Rugs

In Libby Langdon’s Book “Small Space Solutions” she mentions that, “A light rug can open up your room and make it feel bigger.” This especially true if your apartment came with a darker stained wood floor or carpet. In this case you should contrast it with a much lighter rug.

Rugs can also help increase your space by separating the room based on the position of the rug and the furniture surrounding it.

Not only do rugs help open up the room but they can cover up floors that have had their better days behind them. Rugs also help add color and an additional decorative element to the room that can accent other design elements within the room.

For more information how to choose the perfect rug for your apartment visit HGTV’s article on “Choosing the Best Area Rug For Your Space”. Once you have chosen the perfect rug style feel free to head over to Apartment Therapy's “10 Sources for Good, Cheap Rugs”

A photo posted by Wendy Morrison Design (@wendymorrisondesign) on Sep 1, 2016 at 11:29am PDT

Curtains

Curtains are an area often overlooked in the decorating process as many apartment rentals already have standard issue blinds. Adding decorative fabric curtains can help frame a room and add a bit of character that will also make your space appear much larger. Young Huh of Young Huh Interior Design weighed in on the topic by saying,



Nothing made me feel more grown up than my first curtains and roman shades that weren't made of paper or plastic," "Fabric curtains immediately add luxurious structure and color to a room."



The great thing about sprucing up your apartment with curtains is you can often find them for pretty cheap or if you are a DIY’er there’s plenty of ideas to make some great one’s yourself! There are so many options to choose from that you will be able add any unique touch to every room!

A photo posted by Shauna Kelly Interiors (@shauna_kelly_interiors) on Aug 31, 2016 at 3:21am PDT

Priorities, Size and Versatile Pieces

The below ideologies are essential to keep in mind before making any decorating decisions. This insight will help you maximize your apartment!

Priorities

Deciding on your priorities is a must for smaller living spaces found in most apartments. With limited space comes limited options. Do not hold yourself to the standard of what is a “traditional home”. This ideology will congest your apartment and not optimizing the place YOU will be living in.

With that in mind, before decorating, evaluate your living space and make a list of priorities in order to decide what is a must have and what room will be what. Some prefer a home office, while others a living room, or a dining room or even an extra room for those who visit. Whatever is most important to your lifestyle is what you should chose.

A photo posted by Campus Crossings Rams Pointe (@liveramspointe) on Mar 31, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT

Size

Pick items that matches the size of your apartment. This seems like a very rather simple notion but that common sense often all goes out the window when you’re at the furniture store. Such thoughts like “I think that couch should be able to fit” is never a good idea while trying to maximize your apartment.

Before doing any large purchases assign each room a purpose and measure all the dimensions. Do not buy anything that you do not know where it will go or the size of the area it will be accompanying. If you do not have a tape measure do not fear! We live in the age of technology and there are apps that can help you plan a room; such as, MagicPlan (Free) and many more.

Remember that moderately sized and slightly smaller areas will make your room appear much bigger than say an oversized plush couch.

A photo posted by Megan Barker (@meggieliz93) on Jan 24, 2016 at 3:42pm PST

Versatile Pieces

Don’t get too caught up on size though as versatile pieces can play an even bigger role in maximizing your apartments decorating landscape. Versatile furniture pieces can play a big part in expanding your space and saving you some grief down the road. One of the large reasons people rent is because they often don’t know where they will be living in the not so distant future.

Choosing versatile pieces can help maximize your current living space while allowing you the ability to move into another apartment more easily. While a big coffee table may fit your living room now it might be a hassle in the future.

To elevate this issue purchasing a smaller coffee table that doubles as a storage unit might cause you less of a headache in the future. Adding multi-purpose furniture like a fold up bed can save you lots of space in every apartment you live in! There are tons of versatile pieces to chose from such as modular sofas, folding chairs and gateleg tables. For more ideas to get the creative juices flowing check out these 17 Multi-Purpose Furniture That Changes in No Time.

