41 Apartment Decorating Ideas That Will Make Your Compact Space Feel Like Home

Decorating an apartment can feel challenging in what feels like a bigger-is-better world. It may seem like owning a big dream home is the aspirational standard, but apartment dwellers know that there’s nothing a smaller space can’t do. Home decorators and interior designers alike know the joys of decorating a smaller, cozier space where every gesture counts—and a smaller footprint doesn’t mean compromising on function or style.

Whether you rent or own a tiny studio or spacious loft, here are some stylish apartment decorating ideas that will help you optimize and beautify every last square foot of space in your home.

Add a Colorful Rug

Most Lovely Things added warmth and color to a neutral-toned New York rental apartment with an overdyed rug, midcentury modern-inspired wall art, and velvet throw pillows in sunset shades of pink, gold, and orange.

Install a Breakfast Bar

This compact galley kitchen by deVOL Kitchens in a small, Georgian-style apartment in Bath, England has a two-seater, cafe-style breakfast bar built right next to the window to provide a cozy place for a cup of coffee or a meal. Open shelving maximizes wall space above.

Use Multipurpose Furniture

Save space and reduce visual clutter by choosing multipurpose furniture. This can mean anything from a high-end Murphy bed that doubles as a sofa or something as simple as a small dining table that can be used as a sitting area, home office, or place to play games and work on craft projects, like this Scandinavian apartment from Fantastic Frank.

Repurpose Space

Look for space-saving opportunities in a small apartment bedroom, like using the windowsill as a bedside table for a lamp and reading material.

Embrace Dark Tones

While many people stick with light colors, darker tones can make an apartment bedroom feel more cozy. Desiree Burns Interiors painted the wall behind the bed in matte black which creates a grounded feeling in this apartment bedroom, while a large window provides plenty of natural light.

Accent with Green and Blue

If you want to add a bit of color to your tiny abode while maintaining a light and neutral feel, choose soft natural colors like the pale greens and blues of this 205-square-foot Parisian studio apartment from Neva Interior Design.

Add a Pair of Love Seats

In this apartment living room from Joshua Smith Inc., a pair of love seats subs in for a large sectional sofa, providing enough seating while working with the existing layout of the room.

Paint the Entryway

A defined entry makes this less than 400-square-foot Parisian apartment from Neva Interior Design feel larger than it is, painted in a warm mustard yellow that gives it a welcoming feel and creates a sense of dimension when viewed from the main room.

Add Rustic Touches

Rustic touches like a metal and wood sliding barn door and a chunky wood dining table add warmth to this Hoboken, NJ apartment from AHG Interiors with its waterfront views of the Hudson River.

Camouflage the TV

In this sleek New York apartment from Tina Ramchandani Creative, a dark wood accent wall with a seamlessly built-in niche for a large flat screen helps to camouflage the TV when it's not in use.

Tip

If you're a renter on a budget, consider using removable wallpaper on the wall behind the TV to help it fade into the background when the screen is dark, or build a gallery wall around it so that it isn't an eyesore.

Try a Mobile Kitchen Island

If your apartment kitchen lacks counter space but has enough floor space, consider adding a small kitchen island on wheels that can be easily moved around. It serves multiple functions in a small apartment kitchen, from adding extra prep space to providing a place to eat casual meals. This island in a Brooklyn loft kitchen from Becca Interiors is painted sage green for a soft, neutral dose of color.

Opt for a Wet Room

If you just bought your first studio apartment and are renovating a tiny bathroom, consider installing a space-saving, streamlined wet room, like this small Scandinavian apartment bathroom from Fantastic Frank.

Double Space With Mirrors

Decorating with mirrors is an easy way to make any space feel larger and more luminous. In this New York City apartment from Tina Ramchandani Creative, a pair of tall mirrors on either side of the bed reflect and bounce around available light, while doubling views and making the room feel larger than it is.

Suspend the WC

In this small but bright and cheerful Parisian bathroom by Neva Interior Design, the simple choice to install a modern suspended toilet with hidden plumbing inside the wall makes the space feel roomier. It also makes the bathroom easier to clean.

