About
Small Apartment Decor is a free, informational resource about decorating small apartments. The guides look at compact living rooms, bedrooms, studios and entryways and explain, in plain language, how to make them feel welcoming, functional and personal without needing more space.
What the site covers
- Small apartment ideas: where to begin, how to choose a color palette, decorating with plants, a calm minimal look and the mistakes worth avoiding.
- Living rooms and bedrooms: rugs, curtains, focal points, layered textures and rooms that have to do two jobs.
- Wall decor: arranging art, picture ledges, mirrors and using vertical space.
- Storage as decor: shelves, baskets, boxes and trays that are part of the look, and ways to reduce visual clutter.
- Layout ideas: furniture placement, zoning a studio, open-plan rooms, entries and dining corners.
- Renter-friendly and seasonal decor: plug-in lighting, temporary wall decor and small updates that move out with you.
If you are new here, begin with Small Apartment Decorating for Beginners, then read about choosing a color palette, small living room decor and wall decor for blank walls. If you rent, renter-friendly apartment decor is a good next step. Every guide is listed on the Tutorials page.
How the guides are written
Each guide covers one room, one wall or one decision from start to finish. The ideas are original and are written to be adapted: a small apartment is rarely the same shape twice, so a guide explains the reasoning behind a suggestion and not only the suggestion itself.
- Measurements are starting points. Heights, gaps and sizes are given in inches as a place to begin. Check them against your own room, furniture and sight lines before you commit to anything.
- Products are described by type, not by brand. There are no sponsored product claims, no paid placements and no invented reviews, ratings or testimonials.
- The illustrations are original. The pictures are flat illustrations drawn for each guide. They are diagrams of an idea, not photographs of a real home, and they are there to show placement, proportion and layout.
- Time and difficulty are estimates. Where a guide has an “At a glance” card, the time, difficulty and list of what you need are approximate and depend on your room and what you already own.
What the site does not do
Small Apartment Decor shares general decorating information. It does not give professional interior design, building, electrical, legal or rental advice, and it cannot assess your particular apartment.
- Fixing things to a wall. Walls are built differently. Choose fixings for your wall type and for the weight of what you are hanging, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the fixing and for the object.
- Adhesive and removable products. Paint and wall finishes vary, and so do the results. Test any adhesive hook, strip, decal or removable wallpaper on a small hidden area first and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for applying and removing it.
- Lighting and electrics. The guides stay with plug-in lamps and similar ready-to-use lighting. Anything that involves wiring belongs with a licensed electrician.
- Renting. Leases differ. Read yours, and ask before making a change you are not sure about.
Corrections and suggestions
If something is unclear, a measurement looks wrong or a link is broken, please use the Contact page and mention the name of the guide. Corrections and topic suggestions are welcome.