Wendy Kuncken is crazy for castoffs. Bits of crockery, vintage photos — she buys them with abandon at flea markets and tag sales and on eBay. “It’s my personality,” she says. “I just love collecting.” That’s all fine, except that while her collections grow, her 650-square-foot apartment in Englewood, New Jersey, doesn’t. “It’s too small to live in,” she says. “It isn’t functional.” But small spaces don’t have to be cramped. They can be comfortable, bright, and clutter-free. With help from Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, the author of Apartment Therapy (Bantam, $14, www.amazon.com), and other design professionals, Real Simple made the most of her small rooms with new color, furniture, and storage solutions.

Go from Dark to Light

The cramped living room was made to feel more spacious by lightening the walls (Benjamin Moore Lemon Drops), and its brightness was accentuated by darkening the adjacent entryway (Benjamin Moore Bronze Tone). An American Simplicity cream pedestal table ($200, www.target.com) reinforces the effect.