SMALL HOME DECORATING TIPS, TRICKS & MISTAKES TO AVOID
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF LIVING IN CLOSE QUARTERS, THEN WE DON’T NEED TO REMIND YOU HOW TRICKY DECORATING SMALL SPACES CAN BE!
WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A SMALL LONDON FLAT, AN APARTMENT IN MANHATTAN OR A TINY HOME IN THE ARIZONA DESSERT, IT CAN BE A PUZZLE TO ARRANGE YOUR SPACES SO THEY ARE FUNCTIONAL, STYLISH & EXPANSIVE. HERE, WE HOPE TO BRING YOU SOME IDEAS THAT WILL ENHANCE YOUR SMALL SPACE LIVING EXPERIENCE WHILE AVOIDING A CLUTTERED FEEL!
1- DON’T UNDERESTIMATE NATURAL LIGHT
NATURAL LIGHT IS YOUR SMALL SPACE’S BEST FRIEND
TIPS & TRICKS- Maximize your room by placing mirrors on opposite walls from your windows to reflect and spread light around the room or into adjacent rooms.
Mirrors will also help make your house look more spacious. You can place a large mirror behind a piece of furniture, such as a sofa, to enhance the feeling of space. By using them in tandem with some wall décor, mirrors make wonderful wall decoration pieces as well.
2- USE CURTAINS TO ADD HEIGHT
WHEN YOUR SPACE HAS SMALL DIMENSIONS, YOU NEED TO MAKE IT LOOK TALLER THAN IT IS
TIPS & TRICKS- Use lengthy, light-colored curtains that are also lightweight. These properties help to add height to your space without adding bulk.
AVOID- Using dark colors, horizontal lines or LARGE floral patterns tend to dominate the room and thus make it appear smaller and crowded. Heavy, blackout drapes shrink a small space, so opt for lighter material instead, or drapes with a subtle pattern—especially in spaces where you want to take advantage of natural light, like the living room.
3- DON’T FIGHT THE SIZE
THE SOONER YOU ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE A SMALL SPACE, THE SOONER YOU CAN START TAKING STEPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT AND BEGIN CRAFTING CHIC SURROUNDINGS
TRICK- One big trick is making your furniture work double time! Furniture meant for one thing but has additional storage or ways to add decor on it.
TIPS- If you don't have room for a bedside table, squeezing one in will only make your room feel more cramped. Instead, opt for a stool to rest remote controls, cell phones and tiny table lamps on. If a media cabinet won't fit in your available square footage, mount a flat-screen on the wall or tuck it into a bookshelf. Instead of a full-size desk, consider a vanity or narrow console.
AVOID- Using the use of chunky, bulky furniture. Also, avoid a lot of dark colors in general. Using lightweight, light colored furniture helps them sorta “melt” into the wall and visually disappear (in a good way).
4- CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE BED
IN A SHOEBOX-SIZED ROOM, A FOUR-POSTER BED TAKES UP TOO MUCH PRECIOUS REAL ESTATE
TIP- Center the bed! Even though you don’t have much space on either side, it will feel better for both parties (if you’re sharing the bed) to be able to get out of the bed easily and prevent the college-style technique of the bed against the wall.
TRICKS- Instead, think smaller scale. For example, a headboard still makes a statement without crowding the room. If you have low ceilings, try a platform bed. Or, combine bedframe and dressers with a captain's bed for a ton of extra storage.
5- UTILIZE FLOOR RUGS
USE RUGS THAT HAVE INTERESTING AND ATTRACTIVE PATTERNS THAT DRAWS THE ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE WALLS BUT INSTEAD TO THE CENTER OF THE SPACE
TRICK- Creating a definite center of attention that captures the eye will automatically makes the room look bigger.
TIP- Use large rugs! It sounds counterintuitive, but a larger rug will help open up a space better than a smaller one. Plus, several small rugs will end up chopping up an already petite space.
6- AVOID CROWDING SURFACES
NO MATTER HOW MANY SMART STORAGE SOLUTIONS YOU INCORPORATE, YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE LIMITED SPACE
TIPS & TRICKS- The statement above isn’t meant to sound discouraging! Whether you have a small home or a large home, it’s always important to edit your belongings. If it’s not meaningful, purposeful or functional, get rid of it! This can be super common for our kitchen counters and bathroom vanities, where products tend to pile up.
7- UTILIZE VERTICAL SPACES
GET CREATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO STORAGE AREAS AND PLACES TO CARVE OUT MORE USABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE
TIP- A small space means that there is very little actual floor space in your room, so to combat the lack of floor space, go vertical with your storage and décor
TRICK- Incorporating floor-to-ceiling shelving, utilizing the space above the window frame, and adding built-in seating, for example, help maximize the functionality of a room.