Designing Your First Apartment

With the price of real estate zooming uncontrollably upwards, millions of people choose to live in studio apartments.  These small spaces can save you a ton of money in rent but the cramped square footage can present a challenge when it comes to decorating the space.  Without a lot of room for furniture, it will require some creativity to make your tiny apartment space feel like a cozy home.  Try to incorporate these items into your apartment to create a design that you can enjoy for years to come.

Choose a sofa that serves a double purpose as a fold out bed.  This will allow you to turn the small space into a cool hang out where you can entertain friends.  People don't want to come over if your only seating option is your bed.  By having the option to fold up your bed when company is coming over, you will take your social opportunities to an entirely new level.  If you have a larger apartment and have room for a bed and a sofa, you should still opt for a sofa bed.  This will give you extra space where guests can sleep when they come over to spend the night.  Sofa beds come in a variety of colors and patterns, so your options are limitless.

By incorporating decorative pillows into your space, you are inserting a splash of color and texture into the design without taking up a lot of square footage.  Find decorative pillows that complement your decorating style or theme and then put them on your sofa or on your bed.

Incorporating enough seating to accommodate your guests is important.  If you love to entertain, don't forget to add seating space everywhere you can fit it within your home.  That might mean that you have folding chair stashed away under the bed or in the closet.  Have a contingency plan in case you ever need extra seating so your guests aren't stuck standing around or sitting on the floor.

Choose tables for your space that can serve a variety of purposes.  A coffee table can also be a great place for storage if it has drawers underneath.  You could use almost anything as a table top surface with a little creativity.  An old trunk is a cool way to create a coffee table and get lots of storage space for linens.

Every apartment owner should use rugs to their design advantage.  Beautiful shaped rugs in bright colorsadd a pop of design flair and an additional layer of color and texture to your room.  You can find a wide array of rugs to fit any theme from bamboo rugsand wool rugs to animal print rugs and nursery rugs.

Don't forget to add great lighting to your space. Steer clear of harsh overhead lights that make a small apartment feel even more cramped and sterile.  Use lamps to soften the room up and consider adding in candles for an additional touch of softness.

No matter what you choose to do with your apartment design, incorporate a few strategic pieces and your space will come alive with your creativity!