What to do what a small apartment??

[Jacklynn]

First I have to say I am sooo excited about this new area!

Second, I'm posting because we have a very small apartment, we will only be here until May, so we can't/don't want to do anything major to the place, but we need to figure out how to maximize our space while making it look nice. We have been here since May and yet its not very "home-y"

Has anyone had to deal with a short term small apartment? Any ideas on how to make it seem bigger and yet still cute/"Home-y"

[KMS]

No ideas, but I am going to keep an eye on this thread. We'll be moving into a wee little apartment in a couple of months and I'd love some ideas, myself!

[SerendipityCrafts]

LOL well it's not short term .... we have been here for 3 years now but we are paying off bills and saving so we make do with the little space we have.

We have far too much stuff in our apartment but we have donated, discarded and tossed anything that we could. We have a storage closet which is jammed packed and a guest room that is full of plates/platters, boxes, packing material, supplies etc. We bought some Ikea plane jane wood utility shelves, stained them and then put them up in the guest room. The floor area in there has to be cleared out in there before anyone can actually sleep in the room - that is where the stackable storage containers come in handy.

For us, it's all about storage solutions that you can bring with you when you move - Rubbermaid containers that stack and some that fit under the bed. Look at your closet space as if it was a giant puzzle - pack it your boxes in there accordingly. Go through your clothes and donate anything you haven't worn in a year. Put up shelves, in the living area and hide papers in pretty baskets. We also bought a pretty file cabinet so that it matches the furniture.

[ChibiAiChan]

Exactly what SerendipityCrafts said... PLUS you can use the big rubbermaid containers as living room tables.. yeah ours are piled and we pretend they are not there... works for us. Seriously, it's ridiculous I need to take pictures...

[70707Bride]

Mirrors make a room look bigger. Use over the door hangers, stackable totes/storage boxes.

I found this on www.bhg.com (http://www.bhg.com)

To make a small bath look larger:


Take a Neutral Stance


Because pale and cool colors reflect light, soft whites, pastels, and neutrals can make a bath feel bigger. Woodwork, trim, and doors will "disappear" if they are painted the same hue as the walls. The effect is enhanced if cabinets and counters are the same color as the walls. For variety, use a light color of paint for the walls and a lighter tint for the ceiling. This combination will make surfaces recede from view and make the room seem larger. To keep a neutral scheme from appearing bland, introduce bolder colors through accessories, linens, and artwork.

[70707Bride]

http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2006/11/p_100077030.jpg

Narrow Shelves
Shallow wall shelves not only serve as a photo gallery, they're also spots to drop keys and sunglasses inside the door. Plus, they visually extend the walls.

http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2006/11/p_100077031.jpg

Curtained Bookcases
One thing apartments often have going for them is open wall space. Here, Brown reworked a pair of the owner's existing bookshelves into an attractive storage wall, covering them with the same curtains as on the windows, and layering on wire sunbursts as art. "We then placed a floor-length mirror between the shelves to give the illusion that the room expands past these covered shelves," he says. By hanging window curtains and bookcase curtains on the ceiling, the room looks taller.

[70707Bride]

http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2006/11/p_100077029.jpg

Eating Space
The living room's orange and blue accent colors carry into the kitchen as a way to link the two rooms. In the small dinette, armless bamboo chairs are less bulky. These were bought unfinished online and painted brilliant blue.
Play a trick on your eyes. Stare at the painting in the dinette. Feel like you're flying? That's because the painting has a definite horizon line. "By hanging a piece like this on a blank wall you give the illusion of depth to a room," Brown explains. "This visual trick leads the eye beyond the wall. A beautiful landscape accomplishes this best."

[SouthernQueenBride]

Great thread!!! since you are not going to be there for a while ... this might not apply. But the first thing I am doing (we just moved into an apartment together) is PAINTING! The main wall where our couch is sitting will be painted a dark tan color. The kitchen is going to be a muted yellow and the dining room area is a very muted green (sage color) This def. gives it a homey feel.

Also, for small spaces, don't use overhead lights. Use a lot of lamps. This will create depth.

[EarlyBird]

I love the wall mirrors. If you have a long wall the walls LENGTH wise not tall work so nice.
Also, anything glass (glass tables, end tables etc) dont cut off the room.
Also, i would make sure you keep ANY and ALL clutter in an area that is cute and useful (i personally like a little basket next to the door for shoes if this is where you take your shoes off, wall hanger for your keys so they are not on the table. Use the top of the fridge to put anything that might not fit in cabinets like sugar jars, spice racks, bread boxes- This makes it so its not on the counter but easily accesible.

[shawnsgirl]

I would have to agree with the whole storage..I used closet organizers and stored as much as I could in closets, attics, or storage units. The less out in the open the less space that is taken up. Even clothes...I bought flat rubbermaid containers that would fit undermy bed to store sweaters and jeans which also save drawer and closet space. To make things more cosey I would make my own draperiers. Instead of a traditional curtain I would take sheer material and make a sheek window treatment. Ummmm what else..I was always very careful in the way I re arraned my furniture..I used to make sure when worry about space..I would use what would save the most space...

To make things a little more homey..Try getting some candles, mirrors, or inexpensive art work to hang on your walls..


One thing I did when having a small apartment or knowing was not staying long were to get slip covers for furniture. Not only does it save your furniture but you can get multiple shades to change up the color a bit!