16 Ways To Style A Small Apartment Living Room
February 16, 2021 5:17 pm Leave your thoughtsLearning how to style a small apartment is no easy task and can often require a lot of creativity. Not to mention, most apartment spaces have limitations on what can and cannot be done in terms of decorating the walls.
If you’re looking for your apartment to feel more like home, there are simple things that you can do to make your space appear different. Most living room hacks are inexpensive and only take a few selective purchases.
In this journey, we will be uncovering the secrets of how to style an apartment living room, transforming challenges into opportunities for creativity and comfort.
The psychological impact of living in a small space is profound. Studies have shown that the way we perceive our living environment can significantly affect our mental health and well-being. Join me as we explore
small apartment living room ideas. Drawing from my experience, I’ll highlight innovative approaches and simple changes that can make a significant impact. Whether you’re dealing with tight corners or awkward layouts, you’ll find inspiration and practical tips here.
1 – Work With Textiles
A secret to making a small space appear bigger is working with a variety of textiles. Textiles are nearly anything that is made of natural or synthetic fibers. Using a variety of materials will eliminate everything looking the same. Everything from rugs to bedding and pillows, to even tablecloths, can change the entire look and feel of your apartment.
To truly transform a small apartment, embracing a diverse range of textiles can introduce an element of depth and warmth. Experiment with combining different fabrics such as silk curtains, wool throws, and cotton rugs. For a cohesive look, select textiles that share a common hue or pattern theme. This thoughtful selection can make the area feel larger by visually tying together various elements of the room, creating a unified and expansive appearance.
2 – Add Pops of Color
Our brains are powerful, and they can connect different colors to different moods. Living room design for small spaces often involves using light colors and reflective surfaces to make the area feel open and airy. One helpful hint for decorating your living room is to add pops of color. Your color choices may range from very bright tones to simple shades. However, adding a variety of colors can help your space feel more like your own. Switching up the colors in your place can give it a unique flair that only you can bring.
Choosing a color scheme that reflects your personality can transform the apartment into a more engaging and personalized space. For a sophisticated blend, use a neutral base for walls and large furniture, allowing your colorful accents to stand out and bring dynamic contrasts to the room.
3 – Create Dimension In Your Space
Strive to use a variety of shapes and sizes when it comes to decorating your apartment. If everything has the same look, it will make your space seem smaller and different dimensions will create unique sizes. You can generate size in your apartment by utilizing a variety of furniture pieces. Mixing and matching will allow for more visuals, which will make your space appear bigger!
Consider a tall, slender bookshelf paired with a low, sprawling sofa to introduce vertical and horizontal lines that draw the eye and create a sense of movement. This strategic placement of furniture encourages the viewer to take in the entire room, making the space feel larger and more dynamic.
Choosing apartment living room decor that doubles as storage, like ottomans with hidden compartments, can keep your space tidy and stylish. Exploring small living room ideas can lead to discovering how multifunctional pieces and clever layouts create a spacious feel in compact areas.
4 – Aim To Be Cozy
Everyone’s definition of what is “cozy” is different and unique to their situation. Some people might like dim lighting, while others crave a wide-open space. Placing your personal touches on your apartment to make you feel good will help you always look forward to coming home. Start to style your small apartment with the mood you want to obtain in mind and take an inventory of what makes you feel good.
A warm atmosphere requires more than soft lighting and comfortable furniture—it must represent your style and comfort. Add comforting things like crocheted blankets or landscape paintings. These personal touches make the area attractive and let it reflect your personality, making it a location you’re always delighted to return to.
Incorporating multifunctional furniture and wall-mounted lighting can also play a crucial role in decorating a small living room, making it feel cozy and spacious. Small space living hacks, like choosing furniture that can be folded or tucked away, can transform a cramped area into a versatile living environment.
5 – Think Vertical
Most apartments have short ceilings and don’t allow for a lot of height. A mindset shift that can help create more visual space is to think vertical with your decorations. When thinking vertical, you will want to implement things like mirrors and shelves. Thinking vertical with your decorations could also mean skipping out on any piece of furniture that is super wide and going for one that is taller instead.
Install tall shelving units or hang shelves near the ceiling to draw the eye upward, making the ceilings appear higher. Use vertical lines in wallpaper or decor to enhance this effect further. This approach saves valuable floor space and also adds an architectural element to your decorating scheme, making the space feel grander.
6 – Don’t Be Afraid To Keep Adding
More stuff doesn’t always mean clutter. Sometimes, to avoid a mess, many people will choose to go the minimalistic route. While having less may make you feel less cluttered, it can also make your space seem less personalized. Don’t be afraid to style a small apartment by adding various pieces that will turn your area into something entirely your own. Regularly refresh your living space by rearranging your furniture and decorations, breathing new life into your apartment without spending a dime.
Curating a collection of items that reflect your interests and personality can make your apartment feel uniquely yours. Instead of shying away from adding more pieces, focus on how each item can serve a purpose or tell a story. Regularly reevaluating your space and rearranging or swapping out items can keep the decor fresh and reflective of your evolving tastes without leading to clutter.
7 – Combine Different Textures
Stop using the same type of decoration over and over! Get adventurous by combining different textures. A lot of the fun of decorating is putting together things that wouldn’t usually go together. Don’t be afraid to start pairing various textures together when considering how to decorate your apartment.
