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In between graduating college and winning the lottery, most of us live somewhere small. Maybe it's a studio apartment, a "cozy" home, a share with six roommates or a one-person place that's twice as crowded after you and your guy decide to shack up.

Fortunately, with some paint or the right light, it doesn't have to feel like a dorm. (It also doesn't hurt to de-clutter.)

AOL Home got the author of "Libby Langdon's Small Space Solutions" to give her advice on how to make cramped quarters feel cavernous.

Libby Langdons Small Space Solutions

    This fluorescent light box on the ceiling offered cold, harsh light and made the kitchen feel smaller because of the way it dropped down into the room. The dark wallpaper on the ceiling made it feel crowded and closed in.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    By replacing the light box with simple drop-down pendants, recessed ceiling cans, and under-the-cabinet lighting, we added layers of light that make the room feel warmer and seem larger. Just paint and lighting were updated; we didn't change the kitchen cabinets, but see how different they look!

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    This room had no personality--white walls and stark blinds don't help, and the bare floor is not inviting at all.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    The first thing I did was paint the walls a soft color that would add some contrast with the white molding and shutters. This room now has a more sophisticated look, and even with the additional furniture, it looks larger! It looks more like a welcoming bedroom than just a place to crash at night.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    The wallpaper border and the overhead ceiling fan lights are a big no-no in any kitchen.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    New lighting, a new wall color, a new island, and painting their existing cabinets black was my recipe for how to update this tired kitchen.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    If you have old hand-me-down furniture from college or a first apartment, get some more mileage out of it by painting it. It will save you money short term but you can still make over your space and achieve the design you want!

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    Here's the same wall unit, but we just painted it black. It completely transformed the look of that tired old oak furniture to a hip, cool piece that looks pulled together and fresh!

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    This dining nook has great natural light, but the dark wallpaper drained it and made it feel cold.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.

    Here you can see how the yellow wall color warmed up the space, and the new chandelier with the chandelier shades gives off a soft glow.

    Reprinted from LIBBY LANGDONS SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS by Libby Langdon (© 2009). Published by Knack Books.



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