In this article we have some small apartment décor inspiration – as well as some useful tips for decorating a mans apartment on a budget. There are no product links in this article, that makes a change for a webpage on the internet! Some of the concepts we will be bringing up include how to zone your apartment with décor and furniture, maximising storage space with multifunctional furniture, exploring mens living room ideas on a budget, and some small apartment ideas for guys. Apologies for those key phrases, but there’s no point writing an article that search engines can’t find! Now, in this article we won’t be talking about those ridiculous micro Japanese-styled apartments where the toilet transforms into a shower which also transforms into a dining table that doubles up as a Television. Those are practically inhuman. These are practical tips, with easily purchasable, widespread, furniture and décor.
Firstly, lets have a look at some small apartment idea for guys – for inspiration. Have a look at our below mood board to see what we’re going for.
Small Apartment Mood Board
Small Apartment Living Room Ideas
Leaning ladder shelves
Leaning ladder shelves will provide some additional, affordable storage, in a small apartment. Leaning ladder shelves are also in vogue at the moment within the cool male living space fraternity; so you will have an affordable and stylish piece of furniture for your apartment. The spine bookshelf is a great space saver too, however, there only seems to be one supplier of this – Sapiens – and it is a pricey piece of décor. Get this similar but more affordable one from Amazon here
Cube Storage Zoning
Scandinavians use storage as part of their décor. With sleek and minimalist appeal, the Kallax style shelfing units above, can be used to zone your apartment, particularly if it is just one floor. See the above images where the bedroom is zoned off in a studio apartment.
Maximise your lateral space with these long cube storage units which can be used to store a variety of different things; not just books. Using a cube storage unit, you can add baskets to hide items that would otherwise look messy, or not stand up on their own. Check out our article on cube bookshelves you can get for your apartment.
Cube Storage TV Unit
You can even use cube storage as a TV unit, instead of a traditional TV unit which is low to the ground and has minimal storage – get a hybrid one.
Table
If you’re going for a coffee table, check out the storage trunks you can get, which double up as a coffee table and storage for the same price as a coffee table. What do you really use a coffee table for anyway? Occasionally placing your laptop or coffee on? Then why not use a storage trunk to store things in.
Large Plants
We feel like we write this in almost every article, but a large plant is a must for a cool apartment. A large plant can easily be tucked behind the couch to create a sense of depth. Compared to furniture and accent decor, plants are inexpensive… It doesn’t have to take up much space, you could go for something like a yucca tree style palm, which will take up minimal floor space, but maximise unused space higher up.
Most home decor stores will have a garden section with larger plants. Take good care of them and they will hang around for decades.
Big Mirrors and Leaning Arc Lamps
It is well known that mirrors will make a space appear larger, and round accent mirrors are all the rage these days. Additionally, if you had the budget for some extra lighting, consider an arc lamp. Tuck them behind your sofa, and they arch into the room and over the couch – for an impactful look which can make your apartment look more stylish; without sacrificing space.
Save Space in Your Bathroom
Leaning ladder shelf (agaaaaain)
If you have space around your toilet you can use one of these trendy toilet ladder shelves which are a relatively new phenomena in mid-century modern décor styling. Perfect for saving space in a small apartment.
Under Sink Storage
An under sink shelf cabinet can add some clever extra storage to your bathroom if your sink is in the right position. Reduce clutter in your bathroom and stash extra toilet rolls.
Bedroom Ideas for a Small Apartment
Storage Bed
This is an easy win, an affordable steal frame bed is the way to go; make sure you get one with some decent ground clearance so you can use the space underneath for storage – using plastic tubs or something that won’t get dust in your items – after all, if you decide to go bohemian and forego a bed frame – that is roughly 6 by 6 ft of space wasted; something to be avoided in a small apartment.
Leaning Ladder Shelves (again)
One (semi) unique idea for decorating a mans apartment on a budget is to include a leaning ladder shelf, preferably ones with draws, as a side unit to your bed, as below. Definitely one to consider if you like reading books in bed! We have a popular article you can check out on leaning ladder shelves.
Thanks for taking the time to read our article, have a look at some of our most recent ones, below.
By James
FURNISH HIM 