Renting during college can be stressful, especially if the apartments in your price-range are smaller than you anticipated living in. But don't let low square footage scare you off from a great apartment near FAMU. Using a few key design tricks, you can make tight rooms feel open and spacious. Here are our top five tips for opening up your space so you and your roommates have room to spread out!
1. Lighten up
Lighter colors reflect and multiply light, making a room feel large and airy. While it can be tempting to go with a dark color in hopes of making a room cozy, or deep green and orange to show your support for Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, as far as wall colors go, beige, cream and lighter gray-blues lend themselves well to opening up a snug room. Don't worry through, any pops of color you want in your apartment work perfectly for accent pieces.
2. Hidden storage
Dual-use furniture is the perfect way to add function to space. Many apartments in the Tallahassee area come fully furnished; however, adding in storage ottomans, expanding coffee tables and entryway benches are all great ways to increase utility without compromising style.
3. Go big or go home (on the accent pieces)
In small spaces, people tend to decorate with small pieces, afraid they'll fill up a room with their large paintings or vases. However, using less and shooting for larger is actually better according to a Target home style expert who recommends following the cantaloupe rule saying, "Decorative accents smaller than a cantaloupe crowd a room.
4. Stripes, Stripes, Stripes
Just like a striped pant leg gives the illusion of longer legs, a striped accent piece elongates a short room. Consider adding a striped rug to the floor your FAMU apartment. Making sure the stripes are oriented to the length of the room which is longest will enhance the effect, and to really bring it home add in an oversized mirror.
5.When in doubt, throw clutter out
By far the cheapest and easiest option, simply decluttering your space streamlines the aesthetic and opens up any room. A key way to reduce clutter, as the age-old adage goes, is to make sure there's a place for everything. This is especially true in studio apartments, where the apartment is in clear view at all times.
As a student at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, there's enough on your plate already, so make sure your space fits your personal style and lifestyle without the added stress of a crowded living space. Whether you're ready for a complete re-haul of your space or just want an easy way to make your room appear larger than it is, these five easy tips are sure to give you peace of mind and reclaim your apartment.