A small apartment doesn’t have to resemble an animal’s burrow. No matter how tiny your apartment or studio is, there are ways to make it feel like a place you want to come home to.
Paint
Paint is an effective tool to brighten up your space. Try a bright white, or if you feel the need for a bit of color, use the absolute lightest shade. That means that no matter how much you adore the intense cerulean blue on the paint sample card, you need to use the color at the opposite end of that card. Save the bold color for a pillow or small accent piece. Paint all the walls the same color and include the ceiling and all baseboards and crown moldings. This technique allows your eye to move freely around the space. And try a semigloss finish instead of a flat finish so less light is absorbed.
Storage
Your storage needs can converge with your furniture needs and allow you to have more open floor space, which makes your space feel larger. If your ceilings are high enough consider this hack from dorm room days and build a loft for your bed. Underneath the raised bed is a perfect place for a small office area or a couple of small chairs. Another great bed idea for a small space is a Murphy bed. When you make your Murphy bed, it becomes a desk or shelving unit, depending on the style you purchase. If climbing and folding aren’t your thing, invest in a bed with storage drawers underneath. These are ideal for linens or bulky clothing.
Use Your Walls and Doors
There are an amazing number of things you can store on a door by simply adding over the door racks, hooks or shoe pockets. The shoe pocket holder isn’t just for shoes either. Try keeping toiletries in one behind your bathroom door rather than using shelf space. Cleaning supplies can be stored in one of these hung inside a closet. Mops and brooms can hang on hooks to free up closet floor space. Special clasps for bikes and guitars can be used on almost any wall, creating more space and leaving your stuff readily available.
Go Vertical in the Kitchen
So many objects in the kitchen are easily stored on the wall. Ikea has a system for almost any sized space and almost any kitchen item, from spices and utensils to pots and pans. If you are a DIY person try mounting a piece of pegboard on a frame, hang it on a kitchen wall and hang your pots and pans from hooks. Your pans become kitchen art.
Multiple Use Furniture
In a small apartment, like a studio in Denver, for example, every piece of furniture should be multipurpose. Couches with built in storage are phenomenal places to keep spare pillows and blankets. Storage ottomans can hide bulky clothing and make a nice place to rest your feet, drink or game board. Ottomans can also become extra seating for guests.
The Illusion of Big
Keep your windows as clutter free as possible. If you need a drapery for privacy or to block out light at night, make sure to hang drapes as close to the ceiling as possible. This creates the illusion of height. Use the same principle when you put up shelving. Run your shelves as high as possible. Another visual trick is to hang large mirrors which make your room appear to have more space and light. There are many decorative mirrors available, just use the correct fasteners because mirrors are heavy.
Tricks for creating more spaces in a small apartment will make even the tiniest home feel welcoming—be sure to try them!
