Do you have a small space and a small budget but you need to make big changes to your apartment? I got you. Small apartments can be especially tricky when decorating, I know I made a lot of mistakes and wasted a lot of money when I moved into my first apartment. Small apartments can be cozy and comfortable without breaking the bank. The trick is to plan ahead and keep things simple, here are six things you can do to completely transform your small apartment on a budget.
For the purpose of keeping things budget friendly, I’ll be including my top picks that are under $100 each.
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A Large Mirror on the Wall
When I moved into my first studio apartment in 2021, I went on a shopping spree for home decor, trying to copy that perfect cozy aesthetic Pinterest look. But instead of getting those vibes, my place ended up looking like a hoarder’s den. What did I do? I got rid of a lot of junk that did not bring me joy ( Marie Kondo inspo anyone?) and kept the essentials. One of these essentials is a large mirror. Trust me when I say that nothing will make your space feel bigger than a large mirror. Mirrors bounce around the light, making everything brighter and more inviting. They serve a practical and aesthetic purpose – plus it’s an easy trick to make your home feel way more chill and way less cramped. Since mirrors technically do not take up a lot of floor space, they are the perfect home decor item when your your space is minimal. I shopped around for many mirrors, but the ones that I liked the most were asymmetrical or organic shaped mirrors, mirrors that have fun and interesting patterns and vintage inspired mirrors.
Irregular Mirror, Asymmetrical Mirror, Cloud Mirror, Wavy Mirror, Vanity Mirror for Wall Decoration, Black Framed Wall Mirror for Living Room Bathroom Bedroom Entryway, 28″x20″
Muzilife 18 x 22” Asymmetrical Bathroom Clouds Mirror, Irregular Frameless Wall Mirror with Wood Backplane, Scalloped Wall Vanity Mirror, Decorative for Living Room Bedroom Entryway Hallway
22×30 Inch Antique Scroll Carved Arch Wood Wall Mirror, Antique Black, Mirror for Entryway, Living Room, Bathroom
The Perfect Chair
The second key essential to transforming your bedroom is the furniture. Now, you may think that since you have a small apartment, you would hardly have any floor space for furniture, however, not all furniture needs to be big and bulky. Regardless of limited floor space, one such furniture ‘must have’ is the day to day chair. From buckling your shoes to enjoying your morning tea, you need a chair to kick back and relax in. For the perfect non-bulky chair, I would recommend a sling chair or director chair. These chairs tend to be inexpensive and you can also see right through and under them so they actually take up less visual space making the room to feel more open. For more comfort, you can also get an armless sofa, these sofas look extra cozy and they take up less space than a normal sofa.
ZINUS Aidan Sling Accent Chair / Metal Framed Armchair with Shredded Foam Cushioning, Oatmeal
Tiita Saucer Chair with Ottoman, Soft Faux Fur Oversized Folding Accent Chair,Lounge Lazy Chair, Metal Frame Moon Chair for Bedroom, Living Room, Dorm Rooms, Garden and Courtyard
yoyomax Boucle Sofa, Modern Accent, Leisure Reading Upholstered Chair for Living Makeup Room/Bedroom, Grey
Use Floor Lamps
Instead of using desk lamps, I wish I invested in floor lamps from the get-go. I always prefer using secondary lighting instead of primary lighting to set the mood of the apartment. Floor lamps are a cool way to add an extra layer of secondary lighting to a space making your apartment look more put together. The best thing about floor lamps is that you don’t have to set them on a table so they actually don’t take up that much space, you can put floor lamps right next to a chair or couch.
