Guest Blog by, Frances Lalu

Have you ever looked around your apartment and thought, “How can I make this place look better?”

We’ve all been there - living in an awkwardly shaped apartment with furniture that doesn’t quite fit, and a lack of space to work with. It’s enough to make anyone feel frustrated and overwhelmed.

Awkward living room layouts create design challenges, but with the right design tips, you can turn any awkward apartment into a stylish and comfortable home.

Best of all, you don’t need to break the bank to transform your awkward apartment into a place you’ll love.

With clever design hacks and creativity, you can make the most of your space and create a stylish, comfortable, and functional apartment.

From adding the right furniture to making the most of natural light, you can use these simple tricks to transform your apartment into the home of your dreams.

Design Hacks for Awkward Apartment Spaces

If you’ve ever lived in an apartment, you’ve likely experienced one of these problems - a lack of storage space, a small bedroom, or an awkwardly shaped kitchen.

If you’re stuck with a small bedroom, try repainting the walls. Paint has the power to change the complete feeling of the room. It can blend “eyesores” like soffits, ductwork, and pipes into the background.

Try making the most of the vertical space by installing a wall-mounted bed or shelving system. If you can’t go wide, go up! Vertical storage will free up a ton of much needed space and can clear up pathways and make a smaller, awkward room feel less cluttered.

If you lack storage in your apartment, there are plenty of creative solutions, like shoe storage in the walls or a hidden bookshelf.

Don’t underestimate the power of a good piece of multi-functional furniture.

Storge ottomans that can be filled with blankets, games, pillows and more. They can also double as seating.
Pull-out sofas can turn even the smallest living room into a guest room for the occasional over night guest.
Nesting tables are a must have small, awkward room piece. They’re two or three tables in the footprint of one table. Store them together and when you need an extra table for a guest, bring it out. Brilliant!

Maybe you have a kitchen that’s awkwardly shaped, there are plenty of ways to make the space functional, like adding a movable island or installing a kitchen cart.

It’s important to think about how one piece, in a small space, can server many functions.

A kitchen cart can store appliances like a mixer, toaster, blender, etc. that you may not have dedicated space for on countertops. The cart can be wheeled into center of the room when needed and then rolled into a convenient spot where it lives permanently when not needed.

No matter what type of apartment you live in, there are plenty of design hacks to help you make the most of your living space.

1. Making The Most of Natural Light

A lot of small apartments don’t have many windows, making them feel even smaller and more claustrophobic. But natural light can transform a space, both aesthetically and functionally.

When deciding how to use the space in your apartment, first consider where the natural light hits the room and how you can maximize that space. You can use these areas for seating, shelves, or a reading nook.

If there’s an area where natural light hits multiple walls, you can use these areas for shelving or bookcases to create functional and decorative storage.

These sunny spots are ideal for decorating with plants. They’ll thrive in these spaces and that will bring a lot of “life” to your apartment.

Plants are also great for hiding some of those eyesores we talked about before.

Put a larger plant in an awkward empty corner, retrofit some shelving around ugly exposed ductwork and decorate it with trailing, potted plants.

Another way to make the most of natural light in your apartment is to repaint the walls white.

This can instantly transform the look and feel of your apartment, making it look bigger and brighter.

White walls are also a great way to add style to your apartment, whether you have a small or large space. White, cream, neutral off-whites, can pair with any color. So, keep the walls “white” and neutral and bring in lots of personality with colorful, textural, and bold accessories and décor that will pop on all that white!

Picture molding on white walls — Karolina Grabowska

2. Choosing The Right Furniture

Arranging furniture is one of the most important design hacks for awkward apartment spaces.

If you have a small apartment, you likely don’t have a lot of space to store furniture, and that makes finding the right pieces challenging.

So how can you make the most of the space you do have?

Choose smaller furniture, like a mini sofa or coffee table, which can help maximize the space.

woman sitting on chaise sofa — Sheyilor Photography

You can also use furniture with hidden storage, like a couch with a storage ottoman or a coffee table with storage. These pieces are a great way to utilize space you might not have otherwise.

If you have a large, open-concept apartment, you may wonder where to put all your furniture. This can make it difficult to create a functional living space.

open concept or open plan apartment — Max Rahubovskiy

The solution?

Avoid heavy pieces and go for for lighter furniture, which is easier to move and reposition.

You can also play with different levels in your home, like a low bookshelf in the corner or a coffee table on a platform.

Your dining table is also important furniture to consider when decorating your apartment.

Choose one that’s small enough to fit in the space but large enough to seat all your guests.

Think about the shape of the table too.

For example, if your apartment is open concept, the kitchen likely opens to a small dining area, that then opens to a living space. A round table that is easy to navigate around is the best option for an open space.

Rooms with more definition, ones that have 4 walls and doorways, you might consider a rectangular table because long and narrow fits better in defied rooms.

Either way, get chairs without arms so they can be pushed all the way in to have as much walking space around them as possible.

3. Creating A Focal Point

If you’re lucky enough to have a large living room, it can still be tough to make it feel functional and stylish.

large art on a small wall — Rachel Claire

To give your larger living room some style, create a focal point. This can be as simple as bringing in a few bold pieces of décor, like some statement art or a floor lamp in the corner. Focus on one area of the room, such as a corner, and make it your focal point.

This can bring the eye right to that area and make it stand out.

If you have an open-concept apartment, you can use the walls as a focal point by bringing color and pattern into the space. You can also focus on one architectural feature, like a large window or unique ceiling. Not every focal point needs to be a “wow” moment. Sometimes it’s just an interesting feature that can be played up.

