As urban dwellers, it’s practically guaranteed that you live in a small apartment. However, there’s no need to feel like your home is a shoe box. Try these tips and tricks to visually extend your space.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Carry Design Elements from Room to Room

Extending design elements throughout your space will create a natural flow from room to room. You want to avoid distracting the eye. When possible, use the same flooring throughout your apartment. Beautiful hardwood floors or plush carpet in every room will visually extend the space and keep your eye moving throughout the interior uninterrupted. The same is true for paint and wall treatments. Carry the same shade (or tones of the same shade) throughout your home.

Consider the outdoors an extension of your home, too. If you live on a sunny, tree-lined street, incorporate shades of blue or green. Midtown dwellers might create a sophisticated color palette by picking up gray tones from surrounding buildings.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Furniture is Important

Choosing the right furniture is key. Start by getting rid of non-essentials. Do you really need three end tables?

There’s a misconception that small apartments call for diminutive furniture. While you don’t want to choose pieces that overwhelm a room, lots of little pieces will read as clutter. Go minimal instead. A large love seat and two substantial chairs anchor a space in a way that four small chairs won’t. Consider acrylic and glass furniture, too. It takes up very little visual weight, making it popular with urban dwellers (check out CB2’s Peekaboo line).

Choose a Monochromatic Color Scheme

Monochromatic, or tone-on-tone, palettes use one color in various tints, tones, and shades to create a pleasing, harmonious effect. Think about it: In a bold blue-and-green room, your eye jumps from the blue walls to the green pillow to the blue lamp, while in an all-blue room, your eye travels uninterrupted from one object to another.

Bring interest to a monochromatic color scheme by incorporating different textures, materials, and patterns into your space. Don’t worry. A monochromatic room doesn’t have to be boring. Houzz’s monochromatic color scheme gallery has more than 60,000 photos that will leave you inspired!

Maximize Lighting

A well-lit room with proper lighting feels more spacious than a poorly lit room. Avoid relying solely on an overhead lights to illuminate your home. Think about how you use each space and include a mix of task, accent (or decorative), and ambient lighting.

New York apartments often have small windows. Make the most your windows by choosing curtains that open easily; opt for a color scheme that echoes your walls. You can also place a large floor-to-ceiling mirror across from the window to reflect light throughout the room.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Draw the Eye Up

Finally, you can extend your space by maximizing room height. Start by making sure that your ceiling is painted in a lighter color than your wall colors.

Furniture can also draw the eye up. Tall bookshelves are perfect for urban dwellers. Not only do they provide additional storage, but they also create the illusion of high ceilings. Floating shelves can also create the same effect.

Another way to draw the eye up is by hanging curtain rods near the ceiling. Here’s a great visual guide that shows the right (and wrong) way to hang curtains.

If your space is feeling cramped, try a few of these tips and tricks. You’ll be amazed by what a difference a few small changes make!

Image Source: Flickr/Suzette Pauwels

[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]