Embrace Simplicity

This Scandinavian railroad-style apartment from Fantastic Frank is elegantly simple, with a black-and-white palette, clean lines, and industrial-style metal and glass partitions that visually define space without sacrificing light.

Hang Curtains High

Floor-to-ceiling drapes in this apartment make the ceilings look taller and the space feel grander. Plus, drapes can be paired with solar shades or sheer curtains that will let light in while blocking an unsightly view or depriving nosy neighbors of spying on your every move.

Style Your Bar Cart

A well-styled bar cart can serve as a festive focal point in a small apartment living room. In this boho-style living room from K Shan Design, a vintage rattan bar cart is styled with retro drinkware, black-and-white photography, and plants, making this entertainment station double as decor.

Add Statement Lighting

Swapping out a boring or dated overhead light is an easy way to elevate your apartment decor. In this galley-style New York kitchen from Sissy + Marley Interior Design, a delicate pendant light anchors the dining table and floats in front of the window, making a statement without blocking natural light or views.

Create a Storage Wall

Consider this minimalistic approach of adding a storage wall by either having it built-in or using components that appear to be built-in. Adding a multifunctional custom storage wall can house all your clothes, shoes, accessories, clutter, and a disappearing wall desk, like this chic mini studio work area from Paris-based Caroline Andreoni Interior Design.

Skip the Bathroom Vanity

While a bathroom vanity can add storage and counter space that some people find indispensable, not everyone needs a ton of storage under the sink. In this small bathroom from Becca Interiors, a vintage-style wall-mounted sink adds character while a mirrored medicine cabinet houses all the essentials.

Try Peel-and-Stick Tile

Sometimes the most depressing thing about a rental apartment kitchen is having to stare at a dated backsplash that you didn't choose and don't like. If your budget or your lease prohibits you from making cosmetic changes like swapping out the backsplash tiles, consider giving your kitchen a mini refresh by using DIY removable peel-and-stick tile like this space from A Beautiful Mess.

Create a Casual Bedroom

Define zones in a studio apartment while preserving an open feel with a glass partition. Fantastic Frank used an industrial-style glass and black metal half wall to create a casual, open bedroom in this studio apartment that doesn't block light or views.

Brighten a Windowless Bath

Many apartment bathrooms lack natural light. To compensate, consider adding a backlit mirror over the sink that will add ambient light while producing a flattering reflection, like in this New York City apartment bathroom from Tina Ramchandani Creative.

Create an Eat-In Kitchen

Add a small table and chairs to your apartment kitchen to create a cozy place for meals or meal prep, like in this light-flooded space from Fantastic Frank.

Add Pops of Color

A bubblegum pink wall here and a giant neon yellow pencil light sculpture there gives this otherwise neutral-toned apartment from Fantastic Frank a dose of personality.

Optimize Bathroom Storage

If your apartment bathroom is short on storage, look for opportunities to add shelving, like the recessed window in this bright modern bathroom from Emily Bowser for Emily Henderson Design.

Add Banquette Seating

In an apartment with a larger open-plan kitchen, adding a banquette along one wall can make the space feel more inviting, like this New York City apartment from Tina Ramchandani Creative.

Use Metallic Accents

Metallic accents will add shine and reflect light in a small space. This apartment kitchen from Desiree Burns Interiors is open to the living room, with metallic accents that are carried throughout the space for a cohesive look.

Accent with Bold Color

In a small space, a large piece of art or wall decor rather than a bunch of smaller pieces can have an outsize impact. A bold blue painting adds a mesmerizing dose of color in this neutral-toned apartment living room from Joshua Smith Inc.

Hang Removable Wallpaper

Removable wallpaper is an easy and budget-friendly way to bring some attitude to any room in your apartment. K Shan Design added color and pattern with a botanical print in this eclectic kitchen.

Define Space with Furniture

A small sectional defines the sitting area in this apartment living room from Joshua Smith Inc. to create a cozy feeling. The arrangement preserves traffic flow in and around the sofa without minimizing the intimacy of the space.

