How To Makeover: A Small Apartment

(Image credit: Kari Shea)

It’s often difficult to feel inspired by a small living space if all you can see are the restrictions that it could bring. If knocking down walls to combine rooms into an open plan layout (ergo, creating a sense of a larger space) isn’t an option due to renting, we’ve taken a look at how to makeover a small apartment to give you some ideas.

At Black By Design we like to offer practical advice for our customers and to provide some home design inspiration – there’s nothing worse than being stuck in an interiors style rut! In this post we’re delving into some excellent tips and tricks on how to transform a smaller living space, either by simply rearranging existing furniture, or investing in space saving storage solutions.

Room layout & furniture

Organising furniture to get the most out of a room is a great place to start when considering changing a room layout. Bulky sofas, coffee tables, chairs and other living room furniture can sometimes be sucking the life out of your lounge due to their dominance over the space.

We’d suggest sticking to the perimeter of the room so you’re able to see the space between furnishings. For example, pushing a sofa to the wall means you’re not losing out on the space behind! Get on board with the a key home interiors trend which is the clothes/towel ladder. We love the ladder style look from Garden Trading which can just be leant against a wall, and will hold towels or clothes, using up minimal space.

To win yourself even more precious floor space, install a TV bracket on the wall and pop your television up there instead of using a TV stand. Similarly, we recommend floating shelves from Umbra which can display books, ornaments or small lights. They can add decoration as well as being super practical.

Dining tables have the potential to completely dominate a small kitchen or dining room, so why not go for an adjustable dining table which can be extended, as and when you need it. There are plenty of dining table designs on the market that can go from a two seater table to a four seater, and beyond! Pair with chairs that can be folded and put away for a completely functional dining room set that works well for smaller rooms.

Space saving tricks

The key is to seek out multifunctional furniture or accessories in order to save on space. Getting savvy with space saving solutions is where you’ll see most of the difference when you’re looking for new ways to makeover your apartment.

Look for a neutral coloured ottoman that can serve as a place to store blankets or towels, whilst being a seating option. The neutral colour creates a versatile look that can fit into any home interior design, which you may be changing up. An ottoman can look fabulous at the end of a bed, or in a living room.

You may not know it, but every night you’re sleeping on top of a prime space saving secret! Yes, underneath your bed if actually a great place to store, well, anything you want. Plus, if you don’t have the ultimate space saving hack in the form of a built in wardrobe, the space above a stand alone wardrobe can be utilised too. Invest in several storage boxes and pack away out-of-season clothes, shoes and bed sheets.

Small bathrooms can be difficult to organise when you’re short on storage space. Whether you prefer having your lotions and potions on show, or would rather have them tidied away, there’s ways to include both. Try utilising the wall space above the toilet by installing shelves to hold storage boxes or baskets for toiletries. We love the cool grey felt storage baskets from Zone Denmark with the functional yet stylish design.

All about the accessories

A great way to update your home without breaking the bank or knocking down walls, is to invest in some key home accessories. Stylish homeware accessories can provide key accents to a room and pull a look together. Placed on the floating shelves as mentioned above, they’ll add a decorative touch to your home. At Black By Design we have some wonderful home accessories that are in keeping with the Scandi and monochrome home interior trends.

(Image credit: Pinterest)

So, there you have it. Some of Black By Design’s key tips on how to makeover a small apartment. Take your cosy home and make the most of what you’ve got! With our excellent range of stylish homeware, furniture and accessories, you can update and refresh your home with minimal effort.