This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
We know all too well the struggle of decorating a pocket-sized space. So, here’s everything you need to know about buying small apartment furniture!
Wondering where on earth to begin with buying small apartment furniture? We’d assume you only have a teeny-tiny space to work with, which makes decorating feel like a huge feat.
Though luckily, it’s not one that can’t be overcome. As experienced small-space-stylers, we’ve got all the tips and tricks you need, and we’ll even show you the furniture pieces that work best for compact apartments.
Grab your tape measure and let’s get into it!
Tips for Buying Small Apartment Furniture
1. Stick to the Necessities
It’s tempting to buy furniture *just* because you really, really love it or because it’s insanely discounted (guilty!). But if it doesn’t work for your apartment, i.e. there’s literally zero floor space available, it’s not such a great purchase after all.
2. Embrace Sleek, Streamline Pieces Where Possible
For the most part, clunky, chunky, and funky furniture pieces are out the door. Yep, we’re sad about this one, too.
But seriously, with minimal square footage, the key is to get savvy with super slimline yet brilliantly functional pieces – we’ll show you plenty in this blog!
3. Be Careful with Angular Furniture
Whether picking out a coffee table for your living space, an accent chair for the bedroom, or a dainty nightstand, curved furniture pieces will help to make the space feel bigger. And not only that, but it makes it easier to get from A to B (especially in pocket-sized pads).
That’s not to say angular pieces are a complete no-go. You just need to be savvy about where they’re positioned!
4. Snap Up Multifunctional Finds
Think about it – beautiful 2-in-1 furniture pieces help you save bundles of space whilst doubling the practicality. Small apartment furniture doesn’t get much better than that.
Small Apartment Furniture Ideas: A Room-by-Room Guide
For the Entryway:
Narrow Console Table
Need somewhere to dump your bag and keys without sacrificing too much floor space? Ta-da! This is the most genius way to incorporate a super practical furniture piece in what is typically one of the most restricted rooms in any apartment – a narrow console table.
Narrow Console Tables We’re Loving:
- Rustic Style Table with Hairpin Legs
- Glass Top Slim Table in Black
- Faux Marble Half Moon Console Table
Shoe Bench
Where you can, it’s always wise to opt for a 2-in-1 furniture piece, to save doubling up unnecessarily. For example, the right shoe bench can be used as both a seat when putting shoes on AND a nifty storage place!
Shoe Benches We’re Loving:
- Bench with Flip-Down Shoe Rack
- Shoe & Storage Chest with Seat
- Open Shelf Bench with Hidden Drawer & Organiser
Ready to style up your entryway? We can help you out with that — here are the best small home decor items to uplift the space!
For the Living Room:
Large Arched Full-Length Mirror
We know, it sounds counterproductive – putting a huge mirror in a tiny space. But it actually makes a lot of sense, considering mirrors are brilliant for bouncing light into dull and dingy areas.
But there’s more to it than that. When executed properly, larger items in dinky spaces can create an illusion of a bigger room (don’t ask us how it works!). And, the arched feature is an added bonus that softens the sometimes-harsh look of an oversized furniture piece.
Large Arched Full-Length Mirrors We’re Loving:
L-Shaped Sofa
Okay, being comfortable is key, right? A stunning corner sofa might be off the cards, but we’ve got something waaaay better for your boxy living area – an L-shaped sofa. This is the simplest way to maximise seating space whilst still maintaining an element of comfort.
If you wanna take it a step further to really enhance the space you have, we’ve got three simple tips to consider when shopping for your new sofa:
- Look for a model with either no or low arms as this creates the illusion of a larger seating area.
- Opt for something with slimline legs – this allows the eye to wander to the open flooring beneath, making the room look less cramped.
- Stay away from L-shaped designs with bulky upholstery, such as Chesterfield sofas. Sleek and compact is the goal.
L-Shaped Sofas We’re Loving:
Glass Shelving Unit
Let’s not pretend you don’t want your living area to be as pretty as it is practical, right? A glass shelving unit is a brilliant piece of small apartment furniture to put your favourite decorative accessories in the spotlight.
Allowing light to flow between the shelves, if you get the styling just right (keep it minimal), something as visually striking as this won’t look out of place in your small-scale apartment.
Glass Shelving Units We’re Loving:
Round Coffee Table
Remember what we said about curved furniture pieces? A round coffee table is the *perfect* example of this.
Leaving plenty of space to move around, it boasts the all-important practicality of a small living room table, whilst adding limitless visual intrigue. It’s a win-win.
Round Coffee Tables We’re Loving:
End of Sofa Table
This is by far one of the best small apartment furniture pieces you’ll buy for your compact space – an end of sofa table.
Perfect for holding drinks, the remote, or miniature decorative accessories, we’re certain you’ll be using it on the daily. And, it saves you from compromising valuable floor space if you don’t have room for a coffee table!
