living needs. Contact our office today at 844-222-2681 to see what floor plans are available. 

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Creating a simple and elegant living space doesn’t always mean striving for perfection. The Japanese décor style called Wabi-Sabi embraces that idea and here are some tips we hope our Kruseway Commons community residents in Oswego, Oregon, enjoy.

Don’t Fight Father Time

The term “Wabi” loosely means humility in English and “Sabi” speaks to accepting the flawed world as real and not in need of fixing. When applying these ideas to your living space, items that have a weathered and worn appearance are valued. Many American country-styled homes embrace faux-aged furniture. The Japanese décor process would seek out those items that have aged naturally and possess an inherent beauty all their own. Time isn’t something to battle back. Wabi-Sabi sees the past as part of the present and future.

Homemade Items Have Value

Store-bought, manufactured items tend to be perfect in appearance. Straight lines, sparkling finishes and vibrant colors are wonderful. However, the Wabi-Sabi approach places a high value on things that you and your loved ones create regardless of so-called “imperfections.”

What could add more authenticity to your living space than a quilt made by a valued elder, painting from a youngster or ceramic pots you create at a local facility. Mainstream culture tends to put more value on well-crafted, mass-produced items than those that have added personal value. Shift your thinking and personalize décor choices.

Unclutter Your World

Reading up on the most recent spring cleaning ideas can become redundant after a gazillion years. Much of traditional Japanese culture places a high emphasis on clean, clear and uncluttered spaces.

The Wabi-Sabi style encourages a minimalist approach to living spaces. The notion that a space needs something to fill it is replaced by a vision of openness and a sense of freedom to move around. As a result, Wabi-Sabi interiors tend to feel more spacious and enjoy a calming vibe.

Bring The Outdoors Indoors

In recent years, scientists have drawn a strong connection between outdoors immersion and mindful well-being. The Japanese go as far as to employ “forest bathing” as a rehabilitation method for patients. The underlying idea is that your connection to nature and the natural world helps ground you in everyday life. It makes us feel better. The Wabi-Sabi approach is to bring vibrant plant life into your home.

Whether you like cactus, seasonal flowering plants or year-round greenery, bringing nature into your Wabi-Sabi living space will help provide a sense of comfort and calm.

We hope our Kruseway Commons community residents enjoy these Wabi-Sabi ideas. If you or a friend would like more information about our Oswego apartments, call us today.

The post What’s Wabi-Sabi? Learn About this Latest Decor Trend appeared first on Kruseway Commons Blog.

Residents in Lake Oswego apartments aren't known for being sticklers for tradition, so no one will fault you if you decide to serve up some juicy steaks for Thanksgiving instead of the good ol' turkey standby. But what goes with steak for Thanksgiving? Here are six ideas for creative sides to go with a Thanksgiving steak for your Lake Oswego, Oregon Thanksgiving!

6 Sides for Thanksgiving Steak

• Crispy Sweet Potato Fries: Toss the sweet potato fries in potato starch or cornstarch first and then coat them with oil. Then bake them like you normally would for a crispy side to go with that T-bone.
• Mushrooms on Toast: Give your Thanksgiving steak a British twist with a side of sautéed mushrooms on toast. Cook the mushrooms slowly with some onion slices thrown in and a dash of parsley towards the end. Serve the mushrooms with a fork on a slice of toast.
• Arugula, Pears and Blue Cheese Salad: This is a salad with really bold flavors to go with a nice steak and a glass of red wine. Top the arugula off with sliced pears and crumbly blue cheese, and then drizzle a warm vinaigrette over the top for a dressing.
• Kale and Potato Gratin: This is a recipe that calls for just a dash of milk for the gratin and a small sampling of cheese. The kale adds a dash of sweetness for a great Thanksgiving side dish.
• Balsamic-Glazed Pearl Onions: You might not think onions could make a great side dish, but with Thanksgiving steak you get to break the rules, right? Boil the pearl onions first and then sautée them in summer butter for a minute. Then bring them to a boil in some chicken stock and balsamic vinegar.
• Braised Radishes, Shallots and Bacon: Who doesn't like a little bacon with their steak? Cook the bacon until it's crispy first, and then toss in some sliced radishes. Once the radishes start to brown, add the shallots for a delicious Thanksgiving side.

Don't forget that the community's outdoor lounge has a fully equipped kitchen. You can also check the Kruseway Commons website to see what floor plans are currently available!

The post 6 Sides to Serve With Steak for Thanksgiving appeared first on Kruseway Commons Blog.

Ghastly ghouls, gruesome goblins, grisly gargoyles; oh my! Halloween is in our midst once again. Let's take a look at four Halloween tablescape ideas to get your Lake Oswego apartment looking spooktacular!

Bowl of Eyeballs

If you're wanting to decorate your Lake Oswego apartments, your tabletops are a great place to start. Peel some green and red grapes for a bowl full of jiggly eyeballs. Put the grapes on a bed of red hots, red M&Ms or red Skittles for a bloody bath.    

You can also use opened Oreos, white cream side showing, and put a Skittle or M&M on the white cream to create an eyeball. 

Candy Corn

Create a candy corn themed tablescape by using glass jars in varying sizes and filling them with candy corn. Placing a Jack-O-Lantern to one side can offer some more orange to accent the candy corn.

Or, cut out candy corn shaped paper decorations to add to the flair, and top it all off with a white cake decorated with candy corn as the centerpiece. 

Creepy Crawlies

Get a bouquet of pure white flowers and place them in a black or dark-colored Halloween vase. Arrange 12 black plastic spiders of varying sizes, two black rubber snakes and two black centipedes on the flowers. The perfect whiteness will provide a striking contrast to the blackness of the creepy crawlies. 

Go Simple and Spidery

Simplify your tablescape by using an orange and black decorated tablecloth and place a festive pumpkin on a platter in the center. Arrange pleasant-smelling Halloween candles around the platter and orange and black cupcakes to one side.

Add an element of creepiness by using the simulated spider web material and cover the pumpkin platter and rear wall with the web. Put some black or purple plastic spiders at strategic places throughout the web. You can even put an insect in the web and arrange the spiders as if they're going in for their prey. 

Finding an Apartment in Lake Oswego

Halloween is arguably one of the most exciting times of the year. You get to dress up, decorate and have fun parties with great friends. If you're looking for an apartment near Lake Oswego, check us out at Kruseway Commons Apartments. 

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