9 Decorating Tips for Small Spaces
In a booming economy, people can afford to live large. From the American automobile to flatscreen televisions, bigger is better. Even homes and furnishings have grown in size. However, a larger scale does not work for everyone, especially those living in a smaller space. The best way to furnish a smaller space is to play to the strengths of your apartment and its size. Consider the following tips when decorating your apartment, room or small space:
- Choose a decorating scheme that not only complements your home, but is affordable. This will allow you to develop your style as you go along.
- Go old school with your style. New ideas in decor seem to be nostalgic in nature, heralding back to other eras, from the Victorian period to the Roaring Twenties. Furniture from these periods is typically smaller in scale and often available at good prices from flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales.
- Eliminate furniture except for the essentials – you need a place to sit, to eat and to sleep.
In a small apartment, anything else will be gravy, especially fitting room to entertain friends or to accommodate a roommate. Take care of the basics first. - Draw your home to scale, denoting the locations of power outlets, phone lines, windows, doors, fireplaces, and bar areas. Before making a major purchase such as a bed or a sofa, ask to measure the piece and cut out a little paper duplicate to place in your drawing.
- Buy furniture that is multifunctional. There are companies that specialize in furniture for small spaces. Consider buying a Murphy bed or a couch that can fold into a table.
- Refurbish your furniture that fits. A small antique table with an interesting shape and polished patina can take on new importance. A color backdrop on a wall or a piece of fabric used as a throw can draw the eye where you want it to go. If in doubt, throw it out. From a minimalist background, the wrong choice will blare at you like a fog horn.
- Look at spaces in a new light. Is there room for a desk under that dormer window or in that corner by the stairs? Can that sloping ceiling accommodate at bookcase underneath? Go for untraditional arrangements if they will work better in your space.
- Less is more. You can add drama to a room by having large-scale furniture, but fewer pieces.
- Reduce clutter. The more room you have to move around the more spacious your apartment will feel. Decorative hooks are an apartment dweller’s best friend and can be used to hang pots and pans. Shelves can really maximize space and add to the ambiance of your apartment.