We understand how difficult it is to make a tiny area feel truly welcoming, especially when your design options are limited. There are times you have sacrificed including things you like just because there’s insufficient space. All you need is to explore your creative side and be a bit imaginative.
If you’re longing for your tiny space to have personality but want to avoid appearing cluttered or chaotic, this guide is for you! Here, we will try to find the perfect middle ground between jamming up space as much as possible while keeping it minimalist and functional.
It can feel like an insurmountable task when it comes to decorating a small area. But hey! We’re here for you! Let’s see how to maximize space in a small house.
25 Ideas to Maximize Small Space In Tiny Apartments
01. Windowsill as Storage
Looking for a place to store books, newspapers, plants, or anything else in your small apartment? Don’t forget to include windowsills when thinking of how to maximize small spaces in tiny apartments. Make the most of your windowsill, which can function like a built-in shelf that you don’t have to spend extra money on buying or building.
Windowsill storage can also act as an extra cabinet in a tiny bathroom. Store bathroom essentials like toilet paper, towels, cotton balls, face wipes, and soaps to keep things more organized and readily available.
02. Multifunctional Furniture
Regardless of the size of the space, multifunctional furniture is a must! They’re inexpensive, inventive, and adaptable to your tiny space. They are the best small home solutions. A thick hack can be adapted, whether you have a few visitors now and then or an expanding family.
For instance, convert your sofas into a bed, or use a standing mirror for multipurpose cabinet storage. Another option is to convert your floor-to-ceiling wardrobes into a multipurpose design by adding concealed dressing units.
03. Foldable Bed
Folding beds have become very popular. Apart from the standard ones, there are some great unique designs available in the market. They can help save a good amount of space. The room appears larger, and the available floor space can be used for other purposes as well.
A queen-size sofa pull-out bed is the finest option for making the room airier when visitors aren’t staying over. And it has enough capacity to accommodate at least two visitors whenever the need arises.
04. Go Glam!
Even when you have a small space, you must go glam without hesitation! Start with a small lighting source, whether it’s a tiny table lamp, flushed ceiling light, or wooden floor lamp. These can easily become statement pieces by adding a touch of glam. You can also use a gorgeous crystal chandelier that effortlessly adds charm to any room.
05. Unify Colour Palette
We know that some of us like a different colour for each space. However, unifying a colour palette can make your small space appear visually larger. The same group colours used in multiple rooms can help your home look more “put together.”
Similar colours like off-white, beige, etc, spanning across the rooms can facilitate a better flow between places that are otherwise divided by partitions. The colour relationship between multiple spaces has an impact on your space, making it more harmonious.
06. Floating Shelves
There’s no denying that floating shelves are “hands down” one of our favourite storage solutions for small spaces. Floating shelves utilize wall space rather than taking up valuable floor space.
They can avoid clutter on dining tables, counters, and nightstands.
These shelves come in various configurations and are so adaptable. They come in a variety of ways, making your space cheerful.
07. Declutter
This can be a life-saving hack, if not a design hack. Decluttering your small space, whether to make it appear larger or simply to make your life easier, is one of the most significant ideas on the list of tiny apartment décor.
Declutter your space in phases to make the entire task easier. Concentrate on one space, or even one zone inside a room, like storage cabinets in your toilets, and finish the work before going on to the next. Pick a place where you have no emotional attachment as a starting point. This can be your freezer, file cabinet, or garage.
08. Repurpose a Closet
Okay, we know that there is never enough closet space, but you can always turn those tiny corners and niches into micro rooms by removing all of your outerwear and piles of abandoned shoes. Repurpose your closet by removing items you don’t need daily.
Start by making an inventory of what’s left, and thinking how you can group the remaining objects to make the most of the space you have. Finally, add some racks, rods, shelves, and shoe boxes to upgrade your closet.
09. Go Vertical
When a shortage of storage space is a challenge, vertical storage is the best small space solution! They can be both decorative and functional. Shelving is the most obvious use of vertical space in a small space or home. It is easier to occupy floor-to-ceiling space with your shelves for maximum impact.
You can keep the items that you use less frequently higher up, while the goods that you use regularly can be placed at your convenience.
