Minimalist + Modern + Elegant

Having a hard time figuring out how to make your apartment and all of its unique aspects work?

This past week, a client came to me asking for help on how to beautify her LA apartment. The issue was not just the space but it was also the orange linoleum floors that were very hard to work with to bring in the style that she loves.

To give you an idea of what the apartment currently looks like, here is a photo:

Because of the small space, unique layout, and orange floors, it was important to maximize what we do have. In order to achieve the minimalistic and glam style, without crowding the space, the first thing we had to do was take apart the big sectional. Although seating is a necessity in any apartment that enjoys entertaining guests, the existing sectional took up too much of the living space. We kept the corner pieces of the sectional, moved it towards the middle of the room, and then for extra seating added a couple poufs that are versatile and easily moveable.

All of the pieces that we added were light tones so that not only the space can feel bigger than it is, but so that it can neutralize the tone of the floors.

The biggest help to make any room feel bigger is getting a proportional rug. We chose an 8x10 rug with a timeless pattern that contributes to the higher end style. Rugs USA has so many options and is a great place to look when re-designing a room on a budget!

Instead of using the existing rectangular coffee table, we opted for a circular glass table to add more variety to the room. The glass helps keep the room airy and bright because it allows the eye to visually go through the space. The black metal plays on the the minimal and elegant aspect, keeping things simple.

Just because lots of pieces in the space are black doesn't mean that you can't throw in a different type of metal! We used a simple and elegant, brass floor lamp to add some more interest and variety.

It gets tricky when you want a light and bright space, but also want privacy. Thankfully we found beautiful and affordable light-blocking curtains that are white! It is important to get the right length of curtains because the wrong length can actually clutter the space rather than give the illusion of a taller ceiling. For the right look, hang the curtains at least a foot higher than the window frame and have the rod stick out at least 6" on each side. This gives the illusion of a bigger window and taller ceilings.

To finish of the living room, continue the theme of light accents. We used a combination of different pillows (1, 2, 3) for the couch, each bringing in more pattern to the room. Because the couch is so dark and bulky, it was important for us to lighten it up and help make the couch fit the style of the space. Don't be afraid to throw in lots of textures! Putting a light grey throw blanket on the couch helps distract the eye from the darkness as well.

Don't be afraid to add lots of greenery! Not only is it a great corner filler, but man does it freshen up a space!

As for the dining room, because it's a more closed off and small room, we stuck with light tones and airy pieces. The biggest focal point is the beautiful, silver chandelier, that is simple yet elegant. It ties in the grey from the living room perfectly!

Here's a photo of the current space:

Similar to the coffee table, the glass dining table makes the space sleek and modern, while keeping a more minimalist feeling. We chose to utilize the small room by expanding the dining table and have it take up most of the space. Placing a 6x9 rug underneath the dining table makes the room its own dedicated space and ties in the tones from the living room.

We will be keeping the four existing chairs, but adding some lighter ones that will be used as end chairs. As for the bar stools, we are getting rid of the bulky existing ones and adding some sleek, silver ones, that will help open up the space and will be a great sightline from the living room.

Don't worry, the walls won't be blank! A beautiful, locally created, art piece will be added on the left wall so that it can be seen from the front door as well. The piece will be bigger than 42" in order to add more interest in the room and fit the space.

We can't wait to see how this space turns out!

Here is the furniture plan that we drew up for this LA apartment: