Furnishing a Small Apartment: Top Space-Saving Ideas for Cozy Living
Updated: Apr. 15, 2024
Outfit your sweet new space like a pro with these small apartment furniture tips and suggestions.
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Considerations When Buying Small Apartment Furniture
Furnishing an apartment can come with a hefty price tag and might leave you holding the bag. It’s no fun trying to return a piece of furniture that doesn’t fit through the door or work in the space. Trying to sell it or give it away when you move out can be problematic as well.
When shopping for furniture for a small apartment, consider the following:
- Cost: Develop a budget and stick with it. It’s possible to find quality, stylish pieces at affordable prices, although some are well worth investing a little extra.
- Size: Measure. Measure again. Measure the hallway. Measure the stairwell landings. Measure the elevator. Measure your door frames. Then do it again. It’s a huge bummer to buy a sofa and sweat it through six flights of stairs only to discover you can’t get it through your doorway. Compare your careful measurements to the specs online, and/or bring a tape measure and notebook to the store with you. Trust us on this one.
- Transportability: If this isn’t your forever home but you’re buying something that might be a staple piece for years, think about assembly and disassembly. How much of a hassle is it to move in, and what will it be like to move it out?
- Style: Have fun! These pieces are interchangeable. The market for reselling furnishings online is still hot. And contrary to what you may read, choosing color, pattern and texture can actually help your space feel bigger, airier and more energetic. Life’s too short to live in a boring space, whether you have 200 square feet or 2,000.
Rolling Cart
A multipurpose cart can be a lifesaver in a small space, and the IKEA Rashult delivers. Use it as a small-but-mighty organizer in the kitchen as a rolling pantry, the foyer to hold keys and small items, or the bathroom for towels and supplies. Other styles have a countertop, if you need more of that.
Tuck it in a closet to get it out of the way or if you need organization there. The higher sides on the shelves keep things from falling off when you roll it around. And it’s a steal at $30.
Nesting Tables
Again, furniture layout flexibility is key to a beautifully furnished small apartment. Nesting tables are your friend.
Group them together to make a modular coffee table, conversation nook or party spread. Separate them for side tables, nightstands or occasional uses. And nest them together to save space when you don’t need them all at once. Brilliant!
These little mid-century-style beauties are minimal and spare, but also make a style statement.
Bathroom Etagere
The most basic of bathrooms gets an immediate upgrade with an etagere that simply slips over the toilet and up the wall. Some are even freestanding, which eliminates wall repair and saves your damage deposit when you move out.
These are especially great if you lack a medicine cabinet or under-sink storage. They come in a range of styles, sizes, and configurations.
This bathroom etagere is a great example for farmhouse modern lovers. Consider whether you’d like a little privacy for your bathroom storage. Prescriptions or hygiene items you want to stow away will require some cabinet fronts.
Area Rug
Area rugs can define ambiguous spaces, creating zones that let spaces flow while feeling open and airy. They can also cover up subpar or generic carpeting or flooring. An eye-catching area rug also adds texture, pattern and color that delights the eye.
A large-scale pattern can trick you into thinking the space as larger than it is. Directional patterns, like on this Jason Wu rug, elongate the space as they draw the eye. Update your apartment with these innovative and stylish decorating ideas that won’t make you lose your deposit.
Mirrors
If you can’t paint or use reusable/removable wallpaper, mirrors are masters of space illusion. Choose a frame that matches your personal style, or go frameless for a seamless sight line.
This Paris Apartment-style set includes an oval mirror, a leaning full-length mirror (so glam!) and a mantel mirror. Each reflects light and opens up your small space. And we bet you’ll enjoy these for many years to come.
Ottoman With Storage
If you need a place to put your feet up, store your remote and favorite blanket and balance a snack plate, pick an ottoman with storage. This one from West Elm lets you choose your dimension and customize it to your living room, hallways and stairways.
The smooth wood top means you don’t have to buy a separate tray to balance food and drinks. Keeping things clutter-free is one step toward a polished apartment look, and this unfussy ottoman delivers.
Barstools
If you have a bar-height counter in your apartment, you could forgo a dining table to save space. These metal barstools maintain a low profile and stack for easy storage and moving. And the stools come in five colors!
Wall-Mounted Coat Rack
Don’t have a mudroom, foyer or even an entryway closet? That’s a recipe for mess and clutter as soon as you walk in the door. Instead of taking up precious floor space with a freestanding coat tree, utilize your wall space.
This minimal but stylish wall-mounted coat rack keeps coats, umbrellas, hats, dog leashes and other outdoor gear stowed while looking like metal wall art.
If you get the OK from your landlord, consider this modern DIY wall-mounted coat rack.
Modular Sofa
The sofa is the centerpiece of a living space and a workhorse piece of furniture, so investing in quality is never wrong, But sofas can be too big to pivot on stair landings or fit through narrow doorways.
Choosing a modular sofa works to your apartment-dwelling advantage in a couple of ways. First, you can configure your sofa to your room-size specifications. Second, modular sofas can be rearranged, broken apart and restyled when you want a new look or set up for a party.
This option from PB Teen (yes, PB Teen!) marries style with function and quality. Customize the upholstery and really make it a statement piece.
Drop-Leaf Table
Drop-leaf tables offer the best of both worlds. They fold down flush to create a narrow hallway or sofa table, which is easy to maneuver when you move. Then, when you pull it up the sides, it becomes a larger table, perfect for dinner or board games. Another perk: The sides stay attached, so you don’t need separate storage for them as you would a table with leaves. Here are a few studio apartment storage ideas.
This particular table is cool because the trestle-style legs don’t stick out. That means you won’t trip over them or maneuver furniture around them.
Originally Published: March 15, 2023