10. Play with Light
It’s not just about placing light fixtures in small spaces. It is also about the proper proportions, placements, and footcandle, i.e. the percentage of the luminaire. Lighting can make or break the overall design scheme, and there’s no place where it matters more than in a small space.
The trick is to use numerous layers of light that smoothly mix ambient, task, and accent lighting. Don’t forget to consider as much natural light as possible.
11. More Mirrors
As we all know, more mirrors make a small room appear larger than it is. As they improve the illusion of visual space, big mirrors are a cure-all for crowded rooms. If you’re low on floor space and can’t find a suitable spot to hang mirrors, try hanging them on wardrobes and closet doors. This will not only help you accomplish the mission of space enlargement, but it can also provide scope for shelving and storage.
12. Window Treatments
For most of us, window treatments are an afterthought and not something we think of as a primary requirement. But these treatments are crucial, as windows take up a lot of room in a small space. So, treat them well. While planning a tiny apartment design, include window shutters in the list.
You can opt for plantation shutters to provide a clean and tidy appearance to small spaces. When you fold them back, they allow light to enter, making your little area appear larger. You can also choose from a variety of designs, from conventional shutters to sheer curtains.
13. Leave Some Space
There’s no need to fill up your entire space with decor pieces, storage items, mirrors, sofas, or beds. You can always keep some breathing space. There’s often a common complaint that small spaces feel claustrophobic or congested. You can avoid this by keeping some free space for mobility and movement.
Try creating multifunctional spaces, or seeking open layout plans that do not consist of partitions or doors that otherwise segregate a single space.
14. Reconsider Furniture Needs
Do you need an entire desk setup to study? Can a small study table suffice? Before investing in any furniture piece, consider your floor space and whether you truly require it.
Take measurements in the room where you intend to place your furniture.
Examine your current furniture and see if everything can fit together. Is your old furniture going to look as good next to anything new? Make a list of your favourite colours, textures, and patterns. Mixing and matching are permissible as long as the result turns out well.
15. Glass Partitions
Small spaces can benefit from glass partitions instead of solid partitions, making the most of their limited area. Glass partitions not only open up the room and provide the impression of a large space but also help infuse more light and energy by maximizing natural light. Glass barriers optimize light and allow it to flood the entire room, which is especially important in smaller spaces that can seem claustrophobic and confining. These glass doors maximize the small space in a tiny apartment.
16. Furniture with Exposed Legs
Seating with legs instead of skirts makes more of the floor space visible, giving it a larger and airier feel. You can choose from many classic-style seating and armchairs that have exquisitely turned wooden legs, which lend themselves perfectly to any small space.
17. Use the Corners
Do you have a small room due to odd room proportions? Are you left with unused corners? Are you thinking of how to maximize space in a small house by putting unused corners to use? Well, a simple solution involves incorporating corner built-in shelves that serve as storage units.
Another way to make sure that such space is occupied is to use bulkier furniture. Such pieces help to create an overpowering effect in smaller rooms.
18. Organize Storage Places
To add smart storage, use architectural elements that are already in your space. For example, use columns to build shelves, and build storage in alcoves on either side of a fireplace.
Small spaces can remain fresh and uncluttered with well-chosen storage. Keeping it tidy is a terrific way to make it feel larger, and to do so, everything in the room must have its proper place.
19. Wall-mount
Wall-mounted cabinets are not only practical for small spaces, but also super attractive and contribute a lot to tiny apartment decor. They add a contemporary touch to houses while also assisting in organizing all our requirements.
The majority of these units include open shelves, drawers, and low-lying cabinets that provide additional storage space for all our stuff that should be hidden. You can also utilize the open shelves to display your books, potted indoor plants, or other items you want to be visible.
20. Open Closets
Why not opt for an open closet if you require a lot of storage in your small space? Closets with doors and sliding partitions take up far more room than open closets. Moreover, an open closet will ensure that no space goes unused or wasted, especially if you include under-bench storage.
