Hi, I’ve just moved to a one bedroom apartment in London. Do you have any ideas on how to make to most out of it? Thanks, Joe

There are quite a few ways to decorate a small space that can maximize the living area and make it seem larger than it is. In fact, there are five major ways to make the most of limited space:

1.    Use clever, aesthetically pleasing storage solutions
o    In a small space, you want to keep the room as uncluttered as possible. Think about only the essentials that you’d need in your bedroom or living area—a bed, a nightstand, possible a wardrobe if closet space is inadequate. Make sure these three major pieces of bedroom furniture come with storage solutions, as that can help keep the room uncluttered, open and appear larger. A storage bed is an absolute must-have in a small bedroom. Make sure your nightstand also had enough drawers and space to hold personal items and that your wardrobe lso makes the most of the space it takes up. You can also do the same for your living room just by removing any furniture you don’t know, and carefully choosing the ones you do need.

2.    Paint the room the right kind of colour
o    White walls make a room look bigger, so when choosing colours for your walls, the lighter the better. White can sometimes be jarring for the senses though, and I personally prefer a softer, off-white hue for my bedroom and living areas.

3.    Keep the room light and breezy
o    Utilise the windows in your home. The best thing to do to make your living area and bedroom feel light, airy and larger is to let the light in. Clean your windows with glass cleaner as best you can and choose shades that can be easily pulled back. Make sure to keep the shades open when you have guests over and open up the windows whenever it’s not too cold out.

4.    Limit the amount of furniture to ones that are functional
o    Ironically, a few big pieces of furniture instead of a lot of small ones make rooms look bigger. It’s a basic design concept that most people don’t know about. Small pieces of furniture scattered throughout the room can make a space feel cluttered and cramped, but selecting only a few essential, large pieces of furniture makes the room look larger, simplified and modern. Brown leather sofas are a popular option since leather is extremely luxurious and looks amazing in any room. A sofa with cushions can add a touch of comfort and softness to a bland room as well.

5.    Furniture arrangement
o    In a small room, furniture arrangement should be all about function and simplicity. Only include furniture that is absolutely necessary and chuck everything that isn’t. When you set essential furniture in your bedroom and living room, think about the flow of the room. When one enters your home, where do their eyes naturally go? Consider placing your focal point there, be it your telly or your couch. Consider how one walks through your home. One should be able to walk comfortably through the house without having to squeeze around anything or step over anything. One also shouldn’t have to slow their gait to carefully get by any furniture you should have. Arrange your furniture in a way that’ll ensure comfort for guests and for yourselves.

Congrats to your new place, Joe!! Feel free to ask us anything else you may think of in the future

-The Shopaholic Team

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