How to Decorate a One-Bedroom Senior Apartment to Make It Feel Like Home

Think Big in a Smaller Space: Apartment Decorating Ideas

When you’re used to a house with bigger square footage and lots of wall space, you may be flummoxed about how to decorate a one-bedroom apartment. There are some unique considerations in a smaller space, but you might be surprised at how easily you can create a beautiful, comfortable area that matches your particular style.

When you move into a senior apartment in a community, you have access to so much just outside your door, which frees up a lot of space in your apartment. A smaller kitchen is no problem when you have a professional chef on-site to cook for you. No need for bulky exercise equipment when the workout room is down the hall. You can meet friends in the bistro, host parties or meetings in the private dining room, and meet the book club in the library. Also, you can cut way down on stockpiled tools and cleaning products because you’ll now have maintenance and housekeeping services.

As you look at a smaller space, consider the sprawling campus that will be at your fingertips in a senior living community. With all those opportunities in mind, you can choose the right apartment décor to create a space that serves your new lifestyle and provides you with a warm and familiar home base.

Practical Tips for How to Decorate a Small Apartment

Create Zones: Within the same four walls, you can outline a kitchen area, a dining area and a seating area. Rugs can greatly help define spaces to make one room feel like three.

Go Vertical: Make your space feel bigger and create more storage opportunities by thinking vertically. Hang curtains at the ceiling instead of the top of the windows to create more height in the room. Set photos and art a little higher on the walls than you normally would or create a tall gallery wall to draw the eye upward. You can also put in tall shelves to optimize storage and provide more display spaces for books and tchotchkes. Even hanging sconces on the wall instead of setting lamps on tables or the floor can free up surface area in a smart and beautiful way.

Maximize Your Light: Don’t block out any natural light with dark curtains. Opt for lighter styles to keep the space airy. Large mirrors also help open up a small space and — when strategically placed — they reflect light from a window to create a brighter, happier room.

Storage. Storage. Storage.: Ottomans, stools, coffee tables and side tables can all potentially be extra storage. Organization will be your best friend. In a small space, you want to avoid as much clutter as you can, and setting up easy places to put things away will help you enjoy your new residence even more.

Don’t Always Go Smaller: You don’t necessarily need smaller furniture when you move to a smaller apartment. Larger pieces create a cozy feel in a compact apartment, and bold designs make an even bigger statement. You can stack and lean art on shelves and mantles for a layered, modern look that allows you to keep more of the artwork that brings you joy or has sentimental value.

Find All Possible Uses for Furniture: As you find new furnishings for your apartment or find new places for old favorites, think of all the functions each piece might be able to serve. Can your beautiful antique chest be put to use holding dry goods or extra linens? If you’re looking for a new sofa, you might select a daybed that could sleep overnight guests when necessary.

If you’re contemplating how to decorate a one-bedroom apartment for older adults, make sure you consider any mobility or vision issues that might arise. You want your space to be functional as well as beautiful, so you can enjoy living there for a long time.

If you’d like to know more about one-bedroom apartment homes and the life-expanding services and amenities at The Heritage at Brentwood, let us know. The team at The Heritage would be happy to answer your questions and show you around the beautiful campus. In the meantime, you can explore floor plans on the website and start imagining how you would decorate.