Decorating a Small Apartment?

Question

Does anyone have any tips for decorating a small apartment? Or any good sources of information?

Answer 1

i know it can seem a bit clinical but you have to paint everything white - it makes the place look more 'airy' and cleaner. Airy rooms simply appear bigger and less cluttered even if you have a lot of stuff around.

Go for lots of clever storage ideas - they dont have to be expensive but stuff tucked out of the way in a nice looking box is better than having crap all over the place.

Go for laminate flooring but have plenty of rugs - the laminate will reflect light, again improving the airy and roomy feel but the rugs will make it look more homely. Go for mainly neutral colour furniture but have little bit of really bright colours - bright reds and greens to catch you eye but not overtake the room the room. things like striking pictures or fake flowers on tables

put focal objects near a window - not under it or on the window sill but near it - it will draw peoples eyes toward the outside, again improving the subconcious feel of the size of the room.

Big mirrors will help also

most important though is to keep the place tidy - a cluttered small room looks a mess, a light and airy small room with everything in its place looks very attractive.

Answer 2

Hello, first off I am actually envious of you b/c I have always thought it would be a blast living in NYC. Secondly, wow that is pretty darn small. I watch House Hunters all the time, and I'm pretty sure that studios are very common there. My suggestion, since it will pretty small, is keep everything you put in there simple, and I think you should also pay attention to keeping the rooms as spacious as possible to give it the feel that the apartment is big and roomy. The studio will close in very quickly if you add a lot of furniture, etc. Also light colors on walls will help. I hope this is good advice for you!!! Good luck with the new apartment!!!!

Answer 3

As most have said light is important if you want to make the apartment seem bigger and that can be achieved in several ways! Mirrors will reflect light and so will pale walls and so wherever possible use the softest curtains to let in as much light as possible! If the apartment isn't over-looked and on the second floor or above this is easily acheived! If you can make space for storage in areas like the bedroom by utilising the space under the bed and perhaps using the vaccuum storage bags for out of season clothes and bedding. Use light wood for furnishings and book cases etc and try to keep your colour scheme simple! Too many colours in a small room can also make it appear smaller! Try visiting the library and look at some of the DiY books and pick up as many paint catalogues as you can in the stores!
Good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

I highly agree with KJUK.
When decorating a small space, you can always have something cosy and inviting, but planning out how storage will work...makes it appear much larger and helps to avoid the clutter pitfalls that come with living in a small space.

Mirrors are a great way to 'faux' your way into making the 'appearance' of more space or another room.

When placing furniture, try to keep the floor plan as open as possible, not letting furniture 'bunch' into clustered areas. If you're buying into furniture, avoiding patterns and keeping clean-line (again, higher legs on these will give appearance of 'more space') works much nicer, you can always add patterned accent pillows to pull colour from the furniture.

Accents such as tables, shelves or tv stands are great if they are simple lines and higher legs...again, gives an appearance of more space. Also, try to avoid cluttering the walls with too much, it will close the space in.

Find the styles that work best for you-
Good luck!
And happy decorating!!

Answer 5

Watch the House Doctor. But seriously if you want it to look larger and feel light and airy then it must be painted in neutral light colours with accent colours. Accessories are used to add accent colours, things that you can replace or change easily like cushions, rugs, pictures etc. If you can add a fairly large mirror which will reflect light and have amirror image of the opposite wall it's hanging one giving the illusion of space. Don't over clutter either.
You really have an amazing selection of websites at your disposal, do a search and you'll be surprised.
If you don't mind waiting you could write to Linda Barker and ask her to come and do it!!

Answer 6

When decorating a small appartment try to keep your place looking larger than it is by decorating it in as pale as colour as you can...for me white and soft neutrals does it for me all the time...use some glass or transparent furniture wherever possible mixed in with a little ecletic pieces of other furniture....to give the impression of an uncluttered look...go for minimal storage....mirrors....clever lighting....clever window features...and bold decorative items dotted around the place....I hope that gives a little help....

Answer 7

Look through this site for some decorating ideas. It has Moroccan decor. Something might interest you that you could then incorporate into your home and own style. The items available on this site are really unique and the prices are pretty good.

http://www.nineseasdecor.com

Hope you find something interesting/unique that will get you excited about decorating your apartment.

Answer 8

For the living room you could do something like my sister did (her living room was tiny!):

Plain wood floor (she just stripped away the carpet and polished the floor)

A glass coffee table (See through makes it look bigger)

A creamy-white-yellow leather sofa or black or red, or anything modern really (any size that you can fit in, put 2 in if you can)

A white rug under the coffee table (looks really good)

A wall bookshelf/media storage (compact and doesn't clutter the room)

A t.v in the corner#


or something along those lines

make it something you like

sophie

Answer 9

probably if you have some uniformity through the flat then you will notice less divison between different rooms and areas therefore making the'whole' seem larger, then use different hilight colours in each space to define and individualise eg turquoise and chocolate cushions.
v important to keep clutter under control, not just paper and 'stuff' but ornaments and things - especially if you have a small kitchen too.

hope you enjoy your new flat!

Answer 10

If you want to use bold patterns or colours then only do it on one wall as you will make the rooms seem smaller if you put it on all the walls.
Use large mirrors where you can so that it gives the illusion that the place is bigger.
Make sure that your windows dont have heavy dark curtains or blinds so that lots of light comes in.
Good luck.