Elevate the Look of Your One-Bedroom Apartment

You’re moving into a one-bedroom private apartment. Congratulations! Now, how do you make it feel like home?

For smart ideas on how to decorate your one-bedroom apartment, we’ve got helpful suggestions that will make small spaces feel like big living. Because while one-bedrooms may be minimal in terms of square footage, by following these design, storage and decorating tips, you can maximize any space. 

Decorating small spaces

First place to start: Edit yourself. This is another way of saying, downsize. If you’re moving from a large single-family home into a one-bedroom, downsizing is a necessity. Our blog posts offer lots of helpful tips to get you moving in the right direction. If you already live in a small space, declutter regularly. Getting rid of old things frees up room to introduce new apartment decor, which can transform your entire apartment.

While you’re downsizing, think strategically. Before you decorate a one-bedroom apartment, you have to know what’s going into it. Choose to keep only the furniture that has a small footprint, or that has a low vertical profile. Smaller furniture that sits closer to the floor makes a room feel larger. Get rid of cabinets and install wall shelves, which create additional space without taking up any floor space. Also, if your apartment has low ceilings, hang curtains well above the window itself, closer to the ceiling. It creates an optical illusion that makes your ceilings seem higher.

Decorate small spaces with big pops of color. If your apartment has white walls and white carpet or light floors, decorate your one-bedroom apartment with colorful pillows on the couch, or with a solid-color comforter or duvet cover on your bed. White, gray or beige floors and walls will make a room feel bigger, and the small pops of color will provide an accent. Even a colorful lampshade can have the same effect.  

Use color to define spaces. This is a great decorating tip to make a small space seem much bigger. For each room, pick a unique color and decorating scheme. Rugs, artwork, and even small vases or planting pots can help tie the room together. Choose kitchen chairs or bar stools in blue, for example, and in the living room, make your red couch the foundation for color and decor. In the bathroom, try a sassy animal-print or go with eggplant hand towels and bath mats to liven up a small area. This trick is how to decorate a one-bedroom apartment as if it’s got individual zones instead of one large footprint.

Avoid visual clutter. Yep, this is a hard one. But instead of multiple framed pictures on a small wall, hang one large piece of artwork. Large wall hangings provide a focal point and can give you inspiration for what color to decorate in that room. Or cluster those smaller framed photos closer together and paint the frames so they’re all one color. Kitchen counters are often clutter culprits, so keep dishes, pots and pans in the cabinet space when you’re not using them. And remember, if it doesn’t have a place, it’s taking up space. Let it go. While we’re talking kitchens, keep small appliances off the countertops if you don’t use that blender or toaster oven anymore, you know what to do. Let it go.

Make your outdoor space feel like extra square footage. Decorate your patio or balcony with comfortable outdoor furniture with cushions, and accent with pillows and a colorful area rug. Bistro sets have a small footprint, come in lots of fun colors, and create an instant coffee or cocktail space. Add greenery in pots or railing planter boxes, or create a vertical garden with hanging pots. If you have space and need the shade, bring out a small patio umbrella.

Rethink how you want to use your small space. If you have a large walk-in closet but really want an office, bring in a roll-top desk and small office chair and set up shop. If you want a library nook, put bookshelves on one side of the closet.  If you want more storage, add a chest at the foot of your bed. And do you really need a California king bed in your bedroom? Consider a queen or full-size mattress instead. Just as comfy, a bit more cozy, and either will take up much less floor space.

Remember the reason why you’re moving.

If you’re looking at one-bedroom floor plans, like the five different options available at Fellowship Senior Living, just remember: You don’t need the space you once did in your former home. And when you have 72 acres of space outside and numerous amenities available to you inside the short list includes a fitness center, indoor pool, five-star dining venues, a cultural arts center you probably won’t spend much time in your apartment.

Start by exploring our 2D and 3D apartment floor plans, from our one-bedroom one-bathroom layouts to our two-bedroom, two-bath with half-bath and den. You’ll appreciate that every plan boasts walk-in closets, lots of natural light, private balcony or patio, and plenty of square feet to make your private apartment all your own. If you’d like to see an apartment in person, contact us, and we’ll schedule your visit.