There’s a lot of reasons to love a small apartment. They often tend to feel inherently charming, and they are frequently located near urban areas where there’s a lot of activity going on at any given time. Unfortunately, people tend to have trouble when it comes to decorating their small apartment.
There’s generally the idea that it’s all about function over form and that the key priorities should be things like storage, rather than style.
Luckily, the two concepts don’t have to be mutually exclusive. With some smart decorating tips, your small space can be beautiful but also work within the confines of a floorplan that’s limited on space.
The following are some easy ways to integrate chic, timeless style into the design of your apartment, regardless of size.
1. CHOOSE FURNITURE THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE SCALE
If you adhere to one tip on this list, let it be this one. All too often people will choose furniture with a scale that’s too big for a room, and it looks overwhelmed by the pieces and feels confined.
Living Room
We like the idea of a two-seater sofa such as our Natural Linen Roll Arm Sofa or French Provincial Sofa. They offer classic, sophisticated design and make a big statement, but they’re versatile enough to work well in a small space.
You also want the furniture to feel comfortable and inviting to avoid having an apartment that seems impersonal or stark. Along with a small sofa, think about adding a buttoned armchair for example, which will feel warm and cozy.
Bedroom
As far as the bedroom goes in a small apartment, whether it’s a studio, or has designated bedrooms, it’s also important to keep the scale of the furniture smaller, but with a big impact.
With a small bedroom, choose a focal point, which is often the headboard, and then add distinctive style with bolder pillows and textiles if you want something a bit more interesting or colourful. Incorporate balance that’s visually pleasing with the addition of bedside tables or nightstands.
A lot of people feel like a small bedroom doesn’t call for bedside tables, but in reality, they’re great for making the width of the room appear more spacious, framing the focal point (the bed), and also adding additional storage. Look for beside tables like our small oak tables, which have a slim, minimal profile, gently curving fluted legs and double drawers for out-of-the-way storage.
2. USE CURVED LINES
We also love the furniture mentioned above because they adhere to the idea of adding curved lines. Often what you’ll see in apartments, regardless of size, is that they tend to be very boxy.
There’s a lot of straight lines and walls, so if you infuse curves through your furniture, it will create visual interest and break up the boxy aspects of your home.
3. LIGHT WALLS
We like the ideas of borrowing from French or Hamptons style in an apartment because the colour palettes tend to be light and bright, and that’s something that works well for keeping an apartment open and maximizing the light it receives.
For example, in Paris city residents live in apartments and you’ll often find they keep them chic with white walls and simple, neutral design concepts that feel bright and airy.
4. ADD DEPTH
As a final note, incorporate depth into an apartment to keep it from looking boring or one-dimensional. There’s only so much space you have to work with, which is why layering works well as a design concept for small spaces.
For example, add several area rugs such as a natural jute rug with a throw rug on top.
You can also bring in different textures and patterns, all of which will deliver contrast that will make even a small apartment feel more expansive and well-designed.
NB: All of the furniture and homeware above can be purchased from our site. Click on the photo to be taken to the product page.
