Apartment living & design

If you are in your twenties and moving into a new apartment, this episode of The Sunday Show,
Milwaukee’s biweekly podcast about nothing in particular, is for you! I
was invited on the show to speak to some of the challenges apartment
dwellers face when they search for a place, move their belongings in,
and start to personalize the space to make it their own. If any of this
sounds familiar, be sure to watch Episode #5 of The Sunday Show.I was asked various questions on the show, but the main topics we wanted to address were:

• selecting an apartment
• compartmentalizing & mutlifunctionality
  
• creating illusion of space

When it comes to apartment search, be sure you follow this simple guidelines:
1. look for close proximity to work, school, family; easy access to
amenities and points of interest will force you to walk, bike, roller
blade and not depend on your vehicle to get you everywhere; if you are
at all concerned with the environment and your own health, choose
neighborhood living as opposed to suburbs.
2. measure hallways and doors before you sign the lease; if you own
large pieces of furniture, you may be surprised when they don’t fit
through the door and the only way in/out is….the window!
3. if utilities like water or heat are included in your rent, don’t
assume you can be wasteful; again, consider the environment and your
own pocket; if you get used to blasting that heater in the winter and
cooling your apartment in the summer while keeping windows open, you
may be in for a huge reality check when you become a home-owner;
nothing is free these days, so let’s not be wasteful.
4. conduct a detailed walk-through and note all the damages; you
will be held responsible for any scratches, holes, dents in the
apartment when you move out, unless your landlord is aware of them
ahead of time.
When it comes to compartmentalizing, it is always a challenge to divide a small space without making it feel too closed-in and boxy.
1. use open bookcases to divide areas of your apartment; they help create boundaries and partial privacy
2. create unique atmosphere with light; play with cool (blue) and
warm (yellow) light as well as its intensity; provide more light in the
dining room, kitchen, office and less light in the living room or
bedroom.
3. to help with dividing open and small spaces, be sure to go with
dual function pieces like an ottoman which offers both storage and
coffee table option, freestanding bookcase which offers both storage
and privacy screen option.
4. use an area rug to help with defining a seating area in the living room or a dining area in the kitchen.
We all know that rental units are rather limiting in living space.
Therefore, you must be very creative to make the best of what you have.
How do you create an illusion of space?
1. use lots of light; most apartment do not have ceiling fixtures
and are limited on outlets as well. bring in table and floor lamps,
install some LED under-cabinet lighting and let as much natural light
in as possible; in order to reflect that light rather than capture it,
go for shiny and reflective finishes on furniture, upholstery,
accessories.
2. pick a color (preferably a lighter tone) and go with it; stick
with one color and build around with matching tones and shades of it -
that’s called monochromatic scheme; the less contrast the better; you
want to create a uniform and blended look.
3. go for sparkle, shine, glass and translucency; the softer the
design elements, the larger the space will feel, which is exactly what
your goal is.
Apartment design is challenging on many levels: budget, space
limitations and temporary nature. Hope you find the above tips
beneficial and incorporate them into the redesign of your apartment.
And if you need help or have further questions, you know where to find
me….