Making The Most of Your Space: 4 Ways to Decorate a Tiny Apartment
Most of us have or will find ourselves in a “small apartment phase of life.” It’s not the dream home just yet, but it is home. And although the space may be small, if decorated in the right way, it can end up being cozy and extremely practical. It will take a little more thought and a whole lot more whipping out the measuring tape, but as you will see in the examples below, this little extra work goes a whole long way to making the most out of any space.
Keep it Light and Simple
If the space is already small, a dark color palette will make it look even smaller, and not to mention cramped and uncomfortable. Keep it light and simple to maintain the illusion of a bigger space and optimize light wherever possible, whether that be natural light from windows, or lamps and light fixtures strategically placed throughout the apartment. It can also be helpful to cleverly place mirrors that also help to reflect this light, which will make the space look larger by adding an illusion of depth.
Made to Measure
When your space is very limited, using every inch of it is key. This means taking out the measuring tape and getting really creative. Since storage is often a struggle within a small space, made-to-measure cabinetry is advantageous over stock items that leave behind unusable space. Whether closet space or a made-to-measure kitchen, when it’s a perfect fit you will discover that you have more space than originally thought.
Testing
Furthermore, do a trial run. In our hyper technical and connected world, there’s an app for pretty much everything. The SMART Interior Design app is incredibly useful for trying to visualize something before you physically have it. Similar to these types of website design templates, in which someone could simply pick pre-designed themes for their site, users of the SMART app can make snapshots of their designs, then share those for all the world to see.
The SMART app takes the photographic information that you input about products (say furniture) and the specifications of your house or the space you are decorating, and then does the work for you by generating an image of exactly what that piece of furniture will look like in that space. That way you can play around with it, trying out this and that, and getting a more visual image than just what you can see in your head.
Add a Little Life
Not usually the first thing to come to mind when conserving space is to add a plant or two, but this can actually freshen up the space and give it a sense of lightness and life. Whether nestling on a windowsill, standing in a corner, or – if you have no floor space to offer – displayed in a hanging planter, a little bit of greenery can make a really big difference for a small space.
Ultimately, decorating a small space is a balancing act between functionality, practicality, and an eye for design. Just because you should use the space that you have, does not mean that it can’t look exceptionally good if given a little extra time, thought, and energy.
