Apartment Living Can be a Challange : Here Are Some Tips and Tricks to Help Maximize Your Space

I have lived in a multitude of apartments, it is a joke with close friends that I move too much - maybe it is the challenge to test my skills and designing a new space every year, the fact is that they seem to be getting smaller and smaller. Over the years I have learned a few great tricks to maximize my space.
Here are 10 tips to help you create a space that is functional for you and maximizes your small apartment home.


Tip#1: The first thing that is key is to keep your furniture to scale with the room. If you have big bulky furniture, the furniture will take over the space and will create a small closed in feeling. When shopping for a sofa keep the lines clean and simple. There are a number of retailers that specialize in "apartment" size furnishings.

This example is a great comfortable sofa from Crate and Barrel

Tip #2: Buy yourself a little extra visual room, make a lower ceiling look higher by mounting window treatments closer to the ceiling. The vertical lift will bring your eye up. When possible paint your ceiling as well. This also helps to create height.

Notice how your eye is carried up with the yellow window treatment.

Tip #3: Double duty furniture! This one is very important, to reduce clutter and save space. Form follows function as they say in the design world. Well one of the most functional pieces of furniture in my mind is the storage ottoman! A simple storage ottoman can give you 3 different functions - storage, table and extra seating when needed. The cost of the ottomans range depending on where you purchase. For as little as $20 you start creating a streamlined look from Target. Crate and Barrel as a storage ottoman that double as a wine bar!

Open the ottoman and you have a great space for storing wine

Close the ottoman and you have extra seating or a coffee table

Tip #4:  Supply storage yourself. Many apartment just do not the right amount of storage space for us. Knowing how to utilize the space you have can be tricky. At your local hardware stores you can purchase closet organize systems to help maximize the space, but also remember the storage opportunities you have under your bed and above cabinets in the kitchen. Buying totes that are made for under the bed is a great way to store out of season clothing and bed linens. Above the cabinets is a great spot to store items that you do not use that often in the kitchen. Decorative baskets or boxes helps to hide the clutter but also adds an element of color, texture and functionality for sometimes a wasted space.

Tip #5: Know what you need for space. Just because your apartment home comes with a dining nook does not mean that you need to use it for that. A nook can be a great place to add a home office, or an exercise area. Have a 2 bedroom? but really only have guests over 2 or 3 times a year. Invest in an air mattress and make that second bedroom what you want it to be, love to have dinner parties but your eat-in kitchen just is not big enough for a full dining table? Then use the second bedroom as your dining room. That frees up your eat-in kitchen for a home office space.

Tip#6: A secret design trick is to use lots of mirrors to make spaces look bigger. Mirrors trick the eye by reflecting light, and adding depth to a room. When possible put mirrors across from a window and it will give the illusion that the room keeps going. Be creative with mirrors, cluster them, tie them up with pretty ribbon and an easy update to an old mirror - paint the frame or embellish it.

Tip #7: Lucite furniture is a hot trend right now - mixing the Lucite with solid pieces is a great transitional look.

Take notice of the chair at the desk!

coffee table that adds no visual weight to the room, at a quick glance you would think the books were floating.

Tip #8: Using area rugs to define your individual spaces. Smaller apartment homes require some creative floor plans and some areas need to house different functions. Say your living area in a one bedroom needs to be living room and dining room. To separate those spaces visually with out adding walls or bulk - use a small area rug, Visually you are breaking up the space and grounding each room. It is okay to layer area rugs on wall to wall carpeting. ( just be sure to have a grip pad under to stop it from bulking up) Best part about smaller area rugs is the smaller price tag! Check out your local Home Goods, Lowes and Home Depots they have good rugs for great prices. If you have a Building 19 in your area, they too have some area rugs that are not too expensive and will last you a couple years.

Tip # 9: Floating shelves is an easy way to add storage with out taking up floor space. Not having the brackets under the shelf keeps the look clean and visually doesn't distract the eye.

Tip #10: Go right into your bedroom and make your bed the focal point. Layer on layers of pillows, throws and blankets. Make your bed look like it belongs in a 5 star hotel (after all your home is 5 star)
The bed is probably your biggest piece of furniture in your bedroom, by making that the focal point they eye is drawn away from the walls again visually making the room not feel so small.

Hope these tips have helped you see that you can have a great design even in a small space! Key things to remember :     Get rid of clutter!  Keep your scale in check! and Design for your needs!

Happy Designing!