An interior designer critiqued my one-bedroom apartment. Here's how she'd make it feel bigger and cooler for 2 young adults.

Gia Yetikyel May 16, 2023, 04:13 IST

An interior designer shared tips on how to make our one bedroom feel bigger and look cooler.Gia Yetikyel

An interior designer told me how to make my one-bedroom Chicago apartment look bigger and more chic.
She recommended more vertical storage and negative space.

About two years ago, my partner and I found a 1,400-square-foot one-bedroom apartment in Chicago. Since then, we've tried to make it feel like home for two post-college young adults.

To get some advice on how to upgrade our space, I reached out to Julie Purpura, owner and design director of Avenir, a Chicago-based and LGBTQ-founded design firm.

What initially drew me to Purpura was her retail and coffee shop, The Center of Order and Experimentation, which she co-owns with Jean Cate. The store's camp and funky '60s design signaled that I had found someone who has both a sharp eye for detail and a similar taste in style.

Here's what Purpura suggested we do to make the apartment feel bigger and more stylish for two recent grads.

I love maximalism but needed to focus on decluttering.

Decluttering plays an important role in interior design.Gia Yetikyel

She told me putting every trinket on display at once can create a cluttered look.

There are really aesthetically busy areas of the living room.Gia Yetikyel

She said the string lights have to go.

Purpura co-owns a retail and coffee shop, The Center of Order and Experimentation.Gia Yetikyel

Purpura drew an example of our living room with some design adjustments.

Purpura created a potential layout of the living room.Julie Purpura

Out from the living room is the hallway, where she said we could take advantage of our high ceilings by adding taller bookshelves.

Installing taller bookshelves would complement the high ceilings.Gia Yetikyel

Past the hallway is the kitchen, to which Purpura recommended we add vintage rugs and fake plants.

Adding good-quality fake plants to the kitchen would elevate the ambiance.Gia Yetikyel

The metal island is helpful, but can also be a source of clutter if not organized properly.

Purpura suggested getting baskets to store kitchen items.Gia Yetikyel

Beside the living room is the dining room, which could offer some storage potential.

Purpura loved the dining-room table.Gia Yetikyel

The bedroom's furniture created too much of a uniform contrast against the walls.

Purpura suggested switching the posters for one larger piece of art.Gia Yetikyel

She said we should lean into complementary furniture pieces, not matching ones.

I keep a lot of makeup and jewelry on top of my dresser.Gia Yetikyel

Purpura recommended warmer tones for a more luxurious feel in the bathroom.

I want to create an accent wall to add warmth to the bathroom.Gia Yetikyel

Accessible storage can help create a charming ambiance in the bathroom.

Hotel bathrooms offer helpful inspiration for luxurious-space ideas.Gia Yetikyel

Overall, Purpura offered a wake-up call about experimenting with maximalism.

I'm slowly starting the decluttering process.Gia Yetikyel

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