The good thing about a small apartment (in addition to the smallish rent?) is that it doesn't take much to decorate it. A good rule of thumb to go for cozy, not clutter. Your walls will start to move in on you, if you try to stuff too much into a small space. You're supposed to be the one who makes the moves, right? Right.

Wouldn't you rather hang out with a crowd of people instead of a crowd of furniture? Don't furnish small rooms with big pieces of furniture. Select pieces with a more open design and be conscious of traffic flow. The crowd of people won't know what you did, but they'll like it nonetheless. Trust us on this one.

Soft, neutral colors are classic and clean, but don't whitewash...or beige-wash...your apartment in them. Bo-ring. Keep the large spaces neutral and clean and pay attention to your color scheme. Keep walls light and bright, saving color for accessories, bedspreads, window treatments and wall coverings. They're easy to change, which will help you more easily change the look and feel of your space.

A word of warning: don't go color crazy. Color can clutter your apartment just as easily as your stuff can.

Also, try different textures -like bamboo, rice paper and flowers- to bring variety and an organic feel to your home. Are you beginning to see it? We think things are really shaping up. We're coming over...