Space-Saving Furniture for Your Small Apartment

When you walk through the door of your small apartment, do you feel that your space is as inspiring as the ones featured in our post 30 Best Small Apartment Design Ideas Ever Presented on Freshome. If not, this is the post for you.

We’ve gathered dozens of examples of space-saving furniture for your small apartment to enhance your living space, organize your belongings and give your home the modern edge you’re after.

Here are the four categories of space-saving furniture we cover:

We also have some ideas for color accents to make your space your own. Before you add any furniture to your small apartment, take a weekend to organize and clear your place. Go through your closets and cabinets, and donate or discard anything you don’t need or haven’t used for some time.

Once you’ve sorted all your stuff, give your apartment a fresh paint job or a good wall and surface scrub to freshen it up. Starting with a blank canvas is liberating. Now it’s time to personalize!

Hidden Storage

A small apartment can easily look cluttered. Storage is often limited, and items without a home end up in piles on the floor and every other surface. Visible storage solutions like boxes, jars and baskets often add to the clutter problem.

The solution is hidden storage. Hiding life’s necessities behind doors or other clever cover-ups gives your apartment a clean, minimalist feel. It also lets your favorite design elements — a sofa, a piece of art, a great view — be the star of the show.

Numbers correspond with the products listed below.

Tip: Even though some items may not be designed specifically for hidden storage, you can still find creative ways to use them as such.

Multifunctional Small-Apartment Furniture

When square footage is limited, the last thing you need is an obstacle course of furniture to weave through. Stick to the basics of what you need to enjoy your space. This doesn’t mean you need to live in an empty apartment; it means you should select pieces that serve double duty. Some ideas for multifunctional furniture include:

• An ottoman (even better: a storage ottoman). It can convert your sofa into a chaise sectional or work as a coffee table (with a tray on top for stability) or extra seating.
• A sofa table. This can serve as a makeshift dining table, a desk or an entryway table. Go the extra mile and choose a narrow 30-inch-high bookcase or a sofa table with shelving.
• Stacking, self-storing furniture. Nesting side tables have a variety of uses.
• A bench. It can serve as dining room seating, a coffee table or a low media cabinet.

Numbers correspond with the products listed below.

Tip: Add locking wheels to multifunctional furniture if you plan to move the item around (the wheel locks will keep the item in place). Remember that wheels will add to the height of the item.

Apartment-Size Sofas and Seating

Companies such as West Elm and CB2 have developed a whole range of apartment-size sofas and seating for small-space dwellers, and for good reason: The sofa is usually the most space-consuming furniture piece in a home.

Opt for sofas that have a shallower depth, 37 inches or less. Skip oversized, rolled arms — which can waste a foot or more of floor space — and pick a modern, streamlined style with thinner arms. Less arm space also means more seating; in fact, an armless sofa or a one-armed chaise is the ultimate space-saving seating solution.

Numbers correspond with the products listed below.

Tip: Get a sleeper sofa for guests or movie Sundays. If an apartment-size sofa is still too large, go with a loveseat.

Bookcases

Bookcases are a lifesaver when it comes to living small. They come in all shapes, colors and sizes. Our picks are not only functional, they’re attractive. Some ways to use a bookcase creatively in a small apartment include:

• As a room divider. floating it in an area to split up the space.
• To house collections of items to clear clutter and give a room a design boost.
• As a home office, with a shelf set at a height of 28-30 inches to serve as a writing or laptop spot, plus a section for a printer.
• As an entry, breakfast, media or sofa table.
• As an armless sofa bookend instead of a side table.

Numbers correspond with the products listed below.

Tip: Another option is to hang a wall-mounted bookcase or shelves 18-20 inches off the ground, and tuck a bench, ottoman or cube underneath that can be pulled out when additional seating is needed.

Color Accents

Now you’re ready to give your small living space a personal touch. Adding some color, texture and interest to your basics will keep your apartment from looking like a furniture showroom.

Layer textiles such as pillows and throws on your seating. Choose 20- or 22-inch-square pillows that can double as floor cushions. Add wall canvases and decor in bold tones. Finally, the right area rug will warm up your space while adding color and pattern. Below are some of our favorite accent pieces.

Numbers correspond with the products listed below.

Tip: Add some plants. If you don’t have a green thumb, silk flowers — also known as permanent botanicals — look deceptively real.

Don’t give up on your apartment just because it’s small. Give it the high-design look you’ve always wanted; it’s easier than you might think, thanks to these products and tips. The saying “Good things come in small packages” is popular for a reason. Use it as your small-apartment-living mantra.