How to Make the Most Out of Small Rooms
Small rooms can be cosy and inviting.
They can be spacious too – if you know how to make the most of what you have!
Just because you have less space to work with does not mean your small room cannot look as amazing as a larger counterpart. Many small room ideas involve tricking the eye into making the room appear light, airy and spacious, and work to ideas around scale and perception.
Keep it Light and Bright
It’s an oldie, but a goldie – use light colours for your walls, furniture and décor to open up the room, and avoid dark colours that tend to make a space cosier. White surfaces reflect light, as do mirrors, so utilise this wherever you can. Large windows will also help enlarge the room because your eye will be drawn out and beyond the home to the great outdoors.
Avoid Confusion With Too Many Patterns
Keep things simple in a small room and let texture and colour guide your choices, rather than pattern. Too many conflicting patterns can create confusion and clutter, which will instantly shrink the perceived size of the room. Stick to bold, full-coloured items, and only use pattern on a small-scale.
Keep it to Scale
A common misconception is small rooms should feature small furniture – this is not the case. Several small pieces can actually make a room appear cluttered and even smaller than what it is! You are far better off selecting one or two larger pieces and filling up the space this way – it will appear grander. Choose sleek pieces without skirted bottoms that allow you to see through to the other side. Be sure to keep furniture such as couches and coffee tables ‘floating’ as well. This means keeping them away from the walls and ensuring a person can comfortably walk past each piece, creating the illusion of more space.
Multi-Purposing is Your Friend
Beds, couches, nooks and crannies are all wasted space in a home. Make the most out of it and repurpose these spaces! Beds with in-built storage underneath are perfect for hiding away mess. Coffee tables and couches are the same. If you don’t have room for your computer, a simple nook with a desk and chair is the perfect alternative! Don’t have a nook? A foldaway desk on a hallway wall is another great option! Finally, built-in shelving can create storage and display areas that won’t intrude into your space. You can also try shallow shelves above doorways and windows.
Take Advantage of Your Laundry
Small rooms like your laundry offer a world of space, you just don’t know it! Start by stacking your washer and dryer, and invest in new wall cabinetry to claim this newly-found space instead.
Visit the Hotondo Homes website for more.
