One thing is for sure – New Yorkers know how to style their homes. They take ugly, run-down, fetid homes and, with little effort and a lot of inspiration, they turn them into something worthy of front covers. However, that is not their biggest virtue. What New Yorkers are known for is not their ability to transform ugly homes into beautiful ones but their ability to transform their small homes into something more functional and aesthetically pleasing. So, if you have a small house or a small apartment, we got you covered. Making your small NYC place look bigger will be a piece of cake with our tips and tricks. Here are some things you need to know when renovating and redecorating your NYC home.
Minimize the Clutter
One of the first things to pay attention to when renovating a small apartment or house, or when redecorating one of those, is the clutter. No small home can look good with things scattered everywhere. So, you know what to do first if you want to make your small NYC place look bigger – declutter.
Go through your home and see what you use daily and what you cannot live without. Then, look for things you never use or things you forgot you have and get rid of them. Of course, don’t just throw things away. Instead, find somebody who might need them (a friend or a family member) or donate them to a charity. Or, if you want to earn some money, you can also sell them online (on Craigslist, for example) or organize a garage/yard sale.
And, Minimize the Furniture
Making your small NYC place look bigger can also be achieved by minimizing the amount of furniture you have. Try to be as minimal as possible. We know doing that is hard, especially as we live in the age of consumerism and materialism. But, do your best.
If you, however, don’t want to get rid of the furniture items you love, try to put them in storage, for example. Best Movers NYC also advises that you hire movers to help you transport the pieces to the unit. If you wish to keep those items, you don’t want to risk damaging them while moving them yourself.
However, don’t put the furniture cluttering your home in storage indefinitely. Keep it there for a little while. Then, if you see that you can live without it, sell or donate it. And, if you realize that you miss it too much, you can always bring it back.
Use a Neutral Color Scheme
Now, let’s move on to the ‘decorating your home after downsizing‘ part. To start decorating, we advise you to, first, change the color of your walls and floors. Doing that is cheap and easy, and it is a fantastic option for making your small NYC place look bigger.
Start with your walls. Choose a neutral color (white, gray, beige, etc.). And, if you like intense colors, use them for the accent walls! Then, move on to painting the floors. Yes, believe it or not, you can actually repaint the floors you have in your home – you just need the right kind of paint. However, if you live in a rented NYC home, it might be a good idea to consult the landlords first. If they do not like the idea of you changing the colors in the apartment – buy stick-on wallpapers and floors. These are also cheap, and they can be removed, without any damage, any time you want.
Be careful With the Fabrics You Use
Another great way to make your home more spacious and open is by choosing different materials for your rugs, curtains, upholstery, etc. First, ditch the rug. If your apartment is small, it can be cozy without it. Or, if you love rugs too much, replace the big and bulky ones you have for something smaller and thinner – this will transform your room. Then, remove those heavy and dark curtains. These kinds of curtains will only make your space smaller, darker, and cluttered. So, replace them with something light, almost transparent.
Doing the things above are all low-cost home improvements and are great if you want to refresh your space on a budget. However, if you can spare some more money to make your small NYC place look bigger and better, try changing the upholstery on your furniture. Replace dark and fuzzy fabrics with something clean and bright, and you will be surprised at how they will transform your NYC place.
Make it Light and Bright
Lastly, you can make your small NYC place look bigger by letting the light in. As previously mentioned, one way to do that is to replace the dark curtains with transparent ones. But, if you are not lucky enough to have big windows or a private view, you can also replace the natural light with an artificial one. There are many cool lighting ideas for your home that you can try. For instance, you can choose neon lights, natural effect lights, fairy lights, illuminated lights, etc. And, you can choose table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers, pendant lights, floor lamps, etc.
Or you can be a bit more creative and use things such as mirrors. By placing them on the opposite side of your window, you will create an impression of having a lighter and bigger room. So, give this trick a go. Or, give all of these tricks a shot – they are all great ways for making your small NYC place look bigger!
Author Bio: Sarah Markson
Sarah has been working as a professional designer for the last ten years. She specializes in interior design and absolutely loves her job. In her free time, Sarah also enjoys writing content for her blog on topics such as remodeling, redecorating, moving, planting, DIY-ing, etc.
