Use light colors
Your small apartment will seem bigger if you use light colors, since that is the optical effect of such colors. This doesn't mean that you need to paint everything white - yellow, green and other natural colors are excellent choices as well.
Be bold!
If you dislike simple and light shades of colors, or want to indulge in more bold ones, you don't need to move to a bigger apartment immediately. The solution is a monochrome interior color. You can choose a bold blue color, but, in this case, it is important that all elements and aspects of your apartment reflect this choice of color.
Colorful ceiling
A great mixture of the first two tips is if you paint your walls in a bolder color, but for the ceiling, you use a lighter shade or wallpaper, which will make the room seem larger.
Maximize the available space
Although you might have only a small place at your disposal, it is not as small as you'd think. There are places we usually forget about, like:
- the wall - it can be a great storage place for your bicycle, but, with a couple of nails, you can hang your hat or your jewelry there as well
- shelves - you are still using the walls here, a couple of shelves can open up a huge place. Instead of kitchen furniture, you can store the plates, glasses and other utensils making your kitchen look larger
- loft - smaller apartments sometimes have large headrooms which are ideal for creating a loft. It could serve as a bedroom, so there will be plenty of room below it
The solution here is maximizing the place you have - think vertically!
Hidden containers
Hidden containers are one of the best methods to use against lack of space. Here are some ideas.
- small ottomans - some of these have detachable tops with storage place inside of them. You can buy them in almost all furniture stores.
- bathroom cabinet with mirrors - a mirror is necessary in all bathrooms, but they usually take up much space. If you buy one that is attached to a cabinet, you can save a lot of space here, too.
- built-in shelves - shelves do not only go on walls; they are also useful if you include them in a separating wall or the backrest of the bed.
- cabinet doors - the insides of these doors are usually great hidden containers. The kitchen cabinet can hold several kitchen utensils, while the wardrobe doors can be used to store bags, shoes and other accessories.
Two great friends - door and mirror
If you have a small apartment, you need to employ mirrors as design elements to make the space look larger. You can make it look even larger if you put a mirror on each of the opposing walls.
The other element that can be put into use is the door. If you put glass in your door, it also lets more light into the apartment. Leave the windows in the clear where you can, but, if you decide to cover it, use light drapes.
Focus on the lights
The need for the appropriate amount of light in a small place includes other than natural lights. It is a good idea to get quality lamps and chandeliers and put them where they can spread as much light as possible.
Multifunctional furniture
Multifunctional furniture can also be a useful tool in your fight against small space. What better way to make room than using one furniture instead of two or three. For example:
- a couch that can be turned into a bed
- ironing board with mirror
- table with hidden pool table inside
- chair that can be turned into a ladder
The smaller is better
In the case of a small apartment, the furniture inside of it can only be so large. There are, of course, things that we cannot save space on - or not even worth it - but we have to make do with smaller items. A typical example is the dining table: in a small apartment, there will usually be no more than two people, so you don't need a larger dining table taking up the space.
Sort your things
When you buy something, get rid of two other things. It might be a little over the top on the first reading, but it is basically true. In a small apartment, you are better off selling or giving away things than amassing them in such a small space - the new decade brought minimalism as the choice of design anyways.