A photo posted by Allison Schultz (@eatsleepdesignrepeat) on Jun 25, 2014 at 11:35am PDT

Lights

Brighten things up! We all know “black can be slimming”, but when it comes to your apartment “slimming” might not be the adjective you are looking for.

Generally, the darker the apartment the smaller it feels. The less windows you have and the darker paint scheme the more lights you will likely need.

Adding lights is a good way to add character to the apartment and set the atmosphere of lively, cozy or somewhere in-between.



“Lights are the most amazing way of making a home feel warm and welcoming. Using several lamps throughout a space creates a warm glow in the room," says designer Ron Marvin .



Lights can add further elements to the room through the position and direction of the light in order to create attention to a certain decorative features or areas. While ceiling lights might be hard to customize due to your rental constraints we recommend growing your collection of floor and table lamps. Even old lamps can be easily spruced up with a new lamp shade!



A photo posted by homify (@homify) on Aug 30, 2016 at 1:00am PDT

Paint

Now I know what you’re thinking… “I rent an apartment I can’t paint it!” The answer here is you never know until you ask. Some apartments allow you to paint whatever color you want, some require a safety deposit, others allow you to chose a set of colors and well some just do not let you do anything at all.

That all being said, it is essential you check with your rental agency before making any major changes like this to the apartment unless you want to risk your safety deposit. If you are allowed to paint, painting a room is probably the simplest way to add the most amount of character to your room. The paint color of the room often dictates the interior decorating of the room suggesting what colors to match within it.

The color of the room can help increase the perceived size of the room and the temper of it. Rich deep colors will present a cozy vibe while light bright colors can energize a room. You can even get creative and add lines or other elements to project your own personalized style. HGTV gives some helpful advice on how to choose a paint color so you’re not painting in the dark so to speak.

A photo posted by D a n i e l l e A r a u j o (@da.decorativefinishes) on Aug 2, 2016 at 8:06am PDT

Coverings

Paint isn’t the only option to spruce your apartment up with a look new and fit the feel you want! Many can’t afford the luxury of new furniture and are often stuck with the issue of their previous belongings not matching or appearing a bit dated.

In this case coverings can be a great solution to maintain the wear and tear of your furniture and add additional characteristics without the expense. Surefit offers lots of great slipcovers offerings but there are tons more to choose from all around the web!

A photo posted by Kaily (@kailythork) on Oct 29, 2015 at 7:47am PDT

Glass

Glass tables, chairs, and tops increases the functionality of your apartment without closing off any visual space. The translucent nature of the glass allows for a very open look that is timeless and fits in with all decorative schemes.

A photo posted by NORDIK SPACE (@nordikspace) on Apr 4, 2016 at 5:07am PDT

Mirrors

In the same wheelhouse as glass, mirrors will open up any room that that they are hung on. The reflection of the glass appears almost as a window looking through to another area. There are a variety of techniques on how to best use mirrors to open up a room and several can be found here.

A photo posted by Dressing Rooms Interiors (@dressmyroom) on Sep 1, 2016 at 8:19am PDT

Color

You should always chose the color scheme for your home that fits both your personality and budget. However, there is a color method that works to accent areas while tying it all together. The idea here is to use neutral colors in your large areas and mix in splashes of color to highlight.



"This easy combination is somehow always in fashion," explains Dee Elms of Terrat Elms Interior Design . "It will look collected and high-end, even if you are buying mainly mass-market pieces."



A photo posted by Nuku Home Design Services Inc. (@nukudesigns) on Aug 31, 2016 at 1:56am PDT

Curves

Most apartments are fairly rectangular in order to allow for a series of units in the complex. Within this layout it’s easy to get caught up trying to match your decorations to the layout. However, adding curved and circular items can open up space otherwise unavailable and remove the boxy manufactured feel lingering in some apartment layouts.