600 Sq Ft Apartment Decorating Ideas

Small living can be fun, but you might not want something too small, and 600-square feet can fit that bill. You're still working with a smaller apartment without it being tiny and easily overcrowded — you've still got some room to breathe.

Achieving a comfortable layout in an apartment that size will still take some work and smart design. Here's how you can furnish and decorate your 600-square-foot apartment to get the most out of it.

How big is a 600-square-foot apartment?

If you can imagine four Volkswagen vans or a three-car garage, that's about 600 square feet. It's nothing to gawk at, but it's a good amount of space to work with, especially if you're living alone.

What does a 600-square-foot apartment look like?

While it's still possible to find studios at this size, it's not the only option. With 600 square feet in an apartment, you'll start to see more defined spaces, like a separate kitchen, living room and bedroom.

The living room and bedroom will still be small, but they'll be separate. And if it doesn't have a separate living and bedroom, you'll at least have a larger combined living area to work with.

Layout of a 600-square-foot apartment

Source: Avalon Clinton

5 ways to decorate your 600-square-foot apartment

Six hundred square feet doesn't sound like much, but there's probably more room than you think. Don't be afraid to experiment with different layouts to fit your lifestyle — it might take some time to figure it out, but once you do, you'll feel just as great in your 600-square-foot apartment as you would in a larger one.

1. Define spaces

defined spaces

If your apartment doesn't have different rooms with walls, this is where you can use furniture like a couch, bookshelves, decorative partition, etc., to divide your space into "rooms." And if it does have rooms already, it's your chance to decide how everything will flow.

Since you're not living in a tightly-packed apartment, you have the chance to shift themes and colors between spaces. Your kitchen, living room and bedroom can each have their own personality, but they should still be cohesive and flow together.

A great way to start if you're unsure is by using white as your main color and choosing one or two other colors for each room. For the kitchen, you could have navy and gold accents and the living room could shift to green accents. The colors can be different, but try not to make the change too drastic between areas.

2. Add vertical lines

vertical lines

Long, vertical lines can make a room feel airy. Take advantage of vertical lines to draw your attention up and make the room look larger. Use things like tall, vertical paintings and long curtains to elongate the walls and give the illusion of a higher ceiling.

3. Pick a statement wall

statement wall

Choose one wall to be the focal point of your apartment instead of trying to spread your décor everywhere. Instead of figuring out how to get all of your living room walls to look good together in the same space, just focus on one to grab your attention when you walk in.

You can achieve this by hanging large art on the wall, painting it (if permitted by the landlord) or using wallpaper (there's removable peel-and-stick wallpaper so you don't damage the paint).

4. Invite nature

plants

Incorporate natural elements to make your home feel more comfortable. Hang plants (real or fake) from the ceiling in decorative pots, use furniture or decorative pieces with a natural wood finish instead of painted and choose art that features nature, like water, trees and mountains. This can actually have a positive effect on your wellbeing and even help reduce stress and anxiety!

5. Float the furniture

float furniture

Your first instinct in an apartment on the small side might be to put all your furniture up against the walls to keep the rest of the floor open. But, if you float a few pieces of furniture that you would normally put against the wall, such as a couch or a desk, it can add depth to your space and actually make it feel a little bigger. This will also help you divide and define the areas within your apartment.

Living in a 600-square-foot apartment

It sounds small, but once you're in a 600-square-foot apartment, you'll find that there's a decent amount of room for living and decorating.

Related:

Decorating Ideas in a 300-Square-Foot Apartment
Decorating Ideas in a 400-Square-Foot Apartment
Decorating Ideas in a 500-Square-Foot Apartment
Decorating Ideas in a 700-Square-Foot Apartment
Decorating Ideas in an 800-Square-Foot Apartment