Seth Sebastian 
You may be living and working in a busy city, you may be on a budget, but many people have to make do with an apartment that is smaller than they would ideally like. If this sounds like you, don’t worry, you are not alone. Just because your accommodation is smaller than you planned, doesn’t mean it should look or feel cramped. The main challenge when working with a smaller property is giving the illusion of big rooms, by maximizing the amount of visible floor space. Below are some tips to help you do just that.
Ditch The TV Stand
A TV stand is quite a large piece of furniture and usually takes up far more room than it needs to, especially considering how slim modern TVs are. There are two options when it comes to clearing the floor space your TV takes up. The first is to fit a wall mount; you could also attach a small shelf either just below, or next to, your TV for your DVD player or digital box to sit on. Alternatively, you could fit a lightweight projection screen to the ceiling opposite the sofa and mount a projector to the ceiling. You could then route all the necessary wiring for your DVD player etc. into a cupboard or to a high mounted shelf. This creates a large section of clear wall, which gives the impression of further space.
Use The Height Of The Room
Rooms tend to be quite ‘bottom heavy’. This is largely unavoidable due to the fact that most bulky items of furniture take up the lower third of the room. A good way to utilize the given area more effectively is to use the full height of the room. However, it can be easy to create claustrophobic feeling if it feels like furniture is looming at you from all angles. Create the appearance of extra height and space by using tall, but thin, furniture. Narrow bookcases and tall radiators can help create vertical lines in the room, giving the impression of space. Anything above head height will create a sparsity in the middle of the wall allowing for a more open space.
Work With The Perimeter
Having anything sticking too far into the middle of the room is a poor use of a small space. Sticking to the perimeters, and leaving as much of the central floor area as clear as possible, is essential if you want to make the room feel bigger and utilize the space. The only exception to this rule is if the middle of the room should be the focus – i.e. a bedroom. For all other applications, central furniture should be as unobtrusive as possible. You should, however, avoid leaving great swathes of space unused, as an unnatural scarcity can be jarring. Aim to strike a careful balance and allow your instincts to guide you.
Think About Your Lighting
Dim lighting can make any room feel very small, so it is imperative that you have appropriate lighting. When picking overhead lighting, try to go with fixture where you can direct the light into the dimmest parts of the room, especially if you find you don’t get a lot of natural light through the window. Light fittings with multiple directional bulbs are ideal for lighting a small space and helping it to feel bigger. Try to stay away from having a lot of surface lamps as this can help the room to fill cluttered, however, if you feel you need even more light you could instead go for a corner floor lamp. It will give off a lot of light, while not taking up too much room. One with a thin base you could fit partially fit under the bottom of your sofa or under your bed frame will help to keep that important floor space clear. There is also the option of going with LED ceiling-mounted lights. They fit flush with the ceiling and can be fitted anywhere – meaning they can be spaced around the room better to create an even spread of light. It also means you won’t have a light fitting hanging too far down from the ceiling, as this can also make the room feel enclosed.
Hopefully, this has given you a few ideas to consider when it comes to making your small apartment feel bigger. Remember to keep the room light, and avoid using too much floor space in the middle of the room, and already the tiny apartment you feel confined to will feel a whole lot larger.
