When you live in a rented apartment space, it can be a challenge to decorate and optimise the little space you have. You deserve to feel cosy and comfortable in your space, so check out these easy small apartment ideas on how to transform your home in to the perfect place!
1. A Gallery Wall
What better way to maximise your space on the ground than to hang as much possible on the walls? These dark, rich walls give a modern apartment vibe, with gold picture frames that elevate the colour palette. However, you can also use more neutral colours and wooden frames depending on your aesthetic. Creating a focal point for your living area makes the room look more spacious and stylish!
2. Large Mirrors in Entry Way
In a small, dark space like a hallway, a large gold framed mirror that fills the available wall space creates the illusion of a bigger area. As well as being a beautiful piece of furniture that exudes luxury and allows you to get a last look in the mirror before you leave the apartment!
3. Floating Shelves in Corners
Small corners are typically unused spaces in both large and small apartments, so by employing the use of corner shelving its an easy way to create storage opportunities out of a previously vacant space.
4. Unique Coffee Table
Coffee tables are typically large, low level furnishings used to store surface accessories in the centre of large lounges. However, in a smaller space, you need to get a little more creative! You can get a smaller circumference table, taller in height, and store it out of the centre of the room to create more empty space. Another possibility is using a buffet or pouffe as an additional seat/table surface combination.
5. Let Natural Light in Wherever Possible
Avoid any blockages to windows and central lighting to create a bright, open ambience. Instead, hang things around the windows, and keep focal point art work and furnishings near the natural lighting to accentuate the best features of your apartment!
6. White Walls & Neutral Tones
In certain small-shaped rooms, darker paint colours can make the space appear more pokey and tight. A cleaner, more elevated colour palette such as shades of white, beige and tan can create a more pure and natural appearance in the room, making the most of the limited space you have.
7. Hanging Plants from the Ceiling
Whether you prefer faux plants or the real thing, hanging them from the ceiling or window fixings saves you from using precious floor space or shelving. In addition to saving the floor room, vertical spacing gives a taller impression of the space, and bringing nature inside is excellent feng shui!
8. Library Wall
Much like a gallery wall, a wall-filling book shelf would draw attention and create a luxury vibe to any size room. The purpose being book storage also means the shelving can have less depth than an average shelving unit, and create more floor space. Having the large bookcases fill the entirety of the wall, rather than just be placed in the room means it creates the illusion of more space.
9. Sofa Bed
Do you have a pokey guest room or box room with a rarely-used bed taking up precious space? Instead, consider sleeper sofas instead, and creating a cute little reading nook for occasions when you don’t need extra bed space for overnight guests.
10. Removable Wallpaper Designs
It can be intimidating to stick wallpaper in your rooms – especially in rentals! But don’t fear the use of temporary wallpaper – as it’s made for this exact purpose! Rental apartments don’t need to be soulless anymore, you can add fun feature walls and art designs in different styles, all that can be removed if needed!
11. Layered Shoe Rack
Instead of using cupboard and draw space, get a multi-layered shoe rack to minimise floor usage and keep things organised. Keeping this in the corner of the hallway that is easily accessible is the best way to ensure it is used correctly and shoes don’t end up littering your small space.
12. Large Area Rug
Much like a gallery wall, a large area rug that covers the majority of a floor space in a feature colour or texture will make the apartment feel more homely and warm.
13. Basketed Coffee Table
If a coffee table is a must for you – consider getting one with a large storage point underneath, so you can store less used items like blankets, throw pillows, books, games and seasonal decor.
14. Hallway Bench
A running bench in the entryway works wonders for small spaces, and is a great way to have a quick seat, store shoes underneath, keep bags and accessories on top, and make the room feel more organised overall.
15. Large Wall Art
Similarly to the gallery wall impression, a large focal point in a smaller room may make the space feel stylish and bold. Either a large framed piece, or an original canvas would attract attention from overnight guests and give New York City apartment vibes!
16. Blinds over Curtains
Leaning ladders can be thin and light, therefore creative the illusion of more space than open shelves, while also allowing some simple storage. They are perfect for a small bathroom space, as folded towels and face cloths can be layered over the bars and reduce cupboard use.
18. Frame Your TV
A stylish option for anyone who doesn’t have the space for a TV stand, or want the clutter of a bulky sized television in their lounge. A simple gold frame is a classy and stylish addition, and could even be part of a gallery wall!
19. A Pop of Colour in your Couch
If your living area utilises neutral toned colour pallet, then why not add a pop of colour into your soft furnishings to add dimension to small spaces? Rich greens and blue add an earthy vibe and are a great way to create a comforting impression in limited space.
20. Wall Sconces
Anything you can attach to the wall rather than have in your immediate space, will certainly create the illusion of more space. Wall sconces with warm bulbs will make the room feel cosier, particularly if you are struggling to get much natural light in a studio apartment.
21. Paint the Ceiling
It may be controversial – especially in rentals – but painting the ceiling a rich tone may give the impression of a clean, open space if you have white walls.
22. Vintage Room Accessories
Try your local thrift stores and vintage places to find unique accessories that represent your vibe. Whether that’s wall posters, or vintage side tables, adding a talking point to the room distracts from the size entirely.
23. Embrace Patterns
Don’t be scared to add detailed designs to small spaces! Try a subtle patterned poster or temporary wallpaper if you want to go big, or simplify patterns to rugs and other soft furnishings if you want to keep things minimal!
24. Floating Bookcase
A library wall is a nice thought – but if you need to preserve precious floor space, then try some floating shelves, you could choose beautiful vintage books and special book ends to add more of a pop to the smaller space.
25. Tension Rods to Hang Kitchen Accessories
It’s such a lovely, natural aesthetic when you see kitchen equipment hanging on a bar, thereby saving space, but also creating a cosy, homely interior design aspect.
26. Stools to Save Storage
Struggling to provide extra seats for guests? Try getting some small stools that you can easily store underneath furniture when not in use, so you make the most of the tighter space.
27. Breakfast Bar instead of Dining Table
It’s unlikely in a smaller space you will have room for a large, round dining table. So try making use of the edges and corners of the kitchen, with a tall breakfast bar. You can get one or two high stools, and even make multiple uses out of it, such as a little home office area.
28. De-clutter!
Feel you have too many knick-knacks for a studio apartment? Be brutal and de-clutter anything you don’t need. Of course, anything with sentimental value is worth keeping, but be honest with yourself about how much value boxes full of clutter will add and donate or sell!
29. Mini Wet Room
If you feel the shower wall or curtain is taking over your small bathroom space, try making it a mini wet room! Of-course, in rentals you can’t re-design a space this easily, however in your own home you could transform a small toilet into another wash area by utilising the wet room technique.
30. Room Dividers
Simple, stylish room dividers can create the illusion of space in studio apartments. If you want the space to feel like it has multiple rooms, you can create different decor vibes between the room divider and make the most of a small living space.
31. Utilize Vertical Space
Make sure you utilise storage solutions, like floating and corner shelves, by hanging them the full height of the room. As well as hanging decor items, like planters and lanterns up overhead makes full use of the available vertical space in a small living room.
32. Hallway Hooks
This may sound like a simple solution, however hooks are so useful for not only coats, but bags, umbrellas, jewellery, hair accessories, hats, etc. Having them not only in the hallway, but the bedroom or bathroom means you have more space to hang things and make the most of the floor room.
