Modest square footage and decorating restrictions don’t help when trying to decorate your 800-square-foot apartment.
If you’re having a tough time creating an orderly and usable apartment that still has style, here are a few ideas for you.
How big is an 800-square-foot apartment?
Eight hundred square feet is about as big as five parking spaces or a room that’s just bigger than 28 by 28 feet. And it’s a little smaller than three school buses put together.
What does an 800-square-foot apartment look like?
An 800-square-foot apartment will get you a simple one- maybe two-bedroom layout. While the rooms may not be huge, they’re usable and will give you plenty of room to move around and live your life comfortably.
You’ll likely get a kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom and maybe extra closet space for storage or a dining room if you’re lucky.
Source: The Grove at One92
5 ways to decorate your 800-square-foot apartment
It can be intimidating to decorate small spaces because we hear about so many things we shouldn’t do and we wonder what we should do to make the most of our living space.
Whatever you do, invite a little bit of luxury and a lot of your personality into your apartment décor and you can’t go wrong.
1. Choose statement pieces
Instead of cramming your apartment full of big pieces of furniture and décor, stick to a limited number of pieces that make a big statement. Choose one or two elements to define each room that really grabs your attention.
Use a bold coffee table or a large piece of wall art and center everything else in the room around it. Or, if your kitchen cabinets are bland and you’re not allowed to paint them, find eccentric peel-and-stick tiles to put on the floor to add interest to the room.
2. Embrace the dark
In a space that’s extremely small, too many dark colors are a mistake. But with 800 square feet, you can make good use of the dark. Play with darker tones to add depth to the room — like adding dark navy curtains to contrast a white wall or using a deep gray rug for the floor.
If you’re a little skeptical of using dark colors in your apartment, you can always start small by testing out little elements — try a bold, black frame around artwork and add a few pillows with darker fabrics to your couch. Have fun with it and you’ll be surprised by the results!
3. Add molding
You usually won’t find molding in cheap apartments — it’s often used in luxury settings. To make your apartment look and feel more luxurious, you can add molding. You can buy removable molding that’s actually reusable, so you can take it with you if you move or even change where it is in your current apartment if you decide to mix things up. You’ll be amazed by what a few simple pieces of wooden molding can do for a wall.
4. Mix in metallics
If you’re unsure of what colors to add to an apartment, you can, instead, opt for metallics. Metallics pair well with most colors and the different metals and finishes can easily be mixed and matched.
There are metallic elements that can play into your theme, whatever it may be. If you want a high-end feel, try polished gold or silver. And if you want a rustic or vintage setting, use copper and metals that are tarnished and worn.
5. Go monochromatic
When you’ve got a few rooms to decorate, you want them to be different but still flow together. Cue the monochromatic theme. Stick to one color and use various shades and hues of it in each room. Especially if you’re worried the colors you choose might clash, using one color will make it easier on you and it will still have a positive effect on your apartment.
Living in an 800-square-foot apartment
You have a little more room than most other small apartments, so use your freedom and have fun with it! There’s no harm in experimenting with colors, metals and different styles of décor. Use what makes you feel good!
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