Small Space Decorating

If you missed these tiny but idea-packed house tours, we got you.

The design pros have spoken.

Without using a rug or a room divider!

If you love decorating for the holidays but don't have a ton of room, these ideas for getting festive with a small footprint might just be the answer.

There are only so many spots for souvenir mugs.

One of the enduring debates among our readers is whether to transition a child from their crib to a toddler-size bed or go straight to a twin bed (or bigger). It’s a decision most parents will make at one time or another, and there is a multitude of competing factors to consider. This debate has come up time and again on Apartment Therapy, with hundreds of comments on the topic.

A few lessons from real-life studio apartment layouts, created by real-life studio apartment dwellers like yourself.

Here are some ideas for those couple spare rolls.

“I’m 50 years old, and I bought my first place four years ago, so there was a lot of catching up to do — and all of that is okay,” she said.

Here’s a story that might make you more than a little jealous: Alain Meyer, who works at an advertising agency in Paris, was bored one day at work. He heard some of his co-workers talking about studio apartments, and decided to do a little hunting online. He happened to find one that he really liked — a trim 30 square meters (323 square feet), in the sixth arrondisement, where he grew up. So he bought it. Just like that.

This spring, we brought back our Small/Cool contest for the first time since 2016. Now we have one more update, and it's a big one...

Does your home feature a long, narrow living room, kitchen, hallway, bedroom or some other space? There are some decorating tricks and tips that can really help balance out a long and narrow space and make your room feel more visually balanced (and more comfortable to be in). Try one or more of these tips today. It’s not that you always have to match the shape or style of room you have when you’re looking for furniture.

Sometimes the simplest pieces of furniture are what you need the most.

Do you have a cramped, small, hard-to-move in bathroom? Do you feel slightly claustrophobic every morning when getting ready for work? If you rent or don’t have the funds for a huge wall-moving renovation that will literally give you more space, try one of these six ideas that could improve the feel, at least. Some changes are big, and some are small, but all will go toward creating a more spacious feeling space — perhaps you’ll find something you can try this weekend?

You might not be able to change a lot of things in your small kitchen, but you can do the next best thing: give the illusion of larger, more open, space. Breathe better, and move about with ease, with these six suggestions: Low Contrast Color: Keep everything in the same color family, with minor variation. Light colors, or all white helps too. In the kitchen above, the cabinets and appliances blend in with the walls, and things feel more spacious than they actually are.

Cats who live in apartments face one very serious threat: boredom. Here are a few ideas for how to make your apartment a veritable kitty playground.

Curtains have never looked so chic.

Living well in close quarters requires, among other things, efficient furniture placement. These studios, one-bedroom apartments, and one house show how you can make your home’s spatial quirks and shortcomings work in your favor.Studio apartments offer the obvious challenge of making one space function as several. In slightly larger apartments, the living room often works overtime as an office area, dining room, and entryway.

It’s a common misconception that small spaces can’t handle large furnishings. One large piece can do a lot to make a small room inviting, anchored, and even feel bigger! Take the sofa, for instance. Arranging a small sofa in a tight space with a couple of other chairs can make a space feel over-full, with little spots of furniture all over the place (not to mention all of those legs!).

Does your bathroom have a pedestal sink? I definitely feel your short-on-storage pain. Here’s how to make the most of your small bathroom, with examples from our House Tours: 1. Add furniture. If your bathroom has a layout that allows for a freestanding piece of furniture, count your lucky stars and get to shopping. 2. Utilize the top of your toilet. If your tank has a flat top, use it for some practical and pretty open storage. 3. Any flat surface is fair game.

We’re powering along during our celebration of small spaces this month. For those of us who can’t get enough of the topic, here’s a group of posts from our archives presenting a nice round number (100!) of ideas and inspirations. These are time-tested, proven-popular posts that are sure to have something for everyone… dig in, dive deep and bookmark for the best results!

Most conventional advice recommends keeping work outside of the bedroom to boost calm and serenity within a sleeping space. But apparently most conventional advice givers have never had to make it all work with just 550 square feet. The bedroom-plus-office combo has always been a solid solution for tight quarters, and here’s one more tip to keep a dual duty bedroom comfortable. With space at a minimum, corners have to be cut — four of them to be exact.

This foldable electric tea kettle tucks away when I'm not using it.

These actual homes — from lofts, to studio apartments, to houses — will illustrate how big 500 square feet is and what it feels like to live in such a small space.

In this 200-square-foot studio, a wood stain makes a big difference.

This is how you can give visitors their own dedicated space.

Get to know Home Depot's softer side.

Who knew this piece could function so well in a bathroom?

If you're only using curtains to dress windows, you're missing out!

Plant stands are cool, but sometimes when it comes to plants, the higher up, the better.

According to TikTok, the wall is a "fancy room divider."

It solved my coffee mug problem.

Seeing signs of work while moving around your home makes it tough to truly rest, which is why this solution from Manhattan residents Grant Griglak and Grayden Holubar is so appealing.

When it comes to floating shelves, the possibilities are endless!

These chairs deserve a seat on your shopping list.

After this, you'll never look at thin storage ladders the same way again.

Tiny houses with tons of ideas you can steal for your space, big or small.

Could you live there?

It's the ultimate small-space, double-duty find.

Even if you don't have a closet!

It creates counter space out of thin air.

If you like to see a versatile piece of furniture, then you'll really love this.

Forget designers! I'm trolling this site for inspo instead.

And this spot that used to just collect dust can actually hold your book collection.

And you can buy one at IKEA!

If high-end bouclé isn't currently in your budget, you can find a few ways to get the look for less. Typically, that involves smaller pieces, but if you're ready to invest in a more substantial furnishing that won't totally break the bank, the best place to try bouclé may actually be in your bedroom... for your headboard.

This genius design adds more dining room seating that doubles as a place to lounge.

You don't need a pool, a yard, or even a lot of square feet to enjoy your own piece of outdoor heaven — these 17 perfectly pretty and exceptionally petite balconies are proof that you don't need a ton of space to be able to enjoy the outdoors at home!

Plant parents take note!

I'm adding these salt and pepper shakers to my cart right now.

After this, you won't ever look at your radiator the same.

Think big when it comes to adding art to small spaces. This year’s Small/Cool NYC designers have created rooms that offer all the evidence you need. 

Straight from our 2022 Small Cool Experience.

See how two Small/Cool designers styled the same small space-friendly lamp in two completely different (but equally beautiful) ways.

Imani Keal wants you to be fearless with your small-space decor.

I'm definitely copying this.

You can't move the walls, but you can make a room appear bigger.

Figuring out the whole dining without a proper dining room situation is really just a matter of going a little 007 with your table.

Here's how to live large in a small space!

And did we mention it's on major sale?

If you're low on square footage, you can still have a super-stylish home office.

Plus, how to control lighting to have a similar impact.

If you're looking for an affordable solution to your small kitchen storage woes, IKEA is coming to the rescue!

Turns out, you don't have to mount your TV to save some floor space!

As a photographer/filmmaker/enthusiastic home cook/tea-loving, infrared sauna-owning, pole-dancing bicyclist, I have to be mindful about making my space functional while trying to avoid clutter — and still ensuring that it feels and looks nice.

We'll cheers to that!

And it's on sale right now. Get it before it's gone!

From storage to layouts to sleeping arrangements, there are all sorts of considerations that have to be figured out when sharing a small home with a family (of any size).

It's the perfect WFH solution!

This $45 find is a small-space miracle.

Because some days, all you want to do is curl up with a good book.

Inspo from our very own house tours!