8 handy tips for decorating those small living spaces

Here are some tips from Abbey Slitor and Warren Weixler of Washington, who live in a 707-square-foot flat, that will help you make the most of your small apartment.

• Avoid table lamps. Use pendant lights, sconces and other wall-mounted lighting wherever possible. They take up less space.

• Embrace multitasking pieces. The generously sized Kivik ottoman from Ikea opens to provide storage, can be used for extra seating and serves as a coffee table if topped with a tray. Pushed against the matching Kivik modular sofa and chaise, it can be part of a guest bed. In the bedroom, Weixler’s Ikea Hemnes three-drawer white dresser does double duty as a nightstand.

• Remove interior doors. If a door gets in the way, take it off.

• Use your washing machine as a hamper. If you are lucky enough to have your own washer, use it to store dirty laundry. Just sort when it’s time to run a load.

• Coordinate colors of bedroom walls and furniture. Because they had white walls, Slitor and Weixler installed two basic white dressers that blend in and make the room seem larger.

• Find easy ways to purge stuff. Weixler and Slitor downsized by selling on eBay and Craigslist, giving away to friends or donating to charity.

• Consider the building’s amenities. You can save space in your apartment if your building offers such things as a gym, dog-washing facilities and a lounge you can use for parties, as Slitor and Weixler’s does.

• Ignore the rules for furniture placement. Imagine new uses for standard pieces. This couple used a low dining room buffet as a food pantry.