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Big Design Ideas for Small Spaces

Apartment Decorating 101

When it comes to apartments, or any small space, you need to make every inch
of it work for you.
You need some great interior design ideas that work for small spaces.
There are some simple, inexpensive things you can do to make your small
space more comfortable and functional.
Here are some BIG design ideas for your small space.

Leave no space unused.
If you have an empty corner, make it a reading nook by adding a small chair,
side table, and lamp. That empty corner becomes a great place to curl up with a
good book or enjoy your morning coffee.

If you have an entry area, add a small desk and it can double as an office. Or a
corner of your bedroom could work too.

Light in a small space is crucial. Keeping the space light and bright helps it feel larger.
Be sure to keep your window treatments high and wide.
Don’t let them cover any part of the window when they’re open. Hanging them
high and wide also makes the window (and the room) feel larger and taller.

Make sure you layer your lighting.
You’ll need general lighting, which can come from ceiling fixtures. You know
those silly, round lights that apartments have in the middle of the ceiling? We
designers like to call them boob lights. Why? Look up at one. You’ll see.
They do provide some general lighting.

You’ll also need some task lighting. You can add lamps, like a reading lamp,
wherever you’re going to need to see what you’re doing really well, such as your
reading nook or on your desk.
If you don’t have enough space for a table or floor lamp, hanging lamps are an
option. You can hang one over your nightstand or over the end of your sofa.
Hanging lamps leave space on your end table or nightstand for other essentials.
Pier 1 has some beautiful hanging lamps.

Lastly, add some ambient lighting. Add some lamps to side tables so that you
can have them on when you want to set a mood and don’t want the overhead
light on. Nobody looks good under just overhead lighting. Candles are great for
mood lighting as well.

You also need your furniture and accessories to do double duty.
You may not have a guest room.
Make your living room a guest room by using a day bed instead of a sofa.
Daybeds are much more comfortable than a pull out sofa
When it’s acting as your sofa make it cozy with lots of throw pillows and a nice,
soft throw.
You can store the bedding right under it for easy access.

Another double duty item for a small space could be your coffee table. Why not
use an ottoman for just that, an ottoman, but also use it for a coffee table.
Simply add a nice large tray. Add some flowers or a plant to the tray for some
fun, but leave some of the tray open so that you and your guests have a place
to put your drink.

Your dining table can also do double duty. If you push a rectangular table up
against the wall and add a lamp you can use it as a desk. Simply pull it out when
you need more seating at the table.

Your end table could be a cute cabinet that’s also a little bar. Any end table that
has some storage in it, and is taller, can be a bar. You can even add some
shelves to the wall above it for glass storage.

Also when it comes to double duty, your accessories can do double duty too.
A pitcher can be a vase for flowers. When you need the pitcher, wash it out and
you’re good to go.
Large, colorful bowls are great accessories for your coffee table or kitchen table.
Again, when you need them to serve food simply wash it out and you’re ready
to fill it with salad.

Your area rug kind of does double duty as well. Area rugs add warmth to a
room, but they also pull seating areas together by defining the space. And,
adding an area rug to a small space can open up the space and make it feel
larger. Just make sure the rug is almost room size. Leave about 18” around the
edge, depending on the size of the room. You can find inexpensive area rugs at
IKEA, HomeGoods, or even Walmart. You can also go to any carpet store and
ask to buy a remnant and have it bound. Most carpet dealers will bind it for you
for not much money. That way, you can even specify the size. If you can’t afford
room size, make sure the rug is at least under the front legs of your furniture.
https://www.detailsfullserviceinteriors.com/guide-choosing-right-area-rug

Storage is key to living in a small space.
A cluttered space feels smaller and tighter.
Find creative ways to store your stuff.
– Add pretty boxes and baskets to shelves or under tables to hide your essentials.
– Make sure your end tables and coffee table have storage space in them.
– Use colorful tins on your kitchen counters to hide kitchen must haves.
– Add rolling bins under your bed for storage. You can use bed risers to lift your
bed for more underneath storage.
– Hang some baskets from a rod above your toilet to hide away toiletries.
– Hang pantry organizers or shoe organizers on the inside of every closet door
to store your small items.
– If your landlord will allow it add some shelves to your walls.
Add pretty boxes to the shelves. Store all your charger cords. Store your office
supplies. Store your socks. Whatever! Nobody knows what’s in the boxes.
– Double the hanging space in your closet by hanging a second rod. They even
have rods that simply hang from the top rod. Not everything you wear is long. If
you hang the rod from the top rod just push it over to the side and you’ll have
that long hanging space on the end. Voila! You have 2 rods to hang things on
instead of one.
– Hooks are the perfect way to get vertical storage without taking up much space.
Hang a row of hooks behind your bedroom door for your robe or your wet
towel.
Hang hooks next to your entry door for your keys or dog leash. Hang hooks in
your kitchen for your dishtowel or potholders. Hooks are a fraction of the depth
of a shelf.

If you can’t put holes in the walls, Command makes great hooks that are
removable. Just be sure to check the package to see the weight that that hook
can hold. You can even use Command hooks to hang light draperies!

Hide it away and keep it clean.
So to sum it up, to make the most of your small space there are 3 things you
must do.

1. Use every inch.

2. Choose furniture and accessories that can do double duty.

3. Keep it well lit, clean and organized.

If you need help with your small space, give me a call or shoot me an email or
Facebook message.
To read more tips about working with a small space read
https://www.detailsfullserviceinteriors.com/awesome-ideas-making-small-space-work

If you have any questions please feel free to post them in the comments below
or visit the Details Facebook page www.facebook.com/detailsfullserviceinteriors