Getting a new home is an exciting adventure and a dream come true for anyone who longs for independence and security. Buying an apartment is also an important step for those who wish to create their own corner where they can write the next chapter of their life with their loved one.
The advantages of investing in a new home are many. One of them is that you have the opportunity to build your home from scratch according to your desires and tastes.
In this article, you'll learn about the different ways you can transform your apartment, regardless of size, so that it's functional, cozy and reflective of your individual style.
Provide more open spaces
A sense of spaciousness and providing more sunlight goes a long way in creating a pleasant atmosphere in the home. This is especially true for one-bedroom apartments, as owners are often faced with the challenge of renovating and furnishing a small living area without making the place look dark and cluttered.
Open spaces are a great solution for such cases. For this, choose lower and compact furniture that won't prevent light from penetrating the room.
Another trick to make use of is to place mirrors in the room. They will reflect the sun's rays and thus visually enlarge the room. Transparent furniture such as glass tables, for example, will have the same effect.
Refreshing the ceiling by painting it in lighter and softer tones is another option to achieve a visual illusion.
In three- or two-bedroom apartments, merging rooms by removing a door is an option. When buying a new home, you can extend your rooms by knocking out the terrace to make it part of the kitchen or connecting the latter to the dining room. This will give you more space and the freedom you need to furnish your home.
Room zoning
One of the main activities when furnishing and renovating your apartment is to divide the rooms into so-called zones. This is especially important if your new home is small. Room zoning will improve the functionality of your home while facilitating the flow of traffic. To do this, you need to consider the following factors:
- Determine the needs - you need to decide what the purpose of the given room will be.
- Furniture layout - these are the best way to use for zoning the room. Rearranging them is key to your future comfort. Consider how to allocate your furniture to create 'islands' that perform certain functions. This happens through a variety of visual techniques. In addition to accent walls, opt for large curtains or rugs to visually distinguish the floor. Placing shelves, cabinets or screens is also a good idea for defining "islands".
- Plants and decorations - these can become a clear room differentiator by separating areas within the room. In turn, getting in touch with nature brings a sense of calm and comfort to your home.
- Flow of movement - one of the most important factors is to consider the available space and provide enough room to move around the room. It is advisable not to clutter yourself with too much furniture so as not to impede the flow of movement.
Walls and floors
Playing around with the colours of your walls and floors can be useful when renovating your apartment.
If you choose the same colour for the flooring in all rooms, you'll achieve the visual illusion of more space. Warm and light shades that go with everything in the home are suitable for this purpose. If you opt for this option, keep in mind that you don't have to use the same material in all rooms.
Even if you've bought a larger apartment, it's a good idea to keep the same stylistics in different rooms. The combination of different, beating colours such as orange, red or turquoise in the different rooms will suggest a lack of harmony and balance in the space.
Colour range: examples
For a more romantic style and to achieve a cosy atmosphere, pastel and gentle shades such as pale pink or soft blue are suitable. If you want your new home to radiate vibrancy, cheerfulness and energy, go for bright and saturated colours.
If you like the classic minimalist style, go for white or grey, and for more light and space, go for more neutral tones in beige, light brown or ivory.
To break up the atmosphere and add a modern and fresh touch to your apartment's interior design, place contrasting colour accents. This is achieved not only by painting one of the walls a different colour, but also by placing various attractive ornaments in the kitchen or bathroom.
Multifunctional furniture
Furniture is a key factor in creating a homely feel and making your apartment a practical place to live. That's why it's important to choose multifunctional furniture that will free up more space in your rooms and make it easier to carry out your daily activities.
- Beds - most beds have mattress space where you can store clothes or other belongings.
- Sofas - choose a sofa model that can also be used as a bed when you have guests.
- Tables - look for one that functions as a desk if you work from home, a dining table or one for coffee.
- Built-in cabinets or legless models - these free up space while storing your belongings without "closing up" the space.
- Built-in or hidden TV - wall-mounted or hidden in cabinets, these devices save space and can become part of the decorations in your home.
- Open shelving - installing this type of furniture is a practical and functional solution if you're looking for a place to arrange your books, photos and other valuable possessions.
Contrasting elements and accent details
Whether you live in a two-bedroom apartment, a studio or a duplex, accent pieces will complete the look of your new home and are the details that will make it cozy and stylish.
- Add wall art - by hanging pictures or photos, you'll create a sense that your apartment is wider.
- Photo wallpapers for the living room - put emphasis on a certain part in the room with this type of wallpaper, depicting your favorite animal or pictures of cities. Through them, you can express your artistic side and catch the eyes of your guests. Keep in mind, however, that when putting them up, you need to balance the furnishings against them so that the room doesn't become cluttered or bland.
- Colourful details - any contrasting element from the clean design of curtains to the cheerful colours of cushion covers will bring a touch of personality and style to your home. The choice of shades is huge - yellow, white and green for summer and spring, soft colours like brown and beige for the onset of autumn and playful Christmas motifs for winter.
- Decorations, photographs and paintings - they will leave your personal mark and break up the atmosphere, bringing elegant and sophisticated notes into your home.
- Lighting fixtures - don't rely solely on natural light, but take advantage of different types of lighting - night or hanging lights, LED lights, spotlights, freckles and more.
There are countless options on how to renovate and furnish your new home. What it will be depends entirely on your needs and desires. But what will make it a home is the family you will create in it.
If you want to find the perfect home for you, don't hesitate to contact us. Our main goal is to build functional, modern, comfortable and high quality homes.
Take a look at our projects and contact us to help you choose your dream home.