More so than homeowners, condo and apartment dwellers know the struggle of dealing with limited space. What originally seemed cozy can quickly become close and oppressive when furnishings are added. Keeping your condo open and inviting will help keep you from feeling the walls are closing in.
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As a rule, condos are smaller than freestanding homes of the same cost. Apartments follow the same rules as condos you just don’t own them. For urban dwellers, this means that maximizing usage in your condo is essential to creating an efficient and functional living space. Maximizing usage, however, doesn’t mean that you should do without basic luxuries.
- Avoid single-use devices. We live in a world where there is a device for everything. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with that, when trying to conserve space you want to avoid single-use items that aren’t used all the time. Instead of having, for example, a rice steamer that you use once in a great while, get a good pot to make rice the old-fashioned way. You will get more use out of a good pot and it doesn’t take up space on your kitchen counter.
- Folding furniture is good. Fold out beds or futons that function as couches for most of the time but can be utilized for extra bed space when you have guests make for an efficient way to maximize space. Tables with leaves allow you to expand a small table for larger numbers of guests. Folding chairs can be stowed away when not in use to give more floor space.
- Get creative with storage. Instead of using short bookshelves and storage units, find ones that go all the way to the ceiling (or close to it) and reduce the amount of floor space you use. Use crates for coffee and end tables. The interior space of the crates can be used to store items that are used in that specific space, reducing clutter and keeping your possessions organized.
- Take advantage of natural lighting. Keeping the drapes drawn will make your condo feel smaller than it is. Use thin, light curtains to allow as much of the natural light to come in to your home as possible while still affording you privacy. If privacy isn’t a concern, open the curtains to get a view of the outside world, this has the advantage of giving you the illusion of more space.
- Keep it simple. When working with limited space it is better to avoid busy patterns and ornate furniture. These can overwhelm a space and make it seem smaller than it is. Modern furniture and storage solutions (including the ubiquitous IKEA products) emphasize simple lines and functionality. Using this philosophy throughout your condo will open up space and make it appear that your home is even bigger than it is.
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The best way to get an idea of ways to make the most of the space in your condo or apartment is to look at how the professionals do it. The Atlantic residential skyscraper has virtual 3D tours of both two and three bedroom luxury condos in Atlanta, GA. These virtual tours show how professional interior designers maximize space and can serve as a springboard for your own ideas.
The beauty of condo living is that the lessons learned from maximizing use can be carried over into other areas of your life. There are very few spaces we live or work in that would not benefit from these simple tips to make them seem bigger and less cluttered.
Matt Towns is an influencer marketing pro with Brown Box Branding who is passionate about building authentic relationships and helping businesses connect with their ideal online audience. He keeps his finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving digital marketing world by writing on the latest marketing advancements and focuses on developing customized blogger outreach plans based on industry and competition.
