By John Miller

Being a single girl in a big city can be exhilarating, regardless of how old you are and at what stage of your career or life. When you are free of family obligations, the city is at your feet and is brimming with career, study, social, cultural and entertainment opportunities.

You are fully in charge of designing your lifestyle. And your single lady pad, whether it’s rented or your own, should also reflect this spirit of freedom and independence while giving you a cozy home to come back to after a busy day on the town. There are a number of modern feminine home décor trends that accentuate femininity, power and style, while at the same time remaining comfortable and affordable.

In that sense, the top aspects of interior design that scream luxury are space and light, followed by the aesthetically appealing choice of complementing décor elements. Let’s take a look at a few ideas on how to achieve these to make your apartment as glamorous, classy and welcoming as possible:

Hang up mirrors

I bet you were happy to hear that one. Is there a woman out there who doesn’t enjoy checking herself out in the mirror every chance she gets? Mirrors are not only stylish decoration elements, but they are also capable of doubling your living space, at least visually. Invest in large, wall-width or height mirrors and gorgeous wooden or vintage frames to add more dazzle.

Play with the light

Another trick to create the illusion of a larger open space is by letting in an intensive flow of natural light to bathe the room and bounce off reflecting bare surfaces. You should avoid placing large pieces of furniture that disrupt the flow of light from windows and position your mirrors (if you have decided to invest in them), so that light spreads even further into the living space.

Forget about heavy draperies and curtains and go for light and filmy transparent textures that will complement the rest of the room’s color palette. If you are short on natural light, you can purchase a few creative lighting pieces and position them in clever spots to maximize the light.

Choose lighter tones

Pastel tones and lighter hues in general make a space immediately larger and more feminine. Bolder or darker colors on your walls will close off the room and will create an oppressive atmosphere. Same goes for the larger pieces of furniture in the room, so stick to lighter colors for all major elements in the room.

Create bold statements

That said, you shouldn’t be afraid to add a few well-coordinated bold colors in the form of accents. Think about throw pillows and coffee table books in aqua, vases and crystal in deep mint green, a flower arrangement or plants in saturated green, for example. Whether it’s magenta, royal purple or red, accents give the room character and express your personal style.

Other elements you can thing about accentuating are carpets and rugs, which make a great bold statement and unlike walls can ground the space if chosen in darker colors.

Now, look up at the list of suggestions. In fact, none of these require a major remodeling project and can easily be achieved on a small budget. Are you a single lady who likes her home décor to be expressive of her personality? How have you achieved this in your own home?