About 80% of City Chic Decor subscribers live in small, rental spaces. That’s no surprise, right?
I have walked into countless client homes and seen the same mistakes over and over again. So naturally, I figured I would showcase some common no-nos I’ve come across, and utilize them as an informative blog post! 🙂
1. Hanging your curtains too low
This is the #1 mistake people make in their smaller homes! LISTEN UP Y’ALL: Curtains have magic powers. They can make your space feel larger than it actually is AND make it feel more luxurious at the same time. TOO MANY PEOPLE make the mistake of hanging their curtains where the window starts. DO NOT DO THIS! Always make sure to hang your curtains at least 4 inches above where your window starts. This will make your space feel grander, larger and BRIGHTER!
2. Using too much color
As much as you might think it so… I AM NOT AGAINST COLOR! I love light blues, blushes, greens, and reds. However, if you live in a very small space, color is not your friend (as much as you might like it!). Harsh colors such as yellows, reds, oranges, and purples will make your space feel smaller, more cramped and less inviting. If you live in a smaller space, neutral colors such as whites, grays, light blues and tans are the best pallets to turn to. You can still incorporate your favorite pops of color in smaller accents such as pillows, blankets, and decor.
3. Not separating your space
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve walked into an apartment and saw a sofa at one end of the room and the TV 10 feet away, at the other end of the room, I would be a millionaire. Your first instinct in a small apartment is usually to place furniture against a wall. However, dividing the space into even smaller areas (by floating furniture or utilizing room dividers) will not only maximize your space but also allow you to dedicate certain areas for multiple purposes. I always suggest floating a sofa and using the leftover space for storage or a workspace.
GET THE LOOK
XO, Chelsey
Great article as always
You’re full of shit. Color is can work in any area. And since you don’t reply to comments I’m RIGHT.
That’s not a very nice thing to say!
AGREED!!!! What a load of crap this “article” is.
No need to hate 🙂 If you don’t like it, that’s ok! No need to post mean comments. XO
Thank you! 🙂
I’m so happy you said to keep pale colors in a small apartment! I’ve just moved into a 774 square foot one bedroom apartment in Miami Beach. All my walls are chalk white, with the exception of one slate gray wall dividing the apartment in half between living/dining/kitchen and the bathroom and bedroom. So I’ve bought a light gray couch, light gray velvet chaise lounge day/bed and white bookcases, kitchen table, and a marble desk with white faux leather chair. It’s light and airy but I’m thinking of painting the walls an accent color. Maybe pastel blue? Light green? Something ocean?
Hi ! Love the pink mural if we moved would we be able to restick elsewhere?
Hi Chelsea.. I have such a tiny flat.. is not a studio but may as well be.. and will probably be a renter forever lol. To make certain furniture fit I have had to literally swap the bedroom and living room/lounge.. sigh.. I hate it but my other half insisted… as my couch needed to be against the longest wall in the flat and also to fit the end table…I split my bedroom pedestals up and use one of them as the lounge end table… I know the trend is to mix and match then to be too matchy mathcy…
My lounge furniture is way too big but I am going to change up my tv cabinet later this year for a more streamlined skinnier plasma unit… this wont let me attach pics or id show you but basically all my stuff is white painted furniture with greys but my lounge has a duck egg blue couch so I’ve added colour pop to that room to be different lol
I HATE my kitchen colour, I so wish it was white but sadly when one rents and am scared that the contact idea will damage the melamine when I move out.. oh well…
Anne
Email me at chelsey@citychicdecor.com 🙂 We will figure it out together!
You’re doing great sweetie!
I love this site. I rent 520 square feet, and it is challenging, especially since my apartment has so little storage space and the kitchen cabinets are positioned poorly so it’s hard to even see/reach half of my items. I realized I might be too in love with color and am really impressed with your designs/ideas. Keep up the great work!