Are you living in an apartment? Do you call a small, boring white box a living room that is exactly the same as your neighbors, all 143 of them?

At first glance, it would appear that many apartment dwellers are at least fortunate enough to boast of a large expansive window. In reality, the window is most likely an extremely unattractive sliding glass door set leading to a 4' x 8' porch or balcony; shrouded in loathsome plastic, vertical Venetian blinds from the 1980s. Eeew!

Luckily, there are many cosmetic and inexpensive ways to turn that white box into an attractive and posh pad that you can truly call home.

First, pick a scheme that will work well with the straight angular lines and minimalist styling. Modern and Asian inspired themes, you will find, work well in these spaces.

To accomplish an Oriental feel, start with the floor and work your way up. Depending on your particular taste, choose a bamboo area rug with neutral or black lined edges, or to inject more color into the room, choose an appropriately sized Oriental rug.

While a few apartment complexes will let you paint the walls, the majority do not allow painting. For these situations, cover those bland, generic walls with fabric. You can purchase several yards of fabric from stores such as Wal-Mart and Joanne's for a minimal cost.

Tack your walls with un-bleached, cotton cheese cloth and accent with bold reds and yellows or a stripe of black. Ikea sells a great panel system to attach to the ceiling that will hold panels of cloth and allow you to mix and slide them around. This is especially useful around the sliding glass door where you want to allow an entry and exit, but provide privacy as well.

Create beautiful art work on your walls by buying a single sheet of rice paper at the craft store. Using black paint, transpose your favorite Chinese symbols. Attach using 5 dots of glue to a black piece a foam core leaving a minimum of a 2" border on all sides (a larger border makes for a more dramatic piece) and insert to a pre-made frame.

Frames can get expensive, so either purchase while they are on sale or pick an old painting up at a garage sale and replace your masterpiece for the artwork attached to the frame. Hang and enjoy! Don't worry if you have tacked fabric on the walls; place the new artwork right on top of the fabric for a layered effect.

Now for the furniture. To really pull this look together for a fun and creative space, use low, modular, upholstered squares dispersed across the room. Stack two or three for a chair, use two side by side for a lounge, and use one with a lacquered tray on top as a tabled.

These floor cushions can be found inexpensively and when so many are grouped together in this fashion, it creates a pulled together and unique space. Top this off with matching and coordinating pillows.

As you will not be able to do much with the bright lighting of your apartment, substitute a more glamorous fixture with a grouping of 2 to 3 white, round paper lanterns in the corner suspended from the ceiling. While they will not be lit, they can be purchase quite inexpensively, usually under $10 a piece.

To add another lighting dimension to your living area, set the mood with a tall floor lantern and use a low wattage bulb; one under 60 watts. These can be ordered online from Ikea.

It is never truer than in design that the devil's in the details. So finish off your posh pad with small touches that are easy and economical. Toss a lush throw or two across the cushions using your accent color. Place a small vase with three stalks of bamboo or a petite bonsai tree on a low table.