Thanks to the every increasing amount of renovation shows on our televisions, when we think of home improvements we tend to get a picture of huge structural changes and costly designers. However, if you own or rent an apartment you can make dramatic improvements to create illusions of space, light and style with a few simple tricks.
Unless you are fortunate enough to reside in a character filled art deco apartment, then you will usually be facing a rather featureless blank canvas. When it comes to decorating, this can actually open up a world of design options to choose from. Let’s have a look at a few ways in which you can transform a small apartment into an enticing home.
Put the ‘Room’ into your Rooms
Typically if you live in an apartment your living area will be limited to one lounge and a bedroom or two. This means that top of your list if you are looking to revitalise your home is to create the illusion of space. An immediate way to give an apartment a light, airy feel is to put down either wood floorboards or floating flooring, depending on your budget. If the flooring is placed in all living spaces, then it will give a ‘flow’ effect which will make rooms feel more spacious.
If you wish to give your compact lounge a feeling of size, choose furniture with legs which show the floor. Whilst renovating my apartment, I found the perfect recliner in Newton’s Nordic range. I was drawn by the fact that the base and footstool have an economical footprint, perfect for the stylish, streamlined look I was after.
Colour your world
The fastest, most economical way to give any space a lift is with a fresh touch of colour. Whether you decide to repaint your walls, or just scatter some bright designer cushions around, you can make a huge impact from a small effort. Holmes Living has a number of visually appealing and well made cushions, as well as other interior accessories, that will instantly inject colour and style into your apartment. Look for modern hues of grey and blue which can give a contemporary, chic style and accent the look with a few spots of dramatic colour in your accessories.
Draw the eyes up
If you have never considered wall art then this may be a good time to check out a few designs. A well chosen print can give the illusion of breadth and depth as well as adding interest to a drab wall. There are a myriad of options in both glorious colour or hip black and white – or perhaps, if you are feeling artistic, you can even paint one of your own!
Versatile Furniture
Apartment living can be challenging when it comes to storage and you may find yourself drowning in a sea of your own belongings. This can make your living spaces feel claustrophobic and depressing. The best way to combat this is with smartly designed furniture.
There is currently a huge range of furniture doubling as storage on the market. Take for instance beds – whether they have hydraulic lifters so you can store items under them or massive wheeled drawers underneath, they are an ideal solution to your storage shortage. Items like bedding, shoes, clothing and even books can be hidden away till they are needed.
Utilise your wall space with attractive shelving which can go all the way to the roof or look at items such as coffee tables, chairs and sofas which have the capacity to store books, cds and knick knacks.
Even the most experienced interior designers borrow from outside sources, so don’t be afraid to absorb ideas from magazines and display homes and then utilise them in your own unique way. Apartment living can be perfect for your lifestyle, and if you take the time to put into place some clever design innovations, you can create a comfortable, inviting home.
