If you’re looking for an affordable way to add high style to your home, using serving trays is a great idea. On countertops, dressers, and even on the bed, serving trays add a designer-inspired look to any surface in the home. Here’s some inspiration for styling trays.

1. Add a serving tray to your coffee table to corral remote controls, display magazines, and hold decorative objects. You can even add scented candles to create an enjoyable ambiance.
2. Use serving trays in the bathroom to organize your everyday essential products. Add one to the back of the toilet if you’re lacking in cabinet space, or use one under the sink to hold lotion and soap bottles upright.
3. Place a serving tray next to the front door to create a drop-off place for your keys, cell phone, and other items that would normally amount to clutter.
4. Center a kitchen island by adding a decorative tray for displaying flower vases and plants. You may also want to add your favorite cookbooks to keep them within reach.
5. While serving trays are originally used for serving food and beverages, they’re just as great for serving breakfast in bed—or even a midnight snack. If you enjoy relaxing with a good book and glass of wine at night, use a serving tray to avoid spills.

7 Ways to Decorate With Trays [Home Goods]
10 Creative Ways to Decorate with a Serving Tray [Kirklands]
See Why Trays Are the Ultimate Decorator’s Trick [One Kings Lane]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr ginnerobot

While you may not be able to wallpaper your entire wall in a rental apartment, there are still a number of ways to use wallpaper to add some color to your space. Check out these creative tips for using wallpaper swatches all over your home at The Marquis at Canyon Ridge.

1. Line your bookshelves. Give your bookshelves a colorful makeover by adding colorful, patterned wallpaper to the backs of the shelves.
2. Create framed art. Fill some small frames with mix-and-match wallpaper scraps to create an eclectic (and budget-friendly) gallery wall.
3. Line your drawers. Keep drawers clean while also making them more festive by lining them with wallpaper (just make sure that you can remove it once you move out).
4. Revamp an old lampshade. Cover an old lampshade with a larger piece of decorative wallpaper. Simply cut it to size and attach it using tape or hot glue.
5. Top a table. If you find a sturdy but scratched table at your local thrift store, give it an easy makeover by placing a piece of wallpaper on its top. Simply cover it with a piece of cut glass to keep the corners from peeling.

Creative Uses of Wallpaper in Any Room [Better Homes and Gardens]
10 Uses for Wallpaper Scraps [This Old House]
Unexpected Uses for Leftover Wallpaper [Real Simple]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr Stacie Stacie Stacie

Want to break a sweat without hitting up the gym? These simple workout ideas will show you how to create a space for exercise in your own apartment at The Marquis at Canyon Ridge.

1. Do yoga. With so many online yoga classes and free tutorials, you can get in a complete yoga class right at home. Clear away clutter and extra furniture, dim the lights, and even light a few candles to create that yoga studio atmosphere (even if you’re just in your living room).
2. Sweat it out with cardio. Start by clearing the furniture out from the center of your living space, and then pop in an instructional workout DVD. If you’re worried about the sound disturbing your neighbors downstairs, do your workout on a thick area rug or a non-slip exercise mat.
3. Do some strength training. Invest in small-scale strength training equipment to build muscle even without pumping iron. Things like exercise bands, hand weights, and kettlebells are perfect for toning your biceps even in your apartment.
4. Create a circuit. Many trainers agree that circuit training is one of the most effective types of exercise. Create your own at-home circuit by working with your apartment’s furniture, including step-ups onto a chair, crunches with your feet under the sofa, and sprints up and down stairs.

How to Build a Home Gym Anywhere [Men's Fitness]
Fitness Pros Weigh In: Essentials of a "No Frills" Home Gym [Apartment Therapy]
10 Small-Space Home Gym Hacks for Your Tiny Apartment [Brit + Co]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr Carly & Art