Furniture for Small Apartments

You’ve got a new apartment, and now you need somewhere to eat, sleep and sit. “But it’s so small!” you think. “A couch will take up all the space!” Not so. You can have a well-furnished, comfortable and roomy feeling apartment that suits your lifestyle no matter how small the room may be. Here are some tips.

Let’s start with a paradox: Using a few large pieces can actually make a room feel bigger than if you have a lot of small pieces. That’s because if you have six pieces versus three pieces, your eye sees the number and thinks big. A word of caution though, don’t buy furniture out of proportion with the room. A piece might look great in a shop or you love your friend’s new bed, but its size is relative to where it is now, meaning you are seeing it in a perhaps bigger space than when you bring it to your own home. Map out the room before going shopping and write down the height and width of the room, as well as the size of other furniture you plan to keep. Don’t discount a sectional sofa – yea, it’s big, but if you’d planned on having a sofa and love seat, a sectional will actually take up less space.

Look for pieces with open bottoms and slim legs. They give an illusion of space because your eye can see under them. Lighter furniture and a couple glass or Plexiglas tables do the same trick. Don’t push all the furniture against the wall. Many people think they are creating space in the middle of the room, but actually they are creating something that looks like a hallway. Group pieces together based on the function they are serving. If you are nervous about decorating, don’t play it safe and choose all the same furniture. It’ll only make the room look boring. Choose different but coordinating pieces in complementary colors. So you can have a nice beige sofa, livened up with some colorful throw pillows, and perhaps a chair in a different style from the sofa with a neutral geometric print. It adds interest to a room.

Always go for maximum functionality. Ottomans that act as storage and an extra seat; a futon or daybed as a couch – items like these will go a long way to making your life comfortable everyday, as well as when there’s a few extra people around. What about nesting tables as end tables or nightstands and folding tables and chairs that can be popped out of a closet and back when needed? In the kitchen, instead of a table, can you add an island with storage underneath, that also serves as a seating area and extra prep place? Get creative and ignore the stated use of a piece of furniture, instead think of its possibilities. For example, if you work from home and need a small space to leave the laptop, etc, look for a slim vanity table, versus a bigger bulkier desk or table. A dining room sideboard can be put in any room to display photos and other mementos as well as for extra storage space.

Just like you shouldn’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, don’t go looking at furniture after gorging on interior design magazines. Think how each piece will function and feel in your home for a happy and useful relationship.