My apartment is soo tiny. Help!

Question

How do I make my very small apartment not so small looking. There is me and my boyfriend and his daughter... help!

Jackie Webb · Answer

make sure you don't hang on to anything you don't need or get a storeroom . make sure there is plenty of storage space. use a bit of imagination . furniture that serves two purposes is a good idea . keep the decor plain and simple and that there is a place for everything and mirrors hung on walls that can reflect light from the windows. good luck!

Ronja Lotte · Answer

Hi stephanie, here are some of my ideas:
- paint the walls white, if the aren´t already. 
- If your furniture is wooden, paint a lot of the pieces in matching bright colors or the same wood tone. That is easier for the eye ;-)
- try to declutter your aparment as much as possible. Use every hidden storage place you have like under bed-drawers. 
- Try to keep pictures and other stuff on the walls to a minimum. Use only a few special images. 
- try to avoid big furniture 
Merry Christmas,
Ronja Lotte

YolanDew22 · Answer

Use large mirrors

Mehartgallery · Answer

When you live in a small space, 
make storage vertical (floor to ceiling) 
to keep clutter all in one place. 
You can even stack one dresser
on top of another, 
to make a 'storage tower'. 
 If you have shelves, hang a curtain in front of the shelves to give a 'rest' to the eyes, Fung Shui says if you can't see it, it isn't there.
In the kitchen, corral counter clutterinto a container of some sort.(Things all over the counter create a messy clutter, when they are all in one place, they become 'one item'.)
If you have a coffee table, get rid of it, it adds clutter and takes up space in a room.Instead, have a small table on each side of the sofa. (If you don't have side tables, a cardboard carton covered with a cloth will work, or 5 gallon buckets turned upside down and covered with a cloth.)

Rhonda · Answer

*Use mirrors to make the rooms appear larger.
*Multi-purpose furniture is always helpful. Choose accent pieces with drawers and/or shelves.
*Possibly a futon or convertible sofa or love seat.

Jennie Herrick · Answer

Make sure you use all of your space wisely. Don't forget that this also includes vertical space as well as any 'hidden' space under beds, behind couches, and on top of kitchen cabinets. The other thing that I learned living in small spaces was that everything had to always have a place and always be IN its place. When one thing is out of place your whole home looks like it's small and messy. Good luck!!

Dinah · Answer

Hi, try painting out the trim at the ceiling and floor in exactly the same colour as the walls and make most of the walls a light colour; not necessarily white. Try pale blue or green or yellow or whatever colour you really like. Just make it very pale and try to keep any contiguous walls and trim that colour. Try to put as little furniture in as you need to live comfortably and don't make the mistake of thinking everything should be small. One large piece sometimes can make the room look like you have space to spare. In the living room go for nesting tables rather than one big cocktail table. Make tables if possible have glass tops so more of the floor can be seen. Try not to cover corners. If they are visible from floor to ceiling, if possible, it makes the room look much more spacious. Try it and see. If you don't have a dining room then a nice round glass topped table in the living room can double as a dining room table with some folding chairs and any soft side chairs you may be using in the living room. Try to keep as much clutter and stuff off the tops of furniture. The tidier the tops of things the bigger the space looks. If your boyfriend's daughter is young enough to be playing with toys get a box or crate and teach her to put the toys away after each playtime and then shove it under something else or out of sight or, better yet, make it the cocktail table with a piece of cloth or something easily moveable on it. I've lived in many small spaces. This is how you will learn to decorate beautifully by the time you are in a big space. Have a great time making your small space beautiful!
Dinah

Hope Williams · Answer

Hi Stephanie.  Being in a rental, you truly need furniture and accessories that do double and triple duty.  And get rid of things prior to bringing in new.  Ex: birthday coming up, pick out some things to donate.  
Closet shelving that is temporary.  You can always take it with you!

Dayna Barnes · Answer

My main recommendation is to spend some time getting rid of stuff. Sounds simplistic, but the main problem for most people is that they just have too much crap--clothes, dishes, utensils, gadgets, and just plain crap. It makes it so much easier to organize the rest in a small space. I agree with Jennie that vertical space use is crucial in a small space, but with a little one around, make sure whatever you do is SAFE (screwed or strapped to the wall, etc). Hit Pinterest for 'vertical space' or 'vertical storage' and be sure you have some extra time...Pinterest can be a time-sucker. Good luck!

Phillip Thompson · Answer

Well, since you can't stretch the room, you need to embrace the tiny. Just look up the 'tiny house' movement. You will find lots of inspirational ideas. I agree with Dayna, I actually enjoy getting rid of stuff. Happy downsizing!

MaryJane · Answer

Many people buy furniture that's too big or bulky looking. Simplify to sleek simple lines. Like retro Mad Men style. No big pieces, sofa,chairs,tables need to have clean simple lines. Look for pieces over time from thrift shops or vintage shops even moving sales. Hairpin tables are great. Check out IKEA if you want budget minded furniture. Take and refurbish furniture. Go very light on wall paint and use bold colors just for pillows and an area rug. If you have big furniture pieces buy furniture covers in say, a soft gray.

