If you decided to relocate your home, family or business to NYC, you have a lot to gain. There are plenty of job opportunities, attractions for kids and wonderful ways to spend your free time. However, there’s one thing you will most probably not gain – living space. New York population grew to 19,86 million inhabitants in 2018 and, guess what, they all need a place of their own! But having a small apartment is not the end of the world. In fact, it can be very rewarding when it comes to costs and cleaning. With a few tips you can decorate a small apartment in such a way that no one will ever know how many square meters you’re actually dealing with.
1. Choose built-in furniture to decorate a small apartment
Unlike ordinary furniture, built-in items seem as if they had already been there when the apartment was constructed. They blend in perfectly, seem more natural and provide the feeling of airiness. Their presence is natural and they do not make obstacles when you move around, which is not always the case with stand-alone furniture. Another great thing about built-in furniture is the fact that it can be constructed to fit your needs. You can choose dimensions and adjust the design according to your preferences. All you need to do is find a good NYC architect and you can work wonders for your living space.
2. Use diagonal flooring
An easy trick architects use whenever they can is to have boards and tiles installed diagonally. Flooring can deceive eyes into seeing the space much faster than it really is. If you opt for wider planks, you will add to the feeling of openness and tidiness. We usually take flooring for granted when we move in, but if you’re really looking for a way to decorate a small apartment to seem bigger, you may want to hire a good flooring company from New York to do the trick. If your new floor comes with beautiful tiles, you may even consider to go rug free.
3. Take down the walls
If you are not oversensitive when it comes to your privacy, it would be a good idea to take down some of the walls. Open space provides a feeling of spaciousness and separate rooms, while being practical, tend to suffocate the living area. You may consider removing some of the doors or at least expanding the doorways. In this way, instead of having small connected rooms, you get one or two large areas where you can organize cooking, dining and sipping coffee with your friends. High ceilings are an advantage, but if you don’t have them, you can also use the trick to paint them in a bright color which will make them look taller.
4. Declutter the space
It seems as an obvious thing to do, but you really need to remind yourself to declutter your apartment sometimes. If you want to breathe freely, you need to get rid of the items that take space for no reason. Some of them eventually become part of your decor, but you certainly didn’t intend them to.
Most common things that waste your space when you try to decorate a small apartment
- old magazines and newspapers
- electronics you never use
- clothes with holes and irremovable stains
- broken devices
- shoe boxes
- expired medications and food
5. Accentuate a visually interesting detail
If you highlight an eye-catching detail in your home, it will attract your guests’ attention. The size of the room will be in the background as the eyes land on the focal point of the place. Whether it’s a designer coffee table, an unusual glass vase or a bright-colored wall with artsy details, it will lift the spirits of the room. If you are moving to New York from abroad, you may not know where to look for these items. But you really shouldn’t worry. NYC is one of the top cities in the USA to buy designer items, from clothes and shoes to lamps and furniture. You are at the right place.
6. Add artsy pictures
There is no artist on earth who doesn’t dream about coming to New York. This city boasts some of the best art galleries in the world. If you want to breathe life into your tiny apartment, you need to find artsy pictures to decorate your walls. Of course, you don’t have to buy an original, but you can get some great ideas when you go shopping. Several smaller pieces of art with black and white photos or bright-colored rims would refresh the whole ambiance and give it a modern look. When you decorate a small apartment, these little bits matter.
7. Mirrors
You’ve probably already heard that mirrors visually expand space. It’s true! Mirrors reflect the room and natural light that comes through the windows and make the place bigger and brighter. In addition, they are very practical. You can hide a wardrobe, a shoe closet or some other kind of storage space behind them and no one will even notice they are there. Organizing storage space is one of the biggest challenges in a small apartment, but mirrors can really help you with the outer looks of the space you can use.
8. Natural light
Speaking of the ways to expand space, we must not forget natural light! Plenty of natural light is one of the most important assets in a small apartment. If you can choose, go for an apartment with a location and construction that enables the presence of natural light. If you can’t, there are tricks to help you out. First of all, remove heavy curtains. If you need to have curtains, choose the light ones with bright colors which do not hold the air. Apart from that, decorate the space with glassy or metallic items which provide a mirror effect. Even the smallest bits will add to the brightness of the entire place. If you don’t mind, you can also use glass doors between rooms. See-through doors will enable the light to move through the apartment without obstacles.