By: Amy Corman
Lets face it, for your first few apartments in the city, they probably are not going to be the pent house in the nicest building in Boston. Even though the places you start out living might not be the biggest or nicest around, there are a few easy tips on how to make a small room appear bigger and brighter.
Big furniture: It may seem like this would have the opposite “cluttering” effect, but a select few big staple furniture pieces in a living room actually reduces the visual clutter of a lot of small pieces and decorations. It is best to swap a love seat and three chairs with a sectional.
Neutral colors: While bright colors can be creative and fun, they really only work in large spaces. Bold colors can leave the space feeling more enclosed and dark than it really is. If you still want a lot of color in a room, try to opt for neutral walls and use bright decorative accents to make the space fun and colorful.
Pull furniture away from the wall: Instead of pushing all the furniture up against the wall in the hopes of creating a big middle space, it actually makes the room looked more cramped. Pulling the couch and table a few inches from the wall actually opens up the room a little bit.
Multi-purpose items for storage: Get an ottoman that can hold blankets, or a coffee table with lots of storage underneath. This will rid the room of all those clutter items and clean up the look of it in general.
Shelving: Shelving not only is another outlet for storage and decorations, but if you place shelves near the ceiling, it draws the eye upward and adds a more vertical dynamic look to the room which in makes it look bigger.
Leave windows uncovered: While drapes and curtains can be beautiful and elegant, they tend to cramp up a small room and make it seem heavy and dark. It is best to leave the windows with no covering, or if you really feel the need to put something on them, make them light and opaque so light can shine through.
Strategically placed mirrors: Placing big mirrors in the right spots of a room will add an open aura to the room. Mirrors reflect any light that is already coming in, so the lighting is essentially amplified with a mirror. It is also a fun and creative decorative choice without cluttering the room up.
Striped floor/rug: A striped rug does not have to be as ugly as you’re thinking. Even if the stripes are subtle, it makes the floor to appear like it goes on forever. It can also add a fun pop of color to a room without overpowering it.
Hopefully these few tips provide a starting point in order to make your new apartment pop. It is essential not just in a first apartment, but in all apartments and small rooms that the interior design suits that space to the best of its abilities. Who says a small space has to be ugly?