When decorating our home, most of us like to prioritize our personal taste and style in an effort to create a design that appeals to us the most. And although our preferences are important, having an apartment in Hong Kong often means squishing into something a bit smaller than you might be used to. Unfortunately, smaller spaces can turn out to be quite difficult to design, requiring special tactics and the right choices in order to feel larger, brighter, and more welcoming. So, here are some of the best apartment decorating tips that will allow you to achieve just that:
Play around with colors
While it might come as a surprise, bolder and brighter colors can actually have quite a significant impact in small spaces. For instance, painting one statement wall in a darker color could make the apartment feel larger, while incorporating the same accent color throughout the space adds interest and dynamic.
However, having too many colors might make the space feel disjointed, so make it a point to stick to two colors. Choose a main neutral hue such as white or cream that will dominate your apartment, and then highlight with a more impactful color such as shades of green, blue, or deep orange. Don’t forget to incorporate your accent color throughout the entire apartment, from living room cushions to bathroom tiles, in order to make it appear more cohesive.
Incorporate more texture
Similar to color, you could also play with different textures throughout the apartment in an effort to add depth and appeal. However, it’s still important not to go overboard, to avoid a busy and messy design. If you want to make your Hong Kong apartment feel bigger, simply use the same material throughout, such as neutral wood or bamboo for everything from the flooring to the furniture.
Then, combine this base with one or two different materials to create interesting layers. For example, you could select the same cotton or leather for the couch, living room chairs, and dining chairs, and highlight with woolen throw blankets or fluffy decorative pillows for the best effect.
Create zones with rugs
When you are working with smaller apartments, particularly if they are focused on open-plan living, creating specific zones is one of the best solutions for achieving better form and function in the space. Rugs are a great way to accomplish this, allowing you to create a separate living space simply by centering a sofa around a rug, or to fashion a dining area by placing a rug under your dining table and chairs.
What’s more, you can find incredibly beautiful rugs in Hong Kong that are made from natural materials and in neutral colors and patterns that can effortlessly complement any space. Not only will such rugs help you create functional zones, but they can also be a brilliant solution for adding more texture, dimension, and layers to your apartment.
Select your furniture wisely
Although the type of furniture you select might always be important, it’s even more so when decorating a small apartment. Apart from being functional, your furniture should also help to make your apartment feel more spacious and airy, so make it a point not to choose anything too bulky or too tall.
Instead, opt for pieces that appear to be floating, such as couches and dressers on small legs, as they tend to give a sensation of lightness. In order to minimize occupied space, any small apartment could also benefit from built-in furniture like closets and bookshelves, or even versatile multipurpose pieces that serve several functions, such as convertible beds, pull-out desks, or ottomans with additional storage.
Let more natural light in
After all, the simplest way to make any small space feel bigger and brighter is by incorporating natural light. If you have plenty of windows and other natural light sources in your Hong Kong apartment, simply removing any coverings and letting the light in will be enough to create a lighter feeling.
If not, there are a couple of other tricks you could use as well. For instance, placing mirrors around your apartment will help to reflect natural light and make your space feel brighter, while plenty of artificial lighting, from ceiling fixtures to floor and table lamps, could compensate for the lack of natural light in your space.
Even though small spaces might be difficult to design, there are still ways you can make them look more spacious, cohesive, and beautiful. As long as you incorporate the helpful decorating tips mentioned above, your Hong Kong apartment will soon feel like a home.
Great design ideas! I have visited Hong Kong before and the apartments are quite small. This is very helpful.
I haven’t visited Hong Kong yet. Great photos and tips. I can surely use the tips also for my small space.
In France, we have similar small spaces in our apartments. I can definitely use some makeover for my tiny apartment. I agree. We can definitely use some smaller and space-saving furniture.
I have visited Hong Kong before. It’s quite a nice and efficient city. The only thing I don’t like is the small space. In Italy, we have bigger apartments so it’s quite new to me. Great tips though. This is very helpful for those with smaller apartments or condominiums.
These are nice tips. I know a few friends who are working in Hong Kong. This will be helpful for them.
These are great for decorating a small space. No matter the size of an area, I love having natural light and lots of comfy rugs around the house.
I love the idea of using a statement color and then following through with it as an accent color around the space. Great tips here!
I love all of these decorating tips! You listed a lot of really solid ideas here.
HK apartments are small so being efficient with space is important, too!
I think light is very important. I wouldn’t want a dark place. clear some spaces and let more natural light comes in
Space is definitely difficult in Hong Kong. It’s hard to decorate with such small areas and good lighting is nice.
I haven’t been to Hong Kong but it would be so much enjoyment to decorate a small room with full of features.
I will have Hong Kong in my list for next trip to really see the well-known small apartments there.
Looks amazing and thanks a lot for the tips! I was planning to redecorate and I think your tips help so much! – Knycx Journeying
Hhhhmmm…I need to work on the texture in my small room here! It’s so dull and life-less. You’ve done a great job pointing me to that direction. Thank you.
I think these tips are amazing and will help anyone who has a small apartment. Just pinned and will share with my daughter when she heads to college.
These are all great ideas! Never been to Hong Kong but these decors can be used for any housing, thanks for sharing
These are wonderful tips for any cozier area. I especially like the idea of creating areas by using rugs to create those spaces.
These are great tips! definitely applicable even if you are not in HK. Thanks!
I love Hong Kong as a city. Your tips are wonderful for creating any place cosier than before. I would try some.
WOW! These are some wonderful tips for decorating your space. Thanks for sharing.
Such great ideas for decorating your home, I will surely pick up some ideas from this for decorating my own home space. Thanks for sharing!
You’ve got some excellent points here not only for apartments, but also for full homes! My husband and I are always looking to try something different in our house.
These are perfect tips for decorating every small apartment, especially selecting the correct furniture. I haven’t been to Hong Kong but I’d like to.
I love these ideas! I’m all about function so I would be looking for things that are minimal and don’t take up a ton of space.
So many great ideas and tips! I’m a huge fan of letting a lot of light in.
Those are some great tips and will keep them in mind. I noticed that I prefer the white and brown combo whenever buying decors or furnitures though I definitely need to experiment more
With a smaller place it is really important to be mindful when choosing furniture. If handled correctly it can be quite functional and roomy.
I am actually liking the thought of a small place. It is easier clean it up and I will be taking note of this pointers. I need to mix and match in creating a good vibe.
These are all great tips. Its harder to decorate a room when it’s small but these are practical and helpful