When you think of comfortable homes, the first thing that comes to mind may be expansive living rooms and high ceilings. However, size doesn’t dictate your level of comfort, and living in a small apartment doesn’t have to feel like being in a cramped shoebox. With that in mind, here are some things you can do to make your apartment feel like home.
Stick to Light Colored Walls
For people who like to enjoy their space, it can be difficult to feel at home in a tiny area. This is especially true for overcrowded cities like New York, which can only accommodate an average of 750 square feet per apartment. Like we previously discussed in ‘2 Tiered Summer Tray & Lemon Love’, you can make your space look much bigger and brighter simply by sticking to light colored walls. Think soft tones of off-white, blues, and greens. Another option is to clear all your windows and let the natural light in—but this is tough to do for some apartments, since not all will have enough windows to keep their spaces bright.
Make Everything as Cozy as Possible
Home only feels like home if it’s warm and inviting. This can be trickier when you live somewhere that’s mostly cold all year-round, such as Canada. To that end, Canadian interior experts Style at Home recommend investing in accessories that are both stylish yet functional. Rugs, for instance, can immediately elevate your flooring while providing additional comfort underfoot. You can also consider having extra cushions and throws around your house—from soft blankets to chunky curtains. Just make sure not to over-do it, as you don’t want to end up making your room look cluttered.
Ensure your HVAC is functional at all times
Around the world, we’re seeing more and more people turn to apartment living, and this is especially true in the UK. As outlined in an article on The Independent, part of the reasons for this shift is that apartments are cheaper to heat and have lower maintenance costs. To avoid unnecessary expenses and keep their spaces comfortable, many apartment owners rely on appliance insurance. HomeServe’s guide to insurance for British apartments details that it’s smarter to get coverage that you can rely on all year-round—particularly for your heating systems. Don’t wait for it to act up before you get it checked, as you’ll risk paying more to repair the damage and may not have adequate heating when you need it the most. Families stateside could take a cue from this kind of preparation. After all, even the fluffiest sheets can’t make up for a dysfunctional HVAC.
Soundproof your Rooms
There is nothing more bothersome than when you’re trying to relax in your apartment, only to hear your neighbors talking or cars honking from outside. Homes are supposed to be intimate spaces, and there’s certainly nothing private about people hearing you from the other side of the wall, and vice versa. Thus, it’s always good practice to soundproof your apartment—or, at least, the more private areas like bedrooms. One simple way to do this is by putting up hang door curtains or thick rug pads, which The Spruce notes can be very effective for canceling out noise.
Bring in the Plants
Plants are a lovely and low-cost way to make any space feel homey and inspiring. This is a trend that is becoming popular in Singapore, as apartment owners embrace the ‘jungalow trend’ and filling their properties with plants. Plus, a study conducted by NASA informs that they also keep the air clean, which can improve both the mood and health of everyone in the vicinity. You don’t even need a lot of plants in the apartment; a tall plant near your front door, a pot of fresh flowers on your coffee table, or a few orchids on the vanity should be enough to make your apartment feel much more inviting.
Again, “home” isn’t defined by how big your space is. Whether it’s by adding a plant or two, covering your sofa in a thick blanket, or keeping the air cool, any apartment can feel like home if it has the right elements.
