A lot of us love a well-designed apartment. Elegant lines and clever touches around a place are just some of the things that make modern apartment living so pleasant. Many of us, however, may not have the square footage to indulge in the latest design trends or—even worse—might not have the “designer” gene needed to get great designing done.
Fortunately, a lot of the latest design trends center on smaller spaces and ease of use, making them appropriate for any space… and even design newbies. The following are just some of our favorite hacks for non-designers who want to create a stellar space but aren’t sure how to start.
1) Murphy Anything & Everything
When space is limited, why not put the furniture away when you don’t need it? Just like the classic Murphy bed, there are a lot of modern furniture pieces you can tuck away in one move, including folding mounted wall desks and wall tables.
The murphy bed itself (aka, the wall bed) has even had a makeover, giving you plenty of modern and stylish options. Look for pieces that incorporate multiple items into one, such as a wardrobe/wall bed or bookshelf/wall bed.
2) Add That Pop of Color
Incorporating small and subtle pops of color or even pattern to a room is a great way to bring design to a space while maintaining some chill modern minimalism. Find a funky or bright print of wallpaper and use it to line the sides of a drawer. Every time someone opens it… poof! A small design touch that adds some oomph without overwhelming a smaller space.
3) Buy a Convertible
Well, not a real convertible, but some convertible furniture. Convertible furniture are pieces that serve more than one function—a great way to make the most of it in smaller layouts.
Ideas to consider? How about a coffee table that you can raise up to transform it into a dining table? Or a kitchen island the top of which slides over to create a breakfast bar? The number of creative items out there is endless. Find a piece that brings out the creativity (and usefulness!) in your space.
4) Two-Tone Walls
If you love a bold color, consider using two-tone walls to create more height in a room. You can start by using a deeper or bolder color on the bottom section of the wall, up to about a third of the way up the wall. Then paint the rest of the wall to the top in a light shade. This draws the eyes up and gives a room some stylish lift. Ask about our accent wall program to view the top-rated color choices.
5) Trompe That L’Oeil with Lights and Mirrors
Speaking of tricking the eye, there are a number of trompe l’oeil techniques you can execute with lights and mirrors to give a space style and make it seem that much bigger. Find a large antique mirror with a funky frame and lean it against the wall, then place a lamp in front of it.
The combination of the mirror and the reflecting light will make your room look bigger and brighter. You can also add some height to ceilings by using dangling light fixtures that draw the eye up.
Lack of space (or even design know-how) doesn’t have to limit the chicness of your apartment. With a few of these creative ideas, you can take your apartment to new levels of style and make it look bold, bright, and fun.
