Decorating an apartment can be tough, especially if it’s a small space. Follow these tips to make your apartment look as big and stylish as possible.
Decorating an apartment can be tough.
In some instances, your place might be so small that it feels impossible to find suitable furniture.
Or, your lease might prevent you from making certain changes to the unit.
Whatever the case, follow these seven apartment decorating tips.
They’ll help you create a stunning living space, no matter the circumstances.
1. Exaggerate the Size
Unless you live in an enormous apartment with tall ceilings, you probably wish your place was bigger.
Even if you love your apartment, we’d all like more space from time to time.
Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to make your apartment look more spacious:
Hang Mirrors
Mirrors create the illusion of depth. If you hang one on your wall, it’ll look like the wall is further back that it actually is.
So if you’re short on space, a few mirrors can really open up your room.
Use Light-Colored Paint
Dark rooms can make you feel like they’re closing in on you, especially if you already live in a small space.
Some white, light grey, or pastel wall paint will make your room feel more open.
Hang Large-Scale Wall Decor
A large piece of wall art will steal the show in a small room.
It’ll distract from the room’s size, so no one will even notice that your place is tiny.
2. Pick Up Some Storage Furniture
Whether you live alone, with roommates, or with your family, you probably find that clutter tends to accumulate in different areas of the house.
And unfortunately, it’s hard to have a stunning apartment when there’s clutter strewn about.
Instead of cleaning every single day (who has time for that?), invest in some furniture with built-in storage.
Storage ottomans are amazing, for example. They open up so you can hide stuff in them. They’re great for the living room.
And if you have kids, a storage bench would be perfect for their toys.
When they go to bed for the night, you can just toss their toys in the box and wake up to a clean living room.
Of course, hiding clutter inside various compartments isn’t a permanent solution to the problem of a messy house.
But, it’s nice to have a place to toss things when they’re getting in your way.
3. Bring the Outside In
Every home could use a few houseplants. They’ll liven up your space, they look good with any type of design theme, and they’re even good for your health.
Plus, it’s fun to pick out pots and vases for them. A few good plants can turn your apartment into a magazine-worthy living space.
If you’re worried about keeping plants alive, don’t worry — there are plenty of low-maintenance plants that require very little attention:
Cacti
Cactus plants are a go-to option for people who lack a green thumb.
They require very little water, so you can leave for a month without worrying about them.
As long as you have a window to put them near, you can have some cacti around to keep you company!
Aloe
Like cacti, aloe plants are a member of the succulent family, which means they’re pretty easy to keep alive.
With a monthly watering and some sunlight, they’ll be perfectly happy in your apartment.
Plus, they look adorable!
Fern
Ferns are a big, bushy plant that need little more than water and sunlight to thrive.
You see them a lot in shopping malls and office lobbies because they grow quickly, and they only need a regular misting to get big.
4. Think Hard About Your Lighting
Some people like soft, yellow lighting. Others prefer cold, blue lighting. Both are fine, but they have very different effects.
You should put some thought into the type of lighting you want in your home, and choose carefully.
If you’re going for a laid back, boho vibe, you’ll probably want some relaxed, sleepy lighting.
If you want more of a sleek, Scandanavian vibe, white fluorescents could be what you need.
Fortunately, it’s easy to experiment with different options. If you don’t know what you want, you can test out a few types of bulbs.
You might even want different types of lighting for different rooms, like a warm light in your bedroom and a cool one in your home office.
Oh, and if you have the option to let natural light into your apartment, do that as much as possible.
Design is subjective and there are no one-size-fits-all rules to it, but natural lighting almost always looks better than artificial lighting.
5. Take Your Time Buying Decor
When you move into a new place or set out to redecorate, it’s easy to get anxious. But instead of rushing to fill your apartment with decor today, take it slow.
If you have patience and look for the perfect items before purchasing, you’ll be a lot with your finished apartment.
Sometimes, it takes months to find the perfect pieces.
You might have to scour the internet and browse through every furniture store in town before you find the right coffee table.
But once you do, your apartment will look that much more stunning.
Conclusion
Whether you live in a studio apartment by yourself or a three-bedroom unit with your spouse and kids, you can have a beautiful apartment interior.
All it takes is some creativity and strategic thinking to have the space of your dreams.
Hopefully, these tips help you as you embark on your journey to design the perfect place. Good luck!
Author Bio:
Jenny Bullock graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University and currently works with Broadstone Briar Forest to make life better for their residents every day.