How to make the most of a tiny apartment?
Question:I am moving into a very, very small efficiency by myself. The kitchen and patio are of a decent size but the living/bedroom area is even smaller than my old bedroom in my parents' house. (I wish I had pics to show just how small it is.)
Any ideas about furniature that won't take up much space and will fit my belongings without clutter? Thanks.
Answers:
Use a futon (rather than both a couch and a bed)
An entertainment center for your TV, stereo, etc. that also will fit movies, books, knick knacks, etc. Perhaps end tables with drawers--so you can keep it tidy.
I hope that you, at least, have a lot of closet/storage space. If not, get those Rubbermaid storage boxes with lids, and store a lot of things in them. You could also use closet organizers.
Since your living/sleeping area is so small--make a lot of use of your patio--decorate it with wind chimes, a barbecue grill, table, and anything that will make you feel comfortable using it.
Also use your kitchen (you could put a small TV, radio, etc. in there--that way you are not always enclosed in your small living area.
I now live in a very small studio. I use a daybed, my computer is on one of my very tall end tables, and a plant & my phone are on the other one. I have a thin pole-lamp, an entertainment center that holds my TV, stereo, VCR-DVD player, books and movies.
My kitchen is also tiny--so I am fortunate to have a very large, enclosed yard. My table and barbecue grill are out there--so are my cleaning supplies (in storage containers), a trash can, and a place where I hang my laundry to dry in the sun.
I have little closet space, so again those storage boxes for out-of-season clothing, and basically anything that I don't use often, and don't have room for.
Surf online for storage ideas. There are beds, couches, and chairs designed for storage.
Use light looking pieces, like wicker or bamboo. Don't go for heavy upholstered furniture. (And check out Scandinavian type places like Ikea.)
it all depends of the placement of your furniture.. and adding mirrors will help too. the color red also makes a small room look bigger...
for your sleeping arrangements, get a bed that flips up against the wall and virtually disappears..., or a sleeper sofa that folds away.
Is the living room/bedroom area one space?
well, for your bedroom area, you could put a day bed, and put clear storage boxes underneath it so you can store out of season things [i.e. winter coats, scarves, gloves etc.]
Instead of putting a big bulky dresser, you can put some hanging storage boxes [I got mine from Ikea] and put your underwear and pajamas in the different compartments and hang it from the rack in your closet [if you have a closet].
For your living room area, buy a small corner desk that can function as your office. You can buy 2 or 3 small ottomans and put them together to function as a coffee table. It's also best if the inside is hollow and you can open it from the top, it's great for storage. Buy 2 armchairs [if you can fit them] and combine them with the ottomans to create a great conversation area. It's also a great idea to install some shelving on your walls.
Make sure to arrange your furniture so it's not overwhelming the size of your room. Buy functional pieces of furniture [such as the ottomans] that can be used not only for storage, but as a nightstand or something else.
I really hope this helps. I can't imagine living in that small of an apartment =]
Go to an Ikea store to look around for ideas. Pretty much all the room displays are done by interior decorators and are geared towards very small apartments (some less than 200 sq ft)
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