Decorating a small apartment!

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Decorating a Small Apartment
As someone who has lived in studio apartments for over a decade, I am here to tell you that small space living is possible. It can work. Making a studio apartment livable requires an understanding of the essentials of small space living, making the most of every bit of space you have.


Think priorities. How do you want to use your space (aside from sleeping, of course). Do you work at home? Do you like to entertain? Do you need room for exercise equipment? Are you an avid reader with a need for a big cozy chair with great light?


Think necessities. Decide which things are essential, which would be great to have, which you can live without if necessary.


Try to get the dimensions of the apartment, including door and window locations, from the landlord. Many can often provide you with some sort of floor plan. Create a floor plan for the apartment and start arranging your furniture in it BEFORE you move. This will not only make the move itself easier, but it will let you see which furniture will fit best.


Think multi-function:
A cedar chest (or other chest) which can be used as storage for out of season clothes and/or linens as well as a coffee table
A kitchen table which can also be used as a desk
A chest of drawers which can hold office supplies, linens, CDs or even stereo components


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Think vertical. The most underused space in any room is the two or three feet just below the ceiling. Instead of a three or four foot tall bookcase, think about a seven foot one. If you can, think about mounting shelves high up on the walls, over windows and doors, or above kitchen cabinets.


Think big. That's right, big. A couple or a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture can actually make a room seem larger; lots of smaller pieces can just make it look cluttered.


Speaking of which: eliminate clutter. Clutter takes up space, lots of space, and can make a room look smaller.


Think optical illusions. Mirrors, as anyone who's eaten in an Asian restaurant knows, add size to a room. Just make sure you place them opposite something attractive (a window, a painting, a really nice piece of furniture).


Think color. As I mentioned in part one, nothing can make a room feel open and airy better than light or bright colors.
And what about that ever-necessary sleeping space? Well, pull-out couches, futons, and day beds are all options. They will act as extra sitting space during the day, and many can be comfortable beds at night. Another option open to a lot of people is a loft bed. These days, places like Ikea sell affordable lofts in sizes from twin to queen.