No matter how popular small living may be, even those of us who aren’t claustrophobic can feel what it’s like living in a studio apartment. Luckily, you don’t have to move to a bigger home to be able to get more space; all it takes is being more prudent with how you use the space you have, making the right decisions furniture-wise, and resorting to a few tricks.
Vertical is the Way
Have you considered how much you’d be able to expand the living area if you add a shelf unit? It’s a practical solution that doubles as aesthetic, and since there’s a wide range of options in terms of design, materials, colours and sizes, chances are you can find the unit you love, made to your taste.
Some can pull it off with the stylish white Halifax units and the rattan storage boxes, bookcases that go all the way up to the ceiling, whereas others with ladders or even more compact solutions, cage shelving. Choose what speaks your personality most, and don’t forget to count the number of items you have to store away too.
The reason a shelf unit makes a great addition is how much space it frees up by allowing you to store and decorate vertically.
Play with the Visual
If you don’t have money for a grand makeover in the likes of tearing down walls to make open space living, or changing the windows with large ones, you can turn to furniture and accessories for help.
As I mentioned with the example of high bookcases, furniture that goes from top to bottom has a visual effect, making the room seem bigger, the ceiling higher. You can accomplish the same relying on sheer curtains, top to bottom, and get a bonus because they’re breezy, sophisticated and would immediately make your interior décor pop.
Furthermore, mirrors are your pals when it comes to visual effects. Positioning them to reflect more of the natural light of the windows would make your studio apartment brighter, and as a result the rooms would appear wider too. Don’t just stop at fancy-framed mirrors!
When it comes to tricking the eye, timeless wallpaper can be the ace up your sleeve when making a small room look bigger but it’s important not to choose a pattern that’s dark or too busy to avoid visual clutter. Keep it simple!
Ever thought how much space remains underused when furniture isn’t placed against the wall? Try rearranging your furniture pieces, placing what you can against the wall and see how that turns out for the better.