Define Areas With Lighting

A pendant lamp over the dining table easily defines your dining area in the same way that an area rug defines a space. By separately lighting your dining, kitchen, living, working, and sleeping spaces, you can illuminate areas in use and dim unused zones, giving you the sense that your apartment contains multitudes of living areas, like this space from Jessica Nelson Design.

Hide the Bed

If you feel awkward about entertaining in a small apartment with a visible bed or don’t like looking at the bed during waking hours, install a sofa bed, a Murphy bed, or hide your bed behind a screen. Or, use a daybed that functions as a couch by day and a sleeping space at night, like this space from Becca Interiors.

Design a Gallery Wall

Too many small pieces of art scattered on the walls of your apartment can make it look busy. Focus on a collection of small paintings and photographs to create a statement-making gallery wall above the sofa or a casual and chic space-saving daybed, like this space from William Hunter Collective for Emily Henderson Design.

Leverage Vertical Space

Utilizing vertical space will draw the eye upward and make your space feel larger than it is. Extend shelving to the ceiling, or hang plants, pendant lights, or art in the empty space above furniture, like this space from House 9 Interiors.

Incorporate Open Shelving

While it's often a good idea to incorporate hidden storage into a small space, too many closets, cabinets, dressers, and armoires can also eat up precious square feet. Open shelving can keep a kitchenette feeling light and airy and encourage you to edit your possessions to the essentials, like this space from Emily Henderson Design.

Absorb Sound With Textiles

While you can’t fix thin walls and shoddy construction with decor, you can reduce noise from neighboring apartments by layering sound-absorbing textiles. Pile on plush wool rugs, pillows, throws, drapes, and upholstered furniture, like this space from Home and Spirit.

Add a Bed Bench

In a studio apartment with a visible bed, add a bench at the end to create a sense of separation from the rest of the room.

Marie Flanigan Interiors chose a small upholstered bench that blends in with the bed dressed in white linens that practically disappears.

Trade Doors for Curtains

Use colorful patterned curtains to hide open closets or small corner kitchens in a smaller apartment. Studio Peake hung a green-and-white botanical print curtain on the outside of this all-white L-shaped London kitchen outfitted with open shelving and compact appliances.

Maximize Outdoor Space

If your apartment has outdoor space like a small balcony, make the most of it with practical furniture and decor to create an indoor-outdoor feel. This compact space for two from Caitlin Higgins for Emily Henderson Design has a bistro table and chairs, gold accents, and greenery to create an outdoor room.

Create an Open Closet

If your apartment bedroom lacks a closet, cobble one together with a mix of open shelving, hanging rods, and furniture.

Neva Interior Design added a small vanity table and mirror to make this tiny Parisian bedroom double as a dressing room and decorated with plants.

Use a Neutral Palette

In a high-rise apartment with a wall of windows, use a quiet neutral palette that doesn't compete with the city views.

Desiree Burns Interiors chose a Japandi-style look in this Boston condo for an organic feel.

How do I decorate my apartment so it looks trendy?

Trends come and go, but style is forever. Chasing the latest trend means you will have to redecorate before you know it, so focus on choosing quality furniture and tasteful decor that will stand the test of time. Then you can rotate in affordable, on-trend accessories that will make it feel fresh and current.

How do I decorate my apartment on a budget?

Decorate your apartment on a budget by making smart choices about where you source your decor and how much of it you use. Challenge yourself to buy vintage or secondhand pieces at local thrift stores and flea markets or your favorite online marketplaces. Keeping an eye on your budget and consumption will help the planet by keeping sustainability in mind when making choices about what to bring into your home.

How do I decorate my small apartment?

The first rule of decorating a small apartment is to treat it with as much respect and care as you would a larger space. Pay special attention to proportion and scale so that big pieces like beds, dining tables, and seating like couches fit your small space without overwhelming it.

Choose a neutral palette to make the space feel light and airy and accentuate with color or metallics. Decorate with mirrors to help the space feel bigger and brighter, and never underestimate the feel-good power of adding plants.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.