To give your newly created focal point for emphasis, arrange furniture around it. This helps to create a sense of balance in the room, making it look bigger.

4. Repurposing Unused Space

Floor space can be a precious commodity in a small or awkward apartment. Luckily, there are plenty of design hacks that will help you make the most of any unused space.

If you have an awkward or small space, you can often find ways to repurpose it, turning it into a functional area.

Corner shelves can provide some stylish organization and make great use out of those underutilized corners.
Underbed storage is a great place to store off season clothes and holiday décor.
Cabinet and drawer organizers can help you store way more than you thought possible in small kitchens and bathrooms. Give them a try in your bedroom dressers and bureaus too.

Create A Reading Corner

Create a pleasant reading corner above a built-in bookshelf or use a wall space behind a coffee table to store remotes or other small items.

You can also utilize built-in storage in your apartment, like built-in cabinetry in a kitchen or storage on the wall above a couch.

Create A Home Office

Another way to repurpose unused space in your apartment is to create a home office.

Whether you have a large or small apartment, you can create the illusion of more space by creating a home office that’s tucked away out of sight.

This can be done by installing a bookshelf that goes up to the ceiling, creating a built-in desk, or installing a wall-mounted desk.

A room divider, like a bookcase or etagere, can also be used to separate different areas of a room and create more visual separation in an awkward apartment.

5. Utilizing Wall Space

The living room area of your apartment is likely the largest space in your home, so it’s crucial to utilize wall space to make the most of it.

If you have a small apartment, you likely don’t have a lot of wall space to decorate.

Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to infuse your space with style and personality using your walls.

You can use peel and stick tiles to add some emphasis. These can be used as impermanent kitchen or bathroom back-splashes.

Statement clocks or wall mounted sculptures can also add dimension to flat walls.

Framed posters, or art, can be hung as an alternative to painting, if the landlord tells you no changing the wall color.

Here’s a few more ideas:

Wall Decals

Wall decals are a great way to create a unique look in any space and can be removed easily when you’re ready for a change. You can also use peel and stick wallpaper, which can be applied to any wall and can be removed without any damage to the wall.

Your dining room and living room space can be decorated by hanging artwork or by incorporating mirrors to help make the space look bigger.

Finally, you can use shelves to create a functional and stylish design element in your apartment. This will add height and dimension to walls, and most importantly help you to display your treasures in organized and curated ways.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper is a great way to add a bold and modern look to any room and can be applied to any wall.

You can also utilize the space above your furniture by hanging artwork or displaying decorative items.

This is a great way to add some style to any room and is especially important if you have a large screen or TV in the room, as you’ll want to be able to see the wall behind it.

6. Incorporating Unique Storage Solutions

As I mentioned above, you can utilize wall space to create built-in shelves or a bookshelf, which can be a great way to store books and decor.

You can also use furniture with hidden storage, like end tables with drawers or a coffee table with hidden storage that can help you to maximize the space in your apartment.

Another great way to incorporate unique storage solutions is with a built-in TV.

TV inside a wall divider — Max Rahubovskiy

Pretty much everyone has a TV and most people struggle to camouflage or hide them, so it’s important to find a way to incorporate them into your decor.

You can do this by building a TV cabinet designed to blend in with your style and be mounted to the wall. This is a great way to ensure that your TV is nicely hidden away while still functional.

7. Adding Color and Pattern

Another way to make your apartment look bigger is to add color and pattern.

You can add colorful accent pieces, like throw pillows or rugs, or paint the walls. You can also choose a bold wallpaper, like a large mural, adding color and pattern to the room.

Choosing a bold color or pattern is a great way to transform any awkward space and make it feel more vibrant and inviting.

a yellow vase in front of a yellow wall — Daria Liudnaya

If you have a large apartment, consider painting the walls in different shades of the same color. This is a great way to create a cohesive look throughout the space while injecting color and pattern into the room.

Conclusion

Awkward apartments can be challenging to design and decorate, but there are many creative ways to give your space style and functionality.

By following these design tips for awkward apartments, you’ll be able to make the most of a challenging floor plan in your home.

Make use of multi-functional furniture, create separate spaces with room dividers, get creative with storage solutions, and use those walls when you can’t spread out. If you implement some of these hacks, you’re sure to make your awkward apartment feel larger and more inviting.

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I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.

I’d love to connect with you!

“Michael Helwig was top-notch, very professional and responsive to my needs. He allowed me time to explore ideas and try out a variety of combinations until we found the perfect fit. Michael provided detailed information and offered beautiful ideas to make my dream living room become a reality. The furniture he sourced has totally transformed my living room space. Everyone that has seen my new living room has one word, WOW! A special thank you to Michael for a wonderful experience.”

— Karen B.

“Michael was very knowledgeable and guided us, with great patience and good humor, through the process of designing our dining room and helping us find the perfect sleeper sofa. He offered really helpful advice when we asked questions - which was often - but at no time did we ever feel pushed. He helped me when I felt like I couldn’t make one more decision. When my new furniture finally arrived I realized everything down to the pillows was perfect. I couldn’t be happier!”

— Sarah H.

7 Design Tips for Awkward Apartments — Afif Ramdhasuma

Frances Lalu is a contributing writer at Mastercraft. Her mission is to bring life to your living space by providing practical advice and stylish solutions to create inviting, beautiful homes.

The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of Michael Helwig Interiors or its Principal, Michael Helwig. Michael Helwig Interiors, and Michael Helwig, do not have any affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios.

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