You really have to hand it to millennials. They are taking this world by the horns and they are making it work for them. But while their favorite thing might be breaking the rules set by some previous generations, they do have some rules of their own, and this applies to almost every part of life: the way they dress, what they eat and even the way they organize and decorate their homes and apartments. So let’s see what our new favorite generation has to say about interior design.

Repurpose everything

We’re not about to throw a single thing away. Millennials understand the value of things and let’s face it: they love the retro vibe. These two combined means that all kinds of furniture are being repurposed in every corner of their homes. Have an old wooden chair that has been collecting dust in the shed? Cut the back off, give it a fresh lick of paint and you’ve got yourself a bedside table. Old oil barrels found on the street? Guess we’ve got a new seating arrangement for the front porch! Everything you find on the street, in a thrift store or in your own backyard can be made into something new and improved, and we are all for it. It’s not only limiting the amount of furniture that ends up on landfills, but it’s also giving every room in the house a story to tell – one that is a lot more interesting than “I bought it at IKEA”. If your just starting out try finding one of the best sewing machines for beginners, it will help you with repurposing

Make it functional

Some millennials are shut-ins and there isn’t much that can be done to lure them out. They fully understand that they can have everything they need in their home, and sometimes, even if they want to spend some time outside, there’s simply too much work and too little time. That is why it’s crucial to make sure everything works. Have a fully functioning kitchen that you can prepare meals in. Get exercise equipment for your apartment so that you can work out when you’ve only got half an hour or when your favorite show is on the TV.

Stick to a color scheme

Gone are the days of “oh, this looks nice, I’ll put that on the wall”. Millennials choose a style, a theme or a color scheme and they stick with it, even if it means only having one set of linen. Your color scheme should be no more than two main colors plus and accent one, and if you want to be a true millennial, have the two base colors be nudes, inspired by Scandinavian design (bonus points if you use millennial pink). Everything you bring into your home should fit into the scheme, or shouldn’t be displayed. Sure, there’s the odd person out who likes to have it all colorful and rainbow-inspired – but they probably aren’t millennials at heart.

Cozy and homey

Not only are you creating a home for yourself, but you want every person who walks through your door to feel like they can be relaxed and at home. So making sure there’s plenty of space to sit, placing fluffy pillows and blankets at hand’s reach and lighting up some warm-smelling candles is a staple for a millennial home. To make sure this balances out and doesn’t become overcrowded, you can use different materials and textures. For example, a fluffy, knitted blanket on a plain couch next to a glass table gives the feeling of comfort without smothering you, and that’s really what you’re going for.

You don’t have to be a millennial to organize your home this way, nor do you have to do it if you are one, but there are definitely some great design choices being made here and we could all learn a thing or two from them.