What 10 mistakes do many households make when furnishing a small apartment?

01.04.2023 02:00
Updated: 15.04.2023 00:33

Furnishing a small apartment can be much more difficult than furnishing a large interior. Every detail is important!

Furniture and accessories should be selected so that there is enough space to store all the knick-knacks and at the same time you can move freely! And everything should be stylish and atmospheric...

Does the thought of it give you a headache? Don't worry, we can help! Of course, we won't tell you how to furnish your space.

But we'll tell you what to avoid to keep your small apartment from turning into a dreary, cluttered mess.

From this article you will learn:

Apartment, room
Photo: © Belnovosti
  • What are the most common mistakes when decorating small apartments?
  • How to make a small apartment functional and what 3 mistakes should be avoided?
  • What are the 3 main mistakes when dividing a small space into zones?
  • What details should you pay attention to?
  • Why is it worth knowing (and using) interior designer tricks?

2 Most Common Mistakes When Decorating a Small Room

What to look for when decorating a small living room? Generally speaking: fashion! For several years now, interior design magazines have been filled with photos of rooms with richly colored walls or wallpaper with a large pattern. But what happens when you use such inspiration for a small apartment? It almost always leads to disaster! The interior will optically become even smaller, darker and gloomier.

In a small interior, opt for accessories in dark colors or with a large pattern. It is better to leave the walls in light colors - it is not necessary to make them white right away!

The second common mistake when arranging a small apartment? Eclecticism! If in a large interior the combination of different design styles gives an interesting, original effect, then in a small apartment it is difficult to create a similar impression. Here it is better if the furnishings are maintained in one style. If you like to experiment, you can break the composition with one element. Let it be, for example, an expressive color of the sofa or an interesting pattern on the textiles.

Functionality is the most important issue in a small apartment

Furnishing a small apartment is not only about choosing furniture and accessories to your taste. Often, it is, first of all, an attempt to organize the interior so that all your things fit in. Although this position seems obvious and very reasonable, it hides several pitfalls.

  • Firstly, it is easy to overdo it in a small interior. There can be too much of everything: furniture, accessories, decorative items.

How to furnish a small apartment? Turn to minimalism! When you reduce the number of details in the interior, it immediately becomes more harmonious and neat. Let there be less furniture, and try to fit what is left into the space as best as possible.

  • Excessive accumulation of objects is also due to the fact that the solutions used in the arrangement of a small apartment are non-functional. When arranging small rooms, you often have to make compromises. It is important not only what furniture and accessories you like, but also which ones fit well into the interior. An example? Instead of a large armchair for relaxing in the evenings, choose a comfortable corner sofa. You can use it for reading, watching TV, and at night - as a bed!
  • The third mistake is the lack of storage space. Small interiors should be organized wisely, and the available space should be used to the fullest! Therefore, when planning the arrangement of a small hallway, design a pavilion for storing things above the closet. For the bedroom, choose a bed with a drawer where you can put extra things. Furniture in the living room can reach the ceiling, and poufs can open to provide additional storage space for knick-knacks.

THIS IS WORTH KNOWING!

The greatest opportunities for using space are provided by the arrangement of a small apartment in

townhouse. If you are arranging such an interior, consider creating a mezzanine floor. This way, you will get a lot of extra space! In case of arranging a small room in an apartment building, on the contrary, it is worth considering ordering custom furniture.

Zoning a small apartment - how to do it right?

A small apartment (and especially the arrangement of a small living room with a kitchen) requires zoning the space. Many use heavy furniture and partitions for this - as a result, the interior begins to seem cramped and claustrophobic. How to do it right? Remember that the division can be quite arbitrary! Your goal is not to actually divide one small room into two. Therefore, instead of a heavy wall or sliding doors, try using openwork shelves, different (but still bright!) wall colors, or just play with the arrangement of furniture.

But don't separate the zones with different floor textures! This is another common mistake. If you lay laminate in the living room, light tiles in the kitchen and dark tiles in the hallway, you will unjustifiably optically reduce the free space!

The functionality of the interior is often also influenced by... the right lighting! It is not true that a small room needs only one light source. On the contrary, a well-lit small room will immediately seem larger! Therefore, choose at least several light sources! In addition to the main ceiling lamp in the bedroom, place lamps on the bedside table. In the living room, place floor lamps or add wall lamps.

IT'S WORTH KNOWING! When decorating a small apartment, it's best to choose a neutral-colored lamp. It won't change the color of the interior items and will be perfect at any time of day!

Decorating a small room in an apartment building - details that matter

Is it possible to make a mistake when choosing curtains for the living room or a throw for the sofa? Despite appearances, it turns out that yes! Textiles made of too heavy materials will overload your living room or bedroom. Instead of such details, give preference to light curtains, blinds and thin, but still warm woolen blankets. All this will make the interior seem lighter, softer and, therefore, more spacious.

Light-colored textiles look best in small rooms. If you prefer dark accessories, choose them strategically and in small quantities. Constantly monitor the overall arrangement to make sure that there are not too many dark colors.

Decorating a small hallway, living room and other interiors: use design tricks!

The last mistake to avoid when decorating a small apartment is not using clever tricks.

Include mirrors in the interior. Try to have a chest of drawers, a chest of drawers or a bookcase with facades made of reflective materials (for example, varnished). Do not be afraid of glass surfaces, let them appear in your apartment too. All this will make the interior optically larger and more spacious!

Furnishing a small apartment so that it is not only functional but also stylish is not easy. However, it is worth taking the time to create a design, choose the colors of the walls and the shapes of the furniture perfectly. As a result, your apartment will optically become much more spacious, and it will be easier for you to place all your things. The changes may pleasantly surprise you!

Author: Elena Gutyro Internet resource editor

Content
  1. 2 Most Common Mistakes When Decorating a Small Room
  2. Functionality is the most important issue in a small apartment
  3. Zoning a small apartment - how to do it right?