Ten cool ideas for renovating a small apartment
And no, this is not about light shades in decoration – you already know about them very well. Bathroom supply store New Bathroom Style tell you about the little things: why it is better not to make sills, the catch of mirrors, than a wall-hung toilet is better than a floor-standing toilet, and how many sockets are needed for a one-bedroom or a studio.
1. Clear aisles and free spaces
Trying to fit the maximum in a small area, it is easy to turn a room or bathroom into a messy warehouse of things. Try to arrange furniture so that a particular structure is readable. For example, leave a clear passage that leads from the hallway to the room.
Although this studio has a lot of large furniture and storage systems, the apartment does not feel overwhelmed and cluttered. Avoid placing chairs and tables along the aisle, so they don’t block or break the line.
If it is necessary to zone the space, arrange the furniture in groups, and leave the typical passage the same width.
2. Suspended luminaires instead of built-in
When we evaluate the area of an apartment, we often look only at the horizontal indicators. But for visual perception, vertical is no less critical. The higher the ceilings, the larger the apartment appears. And you will save space in height if you choose the right fixtures.
A popular option is built-in spotlights. But for their installation under tension structures, more space is required. As a result, you will have to lower the whole ceiling level. Take a closer look at hanging lamps instead of built-in ones – they will help win in space. In addition, these lamps are a great functional decor.
If you’re searching for apartments for rent in Ventura CA, consider opting for suspended luminaires instead of built-in ones. These hanging lamps not only enhance the visual perception of space but also serve as functional decor, making your apartment feel larger and more stylish.
3. Floor covering without sills
If the covering in the corridor and the room is made uniform, without borders, this will visually lengthen both spaces. Quartz-vinyl tiles are well suited for this – they are mounted without sills (glued). At the same time, it is more robust than laminate, not afraid of water, more resistant to mechanical damage. Therefore it is suitable for the corridor, and the kitchen, and for rooms. In this case, the only “but” is the coating requires a perfectly leveled floor, so you should not save on rough work and craftsmen.
At the same time, it is better to abandon interior doors where possible (corridor-living room or corridor-kitchen).
4. Use vertical space
Storage is the main problem in small apartments. And if there is not enough horizontal space, figure out how to use the height. It’s not just about mezzanines and kitchens under the ceiling – this decision is already apparent.
Choose sofas and poufs with built-in boxes. Organize under-bed storage: beds come in different heights and drawer capacities – see how much you need.
A utility cabinet can be installed above the washing machine (wall-mounted and floor-standing options in case the partition cannot be loaded). It is possible to increase functionality due to the countertop under sink bathroom vanities 36 inch. Suppose an additional space for cosmetics has formed in a one-room apartment, and a curbstone and a washing machine are organically located below. It is easy to place a laundry basket and cabinet or a washing machine and a laundry basket under the worktop.
5. Don’t go overboard with mirrors and gloss.
Everyone knows that mirrored surfaces expand space. But this benefit also has a side effect. We do not live in empty apartments, but mirrors reflect everything: furniture, chairs, shelves, wires, a forgotten cup on the table, and a clothes warehouse on a chair. The number of parts is doubled – instead of additional volume, the effect of a piled-up closet is obtained.
Laconic cabinet facades look much more modern, perceived not as bulky furniture but as a continuation of the wall.
If you need a mirror, make sure that there are not many elements opposite (for example, a desktop with shelves or a rack with souvenirs).
It is enough to make one or two mirrored doors and not the entire facade.
6. There are never too many sockets
For small apartments, detailed interior planning is essential. If there is no outlet in the right place, of course, you can throw the extension cord. But tangled wires will spoil the overall look and interfere with cleaning.
If the studio did not initially have an outlet for a TV and the Internet, two wires would hang down the wall. Now imagine if there was wiring from the developer with one outlet at the bottom. Nearby there would be wires to charge the phone and also an extension cord to connect the refrigerator.
7. Lightweight partitions instead of drywall
If you want to zone a small apartment, it is better to refuse to build additional walls in most cases. Firstly, they also occupy a vertical area, even if the thickness is only 10 cm – this is already a third or half of the “square” of the room. Secondly, they do not let light through and “shallow” the volume of the space.
It is better to choose lighter options for zoning: glass partitions, wooden slats, or even curtains. Or even get by with the correct grouping of furniture.
8. Wall hung toilet and shower tray
A shower cabin for small bathrooms is not the best solution. It is pretty massive and eats up valuable space. It is better to use the shower base with a blossom vanity that can be installed with the glass shower door. So the area of the shower area itself will be more prominent with high end bathroom vanities, and the structure itself will be visually lighter and more harmonious.
A suspended toilet also wins in functionality. Yes, it is more expensive but more compact. It makes sense to mount a wardrobe or shelves above the installation – additional storage in a small apartment will never hurt.
9. We remove useless parts and furniture
Consider furniture and decor not only in terms of whether they fit in a room or not. Rate how wisely they are using valuable space.
Suppose the soft volumetric armrests of a sofa can take up to half a meter of its length. The smallest ones are 6-8 inches. The same applies to massive backs and pillows that recede from the wall by 15-20 inches. All these details do not carry a functional load but reduce passages cut off free space. An ordinary sofa-book with the same functionality takes up much less space.
We often buy beds with softbacks and bodies, massive floor lamps out of habit. For example, TV walls – think, do you need all these shelves, or is it more convenient to hang the TV on the wall? A projector and a small closed document rack next to it may be more suitable.
10. Scalable and mobile furniture
Such furniture includes chairs stacked on top of each other and used as a bedside table, folding sofas and tables, cots, and tables that “grow” with the child. Side tables complement the interior well, on which it is convenient to put a cup or laptop or put them aside to make room for sports.
Small mobile shelving on wheels for the kitchen expands the work surface when needed. It will be appropriate to fold food or dishes immediately after washing.
In this apartment, there is not just a decorative panel on the wall, but poufs. When guests come, the hosts will take off their poufs and get other comfortable places to watch a movie or have a pleasant conversation.
