In need of a little extra room? You’re not alone. With the average square footage of apartments changing over the last 10 years, renters’ design styles have adapted accordingly. We’ve compiled 12 design tips to help make your small apartment feel more like a spacious home.
1. Use hooks to hang and organize items
At less than $15 per set, Ikea racks and hooks are a perfect tool for organizing small spaces. Try making a coat rack nook or a wall for hanging bags and hats.
2. Colorful walls
The right wallpaper or paint color adds character and depth to a room, creating the illusion that there’s more space in it than there actually is. While white walls reveal everything, colorful walls make your space feel bigger, even if it’s secretly smaller.
3. Add an island to your kitchen
A lot of small apartments have kitchens that lack proper counter space; one solution is to create a prep island that also doubles as a dining table. Add some plants or decor when you want it to function as a table, and remove them when you need it as meal prepping space.
4. Turn a bookshelf into a room divider
One functional way to create more space in a studio or small apartment is to use a bookshelf as a room divider. You can make it extra useful by placing shoes and bags on the shelves, or it can be the perfect place to show off your personal library.
5. Install hanging bookshelves
Image via homedit 
These invisible bookshelves we found on Amazon are super cool, but there are also longer floating shelves you can hang on the walls above your bed, in the entryway, or in your living room.
6. Use wall space for plants
Weekend DIY – pick up some wooden crates and planks at your local home improvement store and head to your farmers market to buy some small house plants. If you’re allowed to nail into your apartment walls, attach the wooden crates to your walls and fill them with your house plants. Adding greenery to the walls of your small apartment will add depth and create the illusion of more space.
7. Use curtains and room dividers
Like the diving bookshelf, curtains and room dividers can also work for small spaces. Create two different areas out of one open space and you’ll feel like you have a little more room to breathe.
8. Find clever ways to store your bikes
Whether you opt for the taller bike rack that can hold two bikes, or the minimalist ones, like those from Racor, your apartment will benefit from you putting your bike somewhere other than in the little free space you have in your living room.
9. Make your closet mobile
Constantly having company over and need some extra space? Ditch the clunky dresser and opt for a mobile clothing rack with wheels. You can move it around as needed and it looks pretty chic, too.
10. Find creative areas for an office
Working from home in a cramped space is no fun. Consider installing a foldout table (if your landlord approves) and it’ll become your office when you need it. When you’re done, simply fold it back into the wall.
11. Use picture frames (the right way)
We all use picture frames on our walls. Use them the right way, though, and your apartment will feel bigger. The rule of thumb here is: the higher you hang your picture frames (within reason – don’t hang them at the very top of your walls), the taller and larger your space will feel.
12. Modernize your kitchen walls
In addition to adding a kitchen island, a simple way to create a more spacious kitchen is to use its walls. Floating shelves can hold small food items, bowls, or jars, and pots and pans can hang from hooks.
Looking for a new place? Check out apartments for rent on Zumper and use these design tips in your new spot.
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