Black Pole Floor Lamp Simple Design Tall Lamp with Shade Standing Lamp with LED Bulb for Living Room and Bedroom
【Upgraded】 Dimmable Floor Lamp, 1000 Lumens LED Edison Bulb Included, Arc Floor Lamps for Living Room Modern Standing Lamp with Linen Shade, Tall Lamp for Bedroom Office Dining Room- Black
O’Bright Cedric Adjustable Pharmacy Floor Lamp – Industrial Design for Reading, Crafting, Work – 10W LED, Height 45-61 inches – Ideal for Living Room, Bedside, Office – Antique Brass
Door Knobs and Door Hardware
This completely slipped my mind when I moved into my first flat, after so many hours of carefully curating home decor items for my apartment I just felt like something was off. It wasn’t until I took a step back and really evaluated the overall look that I realised: Oh! How could I have missed it is the hardware! (a real DUH moment). Think about it, you just moved into a new modern apartment block, chances are the everything from the knobs, door handles, cabinet pulls have a contemporary modern look, this is a stark contrast to the warm cozy Pinterest vibes I was trying to emulate. It is amazing how far replacing door knobs goes when elevating the feel of your room and space. Before replacing your hardware, decide on the kind of vibe you want your apartment to have. Are you thinking elegant? Modern? Mid-Century Modern even? Fun? Neutral? *Pro Tip* If you are renting out, don’t forget to keep the original hardware safe in a zip-lock bag and label it so it wouldn’t be misplaced when you move out. (Yay to getting our bond back!)
6 Pack Gold Cabinet knobs Kitchen Cabinet Pulls with Vintage Cupboard Drawers Hardware Dresser Drawer Handles Kitchen Cabinet Handles (Single Hole, 6 Pack, Brushed Gold)
Indian Shelf 1 Piece Pulls | Brown Cabinet Pull | Ceramic Handles for Cabinets | Bridge Pulls | Golden Hardware 4 Inches Hole to Hole Handles
2 pcs Petal Drawer Knobs Kitchen Handle for Cabinet Dresser Door Pulls Inlaid Rhinestone Handle Gold Zinc Alloy Knobs Furniture Decoration Pulls (Gold)
Light Fixtures
We talked about secondary lighting, now what about your primary lighting, we can’t neglect that either. Try swapping out that ceiling fan or boob light for a light fixture that fits your room vibe. For example, if you’re going for a chill neutral California Casual vibe go for a rattan light fixture or if you’re going for a mid century modern look go for a ceiling light with a unique shape and color.
JONATHAN Y JYL6504A Campana 20″ 1-Light Bohemian Modern Woven Rattan/Iron LED Pendant Farmhouse Coastal Adjustable Dining Room Living Room Kitchen Island Foyer Bedroom Hallway, Cream
12 Inch Modern Pendant Light Bird’s Nest Style – Japanese Concrete Chandelier for Bedroom, Living and Dining Rooms. Suitable for Kitchen Island and bar Wabi-sabi Pendant Light
Orange Glass Ceiling Light Mid-Century Ceiling Lighting Fixture Brass Cover E26 Light Base Close to Ceiling Light Modern Semi Flush Mount Ceiling Light for Entryway Hallway(11 Inch)
Plants, Plants and More Plants
Last but not least, investing in plants is the ultimate cheat sheet to elevate your small apartment. Not only are plants aesthetically pleasing, they are good for your overall well-being. Often times, living alone can get stressful, I found that caring for plants in my day to day while listening to music that I liked helped to de-stress me. The good thing is, people are always giving away plants so look around in your local marketplace and neighbourhood for good indoor plants. If you can’t find indoor plants, there are also faux plants.
Kazeila Artificial Lemon Tree, 5 Feet Fake Lemon Plant, Pre Potted Faux Lemon Tree, Plastic Lemon Fruit Tree for Home Decor Living Room Office
Conclusion
There you have it—six small things you can do to make big changes to your small apartment! Mirrors are a game-changer in a limited space, tricking the brain into perceiving a larger area. Investing in a good chair not only enhances functionality but also adds to the overall aesthetics. Incorporating secondary lighting, like a floor lamp strategically placed next to a chair, can instantly pull a room together. Making small changes to hardware and working with what’s already there can make a huge difference. Another subtle yet effective fix is replacing your main light, aligning it with your room’s aesthetics. Lastly, adding a splash of greenery to your small apartment earns bonus points for an elevated space. Happy decorating!