Small Apartment Decorating – Fitting Fresh, Hip Looks in a Small Space
Posted on April 26, 2007
Filed Under Apartment Living | 9 Comments
Decorating an apartment has a whole set of challenges: The space is typically small and the walls are almost always white. Often you don’t have the option of painting, so you have to make the furnishings carry your color scheme and style. Limited space makes the challenge even greater. Here are a few space-saving tips that will help a small apartment look fresh, hip and colorful.
A Sea of White
If you have to live with white walls, don’t consider it as a liability; consider it a blank canvas. This neutral background will let you bring in dramatic furniture, colorful accents and bold wall art. You can choose furniture color in deep neutrals such as charcoal, black or espresso or concentrated colors such navy blue, burgundy or persimmon. Choose bold modern paintings or prints in geometrics or abstracts that incorporate your base colors and introduce accents. Then carry those colors throughout the space in accessories like lamps, tabletop accessories, mirror and picture frames, throw pillows or metal wall art. Repeated use of bright colors will actually make the room appear larger because bright colors fool the eye; bright colors appear to move toward you which causes the background to recede and appear larger.
If you prefer a more sedate color scheme, bring in browns, greens and tans. Try a modern safari scheme with sage green furniture, animal print pillows and throws of tan or brown against light neutrals, rich wood end tables, and chunky natural fibers in accessories such as baskets, wall hangings, sisal rugs and jute spherical lamps. Naturalist animal photographs, paintings or prints with dark ebony frames, white and woven wood accessories, such as candle holders, mirrors, and trays add a layer of texture.
Furniture Size and Use of Space
When choosing furniture, go for streamlined pieces with low narrow arms and low backs. Big overstuffed pieces take up more visual space. Also, open media storage systems that allow you to see all the way to the wall are less visually cumbersome than closed systems. Choose a system that will allow you to house your television and other electronics all on one wall.
Arrange furniture so that the room allows you to function without colliding into tables or chairs. Less is more, so choose furniture that gives you storage and function. For example a console table can provide space for electronic media above as well as books, plants and decorative accessories. Arrange a few woven-wood floor bins under the table to corral magazines and throws. Similar baskets can work under the bed to store extra blankets and pillows.
Enhance the Space with Mirrors
Wise mirror placement will make your apartment feel larger. Hang a large mirror over a sofa or server; hanging it high on the wall will reflect more light and space. If your entry to the apartment is small, hang a mirror on the wall that you see upon entering to make the space appear larger. Let a mirror reflect the light and space from a window to brighten and enlarge your interior.
A mirror with a plain beveled edge or a frame that coordinates with your color scheme can be found in any size and shape. Make the most of a mirror by choosing a modern basket weave, an interwoven geometric pattern, or a wide molded frame in sleek wood, shimmering shells or polished metal.
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Additional free ideas are offered by senior staff writer and home decor specialist Aja Klenna at Metal-Wall-Art.com. The store also specializes in distinctive music wall hangings and wall art metal.
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9 Responses to “Small Apartment Decorating – Fitting Fresh, Hip Looks in a Small Space”
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Go to Target and check out their chrome racks. Make sure you get the one withe zig-zag line running through it. A four shelf unit is around $40 or less.
The shelves adjust to whatever height you need. I use one and I have my photo albums on top with bookends.
My XM radio and Apple Hi-Fi on the next shelf.
My television on the next shelf.
And finally my DVR/Cable Box/DVD units on the bottom.
To hide the wires I just bundled them up along the post and held them there with zip ties (just make sure you clip the long ends off). You can't even see them. But if I need to check wires it is much easier.
Here are some of the advantages:
Cheap
You can by smaller units to hold books or DVDs.
My friend bought a flat screen and hung it on a wall, now they have a entertainment center down in their basement.
If you do the same in the future or move to a bigger house you can just use the shelves as storage in your garage or basement. No damage done.
There are some great water based gloss paints to do the paint job, but stripping may be a problem unless you can open some windows to get ventilation. If you can get a waterbased stripper, that would be best. Hand sanding after removing the old paint would work. You will need some sort of scraper to remove the stripper and paint.
Paint the walls white/very light as it will bounce the light around and make it appear bigger.
Try not to use large patterns on anything as they will make everyting around them look smaller.
If you can afford it, get a flat-screen TV as it will save space and be further away from the couch. Use smaller furniture as large pieces will increase the feeling of closeness.
Avoid clutter as much as possible and populate the place with clean, crisp lines with just a few brighter pieces to liven the place up. A good bright area rug on the floor may also help.
i am not trying to insult you but……why would someone live in a small apartment , with no yard and in an unsafe neighborhood…….nots not LIFE!,…..move to where you can go and come with freedom and safety
Ill assume the kitchen doesnt have a built in fan… but really you might have to just use a small plug in fan when cooking.. I'm not sure what you cook but it doesnt really stay in the clothes permanently- I guess also a plug in air freshener or candle smell in the clothes would be better then food.
http://www.lakeside.com/details.asp?I=OZX&Ntt=orgnizers&N=36&Nao=0&R=550&product=Multicolored-Canvas-Organizers
I love this website, their stuff is inexpensive…this comes in primary or pastel colors. =)
I live in a 4 bedroom house and my water bill runs me about 48.00 a month and my aps bill is about 60.00 in the winter and 120.00 in the summer
no roommate. it would be a bit arkward to share such a small space with a friend.
Use the whole apartment!!