Decorating Your Small Apartment

By Author: Justin Jones
Total Articles: 3764
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If your new quarters consists of just one large room that combines the functions of eating, cooking, sleeping, sitting, and reading, keep furnishings small scale and not too individualised. Pieces that later might took too small in a larger home can always be recycled into more casual, smaller rooms, such as a library or family room, or from the master bedroom or sitting room into a child's bedroom.

You may also want to physically divide some spaces in a small apartment with roller blinds or dividers or a tall piece of furniture, such as a high chest of drawers. A corner of a living room can be cordoned off to offer some privacy for a desk in a home office, or a low row of chests can separate two beds when roommates share a bedroom.

As the world has changed, so has the way we live. The new global economy now gives cities, suburbs, towns, and even rural areas a heightened role to play in daily lives. With no place completely out of bounds, an increased number of residents seek temporary accommodation for pleasure and business in far-flung places.

A hotel ...
... can sometimes be too impersonal, expensive, or hard to secure on a regular basis; similarly, a friend or family member's offer of a place to stay wears thin after repeated visits. On the other hand, a pied-a-terre, which translates from the French to a "foot on the ground," offers an appealing alternative as a little home away from home.

In such apartments, owners can hang their hat, stretch out, and really relax, surrounded by a few cherished furnishings and mementos.

Think of the space in the same vein as a Bach cantata; short and sweet, rather than a full symphony played by an orchestra. These small, second homes-away-from-home present a refuge from the commotion of a day's work or play, and a platform to jump back into the world after rest and refreshment.

They become a place to slip into something more comfortable and familiar, enjoy breakfast casually, chat or work on the phone, and stash needed belongings and supplies for the next break.

Because these spaces are not used all the time and are typically small, you do not need to spend a lot on the furnishings. Invest in some good quality primary pieces such as a comfortable sofa bed, an expandable dining table that can double as a desk with appropriate chairs, maybe an area rug or two, an end table and coffee table, and a few favorite accents to add warmth and personality.

You might also include a beloved art piece or two, son cherished art, and a favorite inexpensive collection such as snowglobes, sporting trophies, postcards, family photos to further the feeling of home.