Small places are cozy, require less maintenance and décor. However, at the risk of sounding redundant, the only letdown about small places is that there is an apparent lack of space. It can be a true challenge to manage all the clutter, create optimum storage space, and simply decorate it the way you love.
Small rooms can feel cramped almost immediately the moment you randomly start putting stuff. The key to small space interior design is to decorate smartly and incorporate consistency. When you are working with less square footage, things are going to be tricky. Luckily, we’ve got just the tips and tricks for you to make your small space shine.
1. Create visual trickery with mirrors:
Mirrors are your best friend when it comes to small space décor. Why mirrors? Actually, the concept is to create an illusion that is workable for both small and large places. You just have to make your space look big without adding or removing too many objects. Mirrors reflect everything in the room and make it look as if the entire place is filled.
Furthermore, they reflect non-natural and natural light to create the illusion of a larger space. You can use a combination of large and small mirrors and mount them on the walls. You can also complement them with a few statement art pieces on the adjacent wall to create a small gallery.
2. Choose multipurpose furniture:
If you’ve got a place in a city with a growing population like Minneapolis, you are or very soon will be tight on space. However, there is no reason to worry since you will find a lot of styling and décor choices to work with in a Minneapolis, MN furniture store.
When working with smaller rooms, the priority is to utilize the space smartly. Therefore, aiming for multipurpose, foldable or stowaway furniture is a great way to decorate congested areas.
Think practically when allocating space in a small room. Convertible sofas, foldable desks, Murphy beds and multipurpose tables can improve the flow in your home and increase the functionality and utility of every room.
3. Go for wider and higher:
Most of us don’t tend to make full use of our walls and even ceiling. By putting up small drawers or shelves, we waste that particular wall’s entire width and length. If you want to make your small space look glorious, go for floor-to-ceiling furniture and decorative accessories.
For instance, mounting your curtain rods higher up instead of aligning them to the height of the windows will make your ceiling look higher. You can also use floor-to-ceiling glassware, display work, shelves, and closets to keep the floor clear of clutter.
4. Create hidden storage:
Lack of storage is the biggest challenge faced by any homeowner. Due to the limited space, not many pieces can be added to the house to meet the needs of a growing family, which leads to mountains of clutter on different surfaces. After all, you can’t simply go for pieces that serve as storage, as it won’t do anything for room décor.
You need to get creative and choose pieces that serve both purposes. Every piece of furniture and decorative item should double as storage. Go for storage nooks, coffee tables with side drawers or ottoman tables with lift-top storage, beds with drawers and even closets and drawers under the stairs.
Each of these items can make up for a great decorative statement piece, especially in the living room, while allowing you to keep your house clutter-free. Make use of every wasted space around the house by integrating hidden storage in it to double your storage without compromising on style.
5. Work the magic with lighting:
A small space can often feel dark and cramped, so proper illumination is necessary to make it look much bigger. However, since you can’t install large windows or French doors to allow in natural light as they will reduce your wall space, you can opt for options like transom windows, hopper windows and skylights. Yet, this too is conditional in some challenging builds.
So be smart with your choices and try to integrate as many windows as possible to allow in natural light without affecting the room’s functionality. Windows and glass doors allow in natural light, which makes the room look bigger and draws the eye to the outdoors to give the room a less claustrophobic feel, so forgo heavy drapery and pull back the blinds.
If you have little to no windows, take help from artificial lighting and hang exquisite ceiling fixtures combined with gorgeous floor lamps and even sconces. Avoid making a limited space look heavier and gloomy by choosing wide ceiling lamps with lovely geometric shapes to lighten up the décor.
Consider space-saving lighting options such as linear suspension lights — small pendants, decorative wall lights, a petite chandelier, or even recessed lighting can give you a much brighter home.
6. Choose a cohesive theme:
The thing about small spaces is that it highlights everything instantly. If you are using too many elements, colors, and pieces, it can make your room look too dramatic and crampy. Thus, you should use a handful of decorative details and ensure that they all follow a unified theme.
Want to go for neutral tones? Well, you’re on to something. Not only is using neutral paint color like crisp white or light grey on the walls and ceiling in fashion, but it also makes a room look bigger.
However, you need to add one or two brightly colored statement pieces to balance the palette. Aside from color, you can also play with the scale; but keep the proportions balanced by using a coherent combination of small and large furniture.
We recommend adding one dramatic art piece or feature like a brick/stone fireplace and styling your whole room around it by adding smaller functional pieces. Also, to make your space more visually appealing, you need to add dimension to your design by using throw rugs, carpets, drapes and upholstery.
Layering different fabrics can be a great way to introduce some color, texture and patterns to an otherwise bland room. Creating a balance between the neutral and the pops of color and texture is what a good design is all about, and the reason it is perfect for a small space is that the eye will be drawn to different places around the space.
One common mistake that people make when following a theme is overdoing on a certain material, like adding clear stained wooden furniture in a room with wooden beams and wooden floors. While wood can add warmth to a room, you need to know how much is too much, or you will end up with something that will resemble a wooden hunting cabin and not in a good way.
So when designing and decorating a space, keep all elements balanced and research well on your chosen theme to find viable ideas, pieces and solutions.
7. Use dividers to create zones:
Divide and conquer is the way to go when working with small spaces. Now, this doesn’t mean you should erect new walls; instead, we recommend tearing down old ones that do not support your structure to create an open concept. What you should do is divide your space with decorative pieces such as open shelving, sheer drapes, and rice paper room dividers.
Create different zones within a single room without compromising on space. For instance, if you’ve got an odd corner, put in a hanging chair, a vintage wall light, some cushions, and voila! You’ve got a quiet reading space. If you have a shared sleeping and living area, then use sheer floor-to-ceiling curtains to subtly add some privacy.
Mixed-use rooms are typical for small living spaces; that’s why you need to use each small focal point and make it functional. Got that old radiator by the window? Don’t worry, just put up a beautiful radiator cover, a three-legged tall yet tiny table, some plush cushions, and you are good to go.
Conclusion:
Home decoration is always a challenge when you have to work with small spaces. However, once you get the hang of combining functionality and decorativeness, you’ll get a perfectly styled living space. Remember to make use of every nook and corner. You can’t afford to waste any space to design smart. A small change like replacing old doors with sliding glass doors or barn doors can give you that few extra inches of space, so survey everything with a critical eye and let your creativity flow.
