How to Create the Illusion of Space in a Small Apartment

Shannon Quinn - January 20, 2021
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How to Create the Illusion of Space in a Small Apartment
Photo: Credit: Shutterstock
The only thing separating the bedroom and living room of this apartment is the rug. Credit: Shutterstock

5. Use Larger Rugs

When you’re trying to make an apartment appear larger, always go with the biggest rug possible. Measure the room so that you have only a few inches left on each side. Or, use that rug to frame out a certain area of the room into a “zone”. For example, in my bedroom, I use a large rug to separate the “bedroom” area from the “office” area, since I have my desk set up to work from home. Even though it’s subtle, it feels like you’re moving into a different area once you cross the line made by the rug.

This studio has a large rug to designate the living room area. Credit: Shutterstock

Some of you out there may already have already made the mistake of buying a small rug, and it’s too late to return it. That’s okay! Don’t automatically assume you need to donate or throw it out. First, try to see if you can move the smaller rug to a different area of the house that needs floor covering, like your front hallway or kitchen. Next, consider layering rugs. A popular option is to place jute rugs underneath the patterned rug. This is very popular right now. However, make sure you don’t trip over your double rugs.

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This clean apartment helps make the small apartment look better. Credit: Shutterstock

4. Keep Your Apartment Clean 

This might sound simple or obvious to most of you, but the easiest way to make life in a small apartment better is to keep it clean, and don’t allow clutter to pile up. Never allow clothes or Amazon boxes pile up on the floor. Do your laundry and dishes, plus put things away quickly. Once your apartment is clean, it can feel cozy, instead of cramped.Cleaning on a daily basis is really the key to keeping an apartment clutter-free. Just tidy up for a few minutes a day, instead of waiting until the weekend to do a bigger clean. 

When you have a tiny apartment, there is no room for mess. Credit: Shutterstock

Some of you out there might dread the idea of cleaning your apartment every single day, but it’s just a matter of changing your habits. Personally, I work from home as a writer, which requires me to stare at a screen, read, write, and do a lot of thinking. Getting up to clean for 10-15 minute spurts helps me to rest my eyes, get away from the computer screen, and allow my brain to stop thinking so hard. It gets my body moving, which brings back blood flow to my limbs. People always compliment me about how clean my space is, and yet I never feel like I’m doing a chore. I actually look forward to cleaning, because it gives me a break from working. Once you train yourself to think like this, it changes your life for the better.

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This room is cute, but it looks a bit cluttered. Credit: Shutterstock

3. Eliminate Visual Clutter

Another form of “clutter” that a lot of people don’t think about is visual clutter. These are small things that you may not notice, and assume that it’s “clean”. But it creates a visual distraction, and makes it difficult to feel calm and relaxed. For example, I have a pile of books sitting on my dresser that were returned to me from family and friends, because I ran out of space on my bookshelf. Technically, this pile of books isn’t clutter, because it’s clean, tidy, and serves a purpose. But it’s definitely visual clutter. As soon as I figured out a place to put them away, it felt far more open and spacious.

By minimizing visual clutter, a space seems so much bigger. Credit: Shutterstock

Sometimes, organizational techniques can be used to get rid of the visual clutter. For example, most people would never consider boxes of cereal “clutter”. This is food, and it’s necessary for you to eat and get a quick breakfast in the morning. However, if you transfer that cereal to a clear container instead of keeping it bright, colorful, solid cardboard boxes, it is so much more visually appealing, and almost looks like part of the decor. Baskets and other containers can also be used to remove visual clutter.

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Hanging a TV on the wall helps save space. Credit: Shutterstock

2. Mount Your TV on the Wall

An easy way to save space in a small apartment is to hang your tv on the wall. Somehow, your TV feels even bigger when it’s suspended, compared to keeping it sitting on a table. Just make sure it matches your eye level so that you aren’t craning your neck. If you’re interested in Feng Shui, they recommend not to keep a TV in your bedroom. Technology can interfere with the flow of qi, and it also serves as a “black mirror” to bounce energy off of it.

Hanging a TV can help to hide it, instead of making it the centerpiece of the room. Credit: Shutterstock

With that being said, TV’s in the living room look great on the wall. And if you have a Smart TV, all you need is the remote to get started. In a time when everything is digital on streaming services, there is no reason to keep media console furniture for a DVD player. Game consoles that require you to plug them into the TV, but this can be temporary. And there are HDMI cords that are up to 10 feet long, which should be plenty of room to plug your game system into a piece of furniture on the floor, or the other side room.

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This Los Angeles apartment has a glass sliding door separating the bedroom and the kitchen. Credit: The Gem Goddess on YouTube

1. Hang Curtains or Sliding Doors

Many small studio apartments have an open concept floor plan. However, you might be in an older apartment that is split up into various rooms by walls and doorways. Obviously, doors between rooms can block off space. Sometimes, this can be a very good thing, especially if you’re trying to quarantine. However, it makes a space feel smaller. 

This small apartment has a loft bed with a curtain separating the space. Credit: Shutterstock

If at all possible, remove doors and replace them with a curtain or a sliding barn door. This way, you can slide the curtain or door closed when you want the area to be blocked off, and open it when you want to create the open concept again. Or, use a curtain to divide space instead of a piece of furniture or screen. 

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