8 Design Mistakes Owners of Small Apartments Often Make

The smaller an apartment is, the harder it is to decorate. Any seemingly harmless decision (like putting a coffee table in front of the couch) can either make the apartment visually big or make it seem even smaller.

We at Bright Side have read designers’ recommendations on decorating small apartments and now we know what mistakes are often made by those who live in these tiny places.

1. Small carpets

Small carpets make the place look smaller, and big ones — vice versa. For example, if only a coffee table can fit on the carpet, it’s too small. And if you can put a table, a side of the couch, and the front legs of an armchair on it, it’s big enough.

Aside from making the place appear bigger, carpets can divide the place into areas. For example, if you don’t want to put screens or tall wardrobes in the middle of the room to separate the sleeping area from where you work, you can use a carpet to do it.

2. Not enough light

One, or even 2, light sources are not enough for a small apartment. To make the place seem bigger, you need to light every dark corner.

Something else to remember is that the light should be placed with the consideration of your needs. If you are going to sew in the right corner, paint in the left one, and read in the middle, you need at least 3 light sources. It’s better to plan these things when you are doing the renovation because it’s not a good idea to place floor lamps in small apartments: they take up too much valuable space.

3. Horizontal lines

The smaller the place, the more vertical lines there should be. There can be a few clunky horizontal pieces of furniture (like a couch or a bed), but no more. But the rest should be vertical.

So, instead of short curtains, it’s better to use long ones that reach the floor. The color also matters: designers advise using colors that match the walls. The point is to make the curtains and the walls look like the same thing.

The same goes for plants: buy taller and longer pots.

4. Furniture made of “heavy” materials

Furniture made of glass and other transparent materials will make your space look bigger. You can also choose reflective surfaces that will make it seem like there are a lot of mirrors.

The same is true for open shelves, but only if there is space between the things on the shelf. Otherwise, the airiness will disappear.

Also, buy things made in lighter colors, rather than dark ones.

5. Walls and ceiling in the same color

Experiment with colors and patterns. A great solution for a smaller apartment is vertical lines that make the walls look higher. By the way, you can achieve the same effect if you paint the ceiling a color that is just a bit lighter than the wall.

Also, if you want to use something dark, it should be closer to the floor.

6. Furniture without legs

Furniture on taller legs looks as if it’s floating because you can clearly see the floor underneath it. It gives the impression that the room is bigger than it actually is.

7. Small mirrors

If your hall is narrow, you can hang a mirror on one of the walls which will make the room look much bigger.

When choosing a mirror for the living room, remember a simple rule: hang the mirror in front of the window. It will reflect more light.

Don’t be afraid of big mirrors. They will make it look as if there’s another room behind them.

8. The TV is at eye level or lower

When talking about small apartments, it’s better to place TVs above eye level. Ideally, you should hang it on the wall. To watch something, you will need to lift your head, so the walls will seem higher than they really are. Besides, by doing this you will create space under the TV to put something else there.

Do you live in a big or small apartment? Do you use any tricks to make it appear bigger?