21. Pocket Doors
When you don’t have the space for a swinging hinge, you opt for this wonderful hack with a sliding framework and a “disappearing” effect when it’s entirely closed. How? Design with pocket doors! These pocket doors maximize the small space in a tiny apartment. When you pull the pocket door back, it fits inside the wall. It frees up valuable floor space, conceals itself when not in use, and allows for unlimited connectivity between spaces.
22. Go Lucite! Transparent Pieces to Trick the Eyes!
The transparent decor piece will have the same maximizing effect as a glass partition; light will pass through it and create a more open environment. Another excellent tip is to select furniture that allows you to see through it.
Glass coffee tables and shelving, bookcases with no sides, and plastic seats all give the impression of taking up less room. They don’t hinder your line of vision, so you can see everything in the room without having to glance around or over something.
23. Rugs to Rescue!
When it comes to choosing a rug for a small space, a common mistake is choosing one that is too small and looks too bulky in a small space. While rugs serve a practical purpose, they are also an important design element that makes or breaks the aesthetic of your small space.
As much as possible, use light, cool tones, as they will trick the eyes into believing the room is larger than it is. Striped rugs can also visually widen a room if the stripes are perpendicular to the long walls.
24. Backdoors to Work! Hang Clothes
Install door hangers on the backside of your doors to make extra space to hang your clothes. This way, you can have an extra vertical place where you can just place rods and knobs and hang your garments. It’s that simple!
Coat hooks are great for hanging tank tops, belts, and scarves, but who says you can’t use them to hang shirts and pants as well? You may hang your favourite pieces of clothing from coat hooks.
25. Settle with Small Artifacts
Small artifacts and figures can add a decorative flair without being too overpowering in a small space. Artifacts add layers of decoration and charm to your space. They contribute a lot to tiny apartment décor.
Beautiful figurines and decorating pieces have a natural ability to capture the attention of onlookers. In natural settings, artifacts are frequently considered symbolic and reflect a deep meaning that can be incorporated even in small spaces.
Dos and Don’ts for Tiny Apartments
- Do replace a table lamp with a floor lamp. The higher bulb will redistribute the light upward, reducing the amount of bulk.
- Do opt for multipurpose furniture so you can change your area to a variety of settings based on the activity. Consider investing in a table or Ottoman with concealed storage.
- Don’t choose distinct or highly contrasting colours since your eyes will halt at the colour change line, creating boundaries in your small home that will cause you to see it as divided sections rather than as a whole.
- Don’t use large furniture pieces, which can make a small area appear cluttered; rather, go for small ones.
There’s something about little space concepts that makes us panic. Decorating a tiny room necessitates more thinking than decorating a larger area, and finding the correct answer for this small space might take a lot of studies to uncover something you may not have considered previously.
There is a plethora of solutions to make your small space appear larger than it is, ranging from furniture placement to brilliant colour scheme techniques to clever window treatments.
FAQs
01. How to Easily Design a Small Space?
Start by making a list of requirements for your space and figuring out how you’ll use it. Is it going to be a place to entertain or will it be used by your children? Once you’ve determined the purpose and feel of the room, you may start brainstorming decorating ideas.
02. How can a Small Room Appear Larger?
If your room is cramped, adding some height to your major pieces of furniture will help create an airy, open atmosphere that will increase the storage area.
03. In a Small Room, Where do you put the TV?
A TV should be at the proper height according to your sofa so that you don’t have to tilt your neck up to watch it. Ideally, it should be aligned with the centre of your sofa.
04. How can you make the Most of a Little Space?
Examine all the different surfaces, from vertical walls to horizontal ceilings, in the room and consider how you may make use of areas that you might overlook.
05. How Does a Glass Partition Help?
When dividing up between rooms, don’t break the sight line from one to the other; use glass doors to make both spaces appear a little more spacious.
Author Bio
Saili Sawantt – She is an Architect and Interior Designer by profession. Writing is what she treats as her passion. She has worked as an Architectural Writer, Editor, and Journalist for various design as well as digital portals, both national and international. Formerly she has also worked with Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) Design Studio, Mumbai, due to her keen interested in learning about Sustainability and Green buildings. Apart from this, she runs her blog ‘The Reader’s Express’ and is a practicing Architect & Interior Designer.