Cynthia Parker · Answer

1) declutter
2) mirrors
3) a tall furniture piece to draw the eye up

LD · Answer

Paint your ceilings white for that will not only brighten a room, but make it seem taller. Wall color should be light warm tone and the flooring should be a darker shade to give a warm tone to the room. Your furniture pieces should be one that is for multiple uses. Go to the containerstore.com for components to increase your storage in your closets, kitchen cabinets, and the bathroom. Instead of a traditional coffee table, use a cedar chest on wheels for additional storage, create a media wall that will not only address your tv and components, but for storage and also a work station. Thoroughly go thru everything and donate or sell those items that you haven't used in a year or don't have a use for anymore. As far as for your boyfriend's daughter, go with a storage twin bed. The Container Store now has designers that can assist with helping you to maximize your storage and functionality for your space.

Jane · Answer

Mirrors will really help!  Even a mirrored panel on a closet door will help reflect light:
Visit thrift stores or Homegoods (tj maxx) for mirrors: Hang one over the sofa:
Paint the walls all one color in every room (I like Oyster white by Glidden in eggshell):
Definitely eliminate ALL clutter and use baskets to organize papers and other items:
Purge extra 'stuff': clear off the kitchen counters and all flat surfaces.
Think solids: if your sofa is dark, use light throw pillows in soft shades. If the sofa is light, use dark throw pillows: maybe one small bolder geometric to add interest. Look at Pinterest for ways to organize closets to maximize the space. Good luck!

Judy · Answer

Try to have furniture with dual purpose. An ottoman could have storage while doubling as a coffee table or a footstool. It would also offer extra seating. Don't get couch or chairs too large and don't get those large oversized arm rests on your furniture. Just looks huge. Keep style sleek, maybe side tables with drawers (storage) that have longer legs so bulk doesnt sit on floor,so they look airier. small armrests, mirrors are great illusion. Keep clutter minimum.

Jenn Kelly · Answer

use the wall space (floor to ceiling)....

C · Answer

All other comments have good advice so I will just add, wall lights are functional and save space. A mirror between the walls lights behind the sofa is always a nice effect that visually makes a room seem bigger and draws more natural light into the room from outside. A touch of greenery here and there makes a room look less sterile.
 
 Find cheap kitchen cabinets (or grab them free from someone redoing their kitchen) and line up and attach along a 12' wide x 8ft long board as a base to hold them, and secure to a wall, then stack another set on each end, leaving the top middle section open to put your TV there. That way you have much needed storage and a framed TV space and a counter to set your TV components on. The longer the cabinets the higher the base. With higher base cabinets you can also leave the bottom middle section open and create a mantel/mock fireplace with battery operated candles set on wood stumps of varying heights.

Accent rugs give a home a warm vibe too. Place all drapery rods as high above the windows as you can to draw the eye up and enlarge the space.

Allie Phelps · Answer

I agree with Jane (Plymouth, MA). Mirrors do make a big difference! You might also want to try hanging curtains from ceiling to floor instead of just above the top of the window. I've seen that trick in many design magazines. Good luck Stephanie!

Kayo Frazier · Answer

Here's my 2 cents...The fastest way to change the appearance of your apt is to paint it. I would paint the walls a very light color ~ blue, gray, green, or your favorite color. Then I would paint the ceiling, doors & trim white. This will make the apt. look bigger than it is. You can do mirrors, make sure they face the windows to bounce light around the room. 
I suggest using different sizes & decorative frames. You can spread them across a wall gallery style. If you have dark floors I would get brightly colored(not white) area rugs or runners...Hope this helps...

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

Under-the-bed storage is valuable. If you haven't purchased a bed, I'd go for the type that has drawers built in the base. There are over-the-door gadgets that serve for extra hanging room. Mirrors are great if strategically placed. One thing about colour - I recently painted a den a deep raspberry - it made the room look larger - just seemed to suck the walls back. If you have a dresser and a bureau, put something protective on the dresser and put the bureau on top of that with a long mirror on the other side. Just ensure it is stable - maybe put a few screws in the back of it to tie it to the wall behind.

Good tip about furn - nobody needs a sofa with a 16' arm rest. I also have a coffee table and the top comes up on hinges so you can eat at it - lots of storage underneath (and out of sight!)

Judyms9 · Answer

Let as much of the floor space show as possible, which means furniture with legs and sleek lines. Multi-purpose furniture is also helpful. Avoid high back sofas and chairs.

La streight · Answer

Saw some very smart kitchen chairs in a friends camper. They lift the seatbup to house a storage box area under cushion. My first to see this in dining roon, kitchen chairs. Very smart way to store clutter.

Julie D. Grant · Answer

If you haven't already, obtain small furniture size. Queen Ann, for instance, isn't bulky. There are other styles out there without thick legs. People tell me blonde furniture looks smaller. You might try that, too. If you already have furniture, allow only the bare minimum in each room. One plant only (to purify the air), and get rid of the clutter, any knick-knacks, use small paintings with thin frames (dark wood in this instance is all right). Downsize everything, in other words.

Candye · Answer

Use lots of mirrors..

My apartment is soo tiny. Help!

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