Pair smooth, glossy finishes with rough, natural elements like wood or stone for a dynamic interplay of surfaces. This contrast enhances the sensory experience of the space and also segments the room into distinct areas with their own character and ambiance.
8 – Keep Things In Line
Linearly designing your apartment is the perfect strategy to expand your space! Keeping lines in mind means that you will strive to organize your furniture both horizontally and vertically. Placing your furniture and decorations in this way can also make more space since everything is better organized.
Organizing your space with a focus on clean lines and symmetry can also create a sense of order and spaciousness. Align furniture along a central axis or arrange decor items in geometric patterns to achieve a balanced look. This methodical approach can simplify the space, making it appear larger and more organized.
9 – Invest In Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are a fantastic addition to any apartment! They can elevate a space and make it seem much larger and more encompassing. Floating shelves are modern, and they add a unique flair to a small area. Not to mention, they’re perfect for storing things, which will also help to free up more room in your apartment.
By freeing up floor space, they make the room feel more open and airy. Use these shelves to display a mix of functional and decorative items, creating a balance between utility and style. This can add personality to your walls without sacrificing valuable living space.
10 – Use Glass Decorations
Glass decorations are going to expand your space and add depth. Due to glass’s reflective nature, they’re the perfect addition when you want to grow a minimal space. A glass coffee table may be one of the ideal ways to make your area seem less cluttered. Consider the different ways that you can add glass through decorations and furniture!
Choose a sleek glass side table or translucent glass art to bend light in your living room. These components provide elegance without bulk and brighten your area. To further improve their effect, place glass items like lamps near natural light sources to increase light diffusion and airiness in your residence. This method uses glass’s unique qualities to create an open, elegant environment.
11 – Design A Gallery Wall
Turn your apartment into your very own personal museum! Making one of your walls a gallery wall can elevate the whole look and feel. Not to mention, when you have your photos on the wall, you will feel perfectly at home. Gallery walls can make space appear a lot bigger than it is, and maybe exactly what your apartment needs. A personalized wall can be the perfect way to style a small apartment.
Arrange a mix of photographs, art prints, and other mementos in a cohesive layout that adds character and depth to your space. This personalized touch can make your apartment feel more connected to your life and experiences.
12 – Add Plants To Your Home
Plants make any space feel more alive! With more greenery, your rooms can seem to be more spacious. Plants have the magical ability to create space that feels more alive and comforting. Not to mention, taking care of plants as a hobby can be incredibly soothing and fun. Sometimes it is a matter of adding things that will help elevate your mood! If you want to take it a step further, you can even start a compost in your apartment.
Select a variety of sizes and species to create visual interest and texture. For those with limited space, hanging planters or vertical gardens can be a creative way to integrate greenery without sacrificing floor space.
13 – Opt For Rugs
Rugs have the power to make any room super cozy. They can take an effortless area and turn it into one that is now full of warmth. Rugs also divide up the floor, making your space seem more significant than it is. Rugs can be expensive, so you may want to look at thrifting one or getting one off of Facebook Marketplace.
Experiment with patterns and textures to add visual interest or use a large, neutral rug to unify the space. Rugs also offer a practical benefit by providing softness and warmth underfoot, enhancing the overall comfort of your home.
14 – Use Mirrors To Fake Distance
Mirrors can add an incredible amount of length! It’s beneficial to use them to decorate a variety of places in your apartment. Not to mention, mirrors come in various shapes and sizes and add a unique and personal flair. It’s often the perfect addition to any area!
Placing mirrors strategically can reflect light and views, doubling the visual space. Consider positioning a large mirror opposite a window to maximize natural light and outdoor views, creating an illusion of depth and openness.
15 -Rethink Your Coffee Table
Coffee tables are often the thing that takes up the most amount of space in an apartment living room. If you’re able to, opt for a smaller coffee table and a better fit for an apartment. The style of your coffee table can also play into how big it looks.
Consider looking for a glass coffee table or one that is more simple. Rethinking your coffee table will help you create a more open concept living area. The most important step to style a small apartment is to get creative.
16 – Create a Focal Point
The goal of creating a focal point in your small apartment’s living room is to create a welcoming, structured area where every glance tells a narrative. Consider it your room’s heart, where everything flows from and returns. This might be a vivid piece of art that reflects your individuality or an attractive fireplace if you have one. Choose something you like and build around it.
Consider the layout and how each item of furniture or decor may improve this main point to make it stand out. To highlight a beautiful piece of art, sit people facing it so it commands the space. Lighting can make your main point stand out and make the space feel bigger and more integrated. It’s important to create a room that feels distinctively yours, where the focal point is a conversation starter that draws guests in and encourages them to explore your home’s décor.
Final Thoughts
These unique small apartment decor ideas can help you turn your small living rooms into elegant, usable, and healthy settings. The psychology of space, multifunctional furniture, mirror strategy, vertical gardening, and concealed storage are only the beginning. These methods inspire us to use design and innovation to maximize our living spaces. Creating a living room that expresses personal flair, meets functional demands, and improves life quality proves that even modest spaces may have tremendous potential.
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Categorised in: Apartment Living
This post was written by Isabella Housel
Isabella Housel is a passionate and versatile professional writer with a deep love for words and a commitment to crafting compelling content that engages, informs, and inspires. With many years of experience in the industry, she has honed her skills across various genres, from creative storytelling to informative articles and technical documentation.