End of Sofa Tables We’re Loving:
For the Kitchen & Dining Space:
Round Dining Table & Matching Chairs
We’re back once again with the round furniture! Sorry, we just can’t get enough of it for small spaces.
If your apartment has the square footage to create a mini dining area, we 100% recommend finding a beautiful curvy table and chairs set. Usually, we’re alllll about mixing and matching furniture pieces, but buying everything together ensures they align perfectly, saving as much space as possible.
Round Dining Table & Matching Chairs We’re Loving:
Glass Bar Cart
Why glass specifically? Not only does it always look effortlessly sophisticated, clear glass allows light to flow through, creating the illusion of “open space”, making the room feel less crowded with aesthetic-but-not-entirely-necessary furniture pieces.
Glass Bar Carts We’re Loving:
Backless Bar Stools
Every kitchen island or breakfast table demands at least three bar stools for aesthetic appeal (we don’t make the rules!). But it’s crucial to choose the right style…
In a small space, we’d recommend backless bar stools every time. Again, this makes it easier to move around, and also makes it look like you have more space, as the overall view of your kitchen isn’t obstructed by bulky chairs.
Backless Bar Stools We’re Loving:
For the Bedrooms:
Low-Lying, Slimline Bed Frame
Unfortunately, a four-poster bed frame is definitely NOT the move for a pint-sized bedroom – we’re disappointed, too.
Instead, an absolute slumber essential for a small bedroom is a low-lying, slimline bed frame with a low headboard. The stunted height creates empty space above, making the room appear larger whilst the sleek design leans into that classy, understated look.
Slimline Bed Frames We’re Loving:
Ottoman Bed
Super short on storage? A brilliant (although bulkier) alternative to the above is an ottoman bed. Designed with discrete drawers on either side, or a clever lift-up mechanism, you can use this handy space to store everything from pyjamas to spare bed linen or your ever-growing shoe collection.
And the best part is, they’re not all as bulky as you’d imagine – take a look!
Ottoman Beds We’re Loving:
Need some more organisation ideas for small bedrooms? We’ve got you!
Bedside Table Shelf (Think Super Sleek Hotel Vibes)
We’re obsessed with this Instagram-ready, no-frills design. Leaning into concepts synonymous with minimalist interior styling, the clean lines and simple silhouette give it that aesthetic edge whilst demanding little to no space at all.
Bedside Table Shelves We’re Loving:
Chest of Drawers, AKA a Dresser
This is where the search for small apartment furniture can get a little more complicated. Why? Because it’s not so easy to scrimp on the overall size when buying a chest of drawers.
No matter how many clothes you own, we believe it’s crucial to have as much storage space as possible – without having to declutter unnecessarily.
So, the main things to look for when choosing a chest of drawers are a slim frame, tall legs, and a soft, curvy silhouette (if possible!).
Chests of Drawers We’re Loving:
For the Bathroom:
Free Standing Ladder Shelf
Finding small apartment furniture for the bathroom is actually waaaay easier than you may think. As one of the most compact rooms in your home, it’s pretty straightforward to find dinky designs that demand little floor space – like a slimline ladder shelf.
Perfect for storing toiletries, towels, or adorning with decorative accessories for visual intrigue, what’s not to love?
Ladder Shelving Units We’re Loving:
Wanna make your bathroom feel like a luxury spa? We don’t blame you – here are the most gasp-worthy decorative accessories for bathroom to bring your vision to life.
Around the Sink Bathroom Storage
Consider this a genius small apartment furniture choice for those on a budget: an around the sink bathroom storage unit.
Designed to sit streamline with your wall-mounted or pedestal sink, this savvy design allows you to reap sooo much storage whilst demanding pretty much no more space than is currently being used.
Around the Sink Bathroom Storage We’re Loving:
Over the Toilet Storage Cabinet
Does it get much more genius than this? We don’t know about you, but we rarely see much more than the odd shelf or cute wall art prints above the toilet.
But an over the toilet storage cabinet is *the* furniture piece you need to ensure you’re utilising every square inch of your tiny bathroom. Fill it with whatever you like from everyday toiletries to spare TP – this well-designed unit will be a godsend in any small apartment.
Over the Toilet Storage Cabinets We’re Loving:
Free Standing Vanity
We’re obsessed with free-standing vanity units… anyone else?
But the thing is, they’re designed to make a BIG impact, which usually means they’re large and in-charge – a total logistical nightmare for a small apartment bathroom.
However, we’ve done some digging and found vanities that work *just perfectly* as small apartment furniture. The two main goals of our search: tall legs and a slim design.
Vanities We’re Loving:
Laundry Cabinet
Not got space for both laundry bins and some sort of storage solution? Remember – we’re alllllll about those multifunctional pieces.
Laundry cabinets are a super smart way to hide what would (probably) be piles and piles of dirty clothes, whilst also giving you a little room to store bathroom essentials. You can even utilise the surface on top by adding aesthetic storage canisters!
Laundry Cabinets We’re Loving: