For many people with bigger design aspirations, a small apartment that feels a bit too little can seem like a major problem. That doesn’t mean you’re doomed to live in a place you don’t love though.
The fact is that you can make your small apartment seem bigger even if you can’t actually increase the square footage. Use this guide from Heers Management to learn how you can make a small apartment look and feel bigger than it really is.
Get That Off the Wall!
One of the easiest mistakes to make in a small apartment is pushing every large piece of furniture you have up against a wall. If you’ve got a big sectional sofa in your living room, chances are the back is resting on the wall right now. Most people do this to maximize the amount of floor space they have in a small room.
The problem when you push everything up against the wall is that you completely remove the illusion of visual depth. That’s actually going to make a small space look even smaller, and make your big furniture appear way too big for your room.
Pull furniture off the wall about six-inches to start. If that makes your room feel just a little bit bigger, you’ve taken an excellent first step toward a more spacious apartment.
Consider Current Patterns
Patterns play a huge role in how your space looks, but not every pattern is ideal for smaller areas. Think about how clothing works. Do you wear horizontal stripes when you’re trying to look your slimmest? Apply the same logic to room décor.
In a small room, items with patterns can make all the difference. That horizontal rug can make a small square space feel wider. Vertical stripes can make a skinny room where you can almost touch the walls on both sides feel longer.
You can even apply these patterns to furniture if rugs don’t work for you. Throw pillows, blankets and duvet covers are easy, cost-effective solutions. Just make sure the colors you pick match what you’ve already got going on style-wise.
Use Light Colors
This tip might seem obvious, but filling a small room with dark colors is going to suck out all of the visual space you otherwise could have had. To combat this, try to work light colors into your room – even if you prefer mixing in some dark as well.
For example, a sofa that’s white or tan is going to do a lot more for a small room than one that’s dark brown or black. If you’ve already got big dark pieces in your room, alter them with lighter-colored throw pillows and bright accessories.
De-Clutter Everything
A room that’s full of stuff, whether that’s useful stuff like clothing, or a bunch of accessories you don’t really need, is going to feel cramped. When you’re already working with a small space, you need to minimize non-essential items.
Take the time to thoroughly de-clutter any room that’s feeling a bit too small to you. If you simply love your accessories, focus on reducing the amount of them. For the best results in a small room, stick with accessories that take up more space.
Accessories that are too small feel more like clutter and useless knick-knacks than bigger ones with more visual appeal and interest.
Heers Management
Contact Heers Management to learn more about how you can make a small space feel considerably bigger than it is without spending a fortune. Heers Management can also help you find that perfect, larger space when it’s time for you to move.