Living in a small space can be tough. You don’t have the extra square footage you need to house all of your furniture, storage, and other fixtures. The result? You may find that you have less than optimal storage options in your home. Instead of lamenting your limited space and stressing about it, take advantage of the limited living space in your home with clever design ideas! Read on for creative ways to use the small spaces in your home to create functional and fashionable spaces that are as much a part of the look and feel as anything else.
Plan Your Small Space
Planning ahead can save you headaches down the road by avoiding clutter and unnecessary items that take up valuable space. If you live in a small space, get into the habit of planning ahead. This will prevent you from purchasing things you don’t need or running out of space for your belongings. Plan to use every inch of your home. This will prevent you from buying things that don’t fit or having to store excess items. Plan to use all available wall space. This can be as simple as hanging photos on the wall or installing shelves to make more room in your closet.
If you have a small bedroom, use the wall space as a built-in wardrobe to store neatly folded clothes. Select your furniture with the same focus. Don’t pick pieces that are too large to fit in the spaces you have. Instead, select pieces that have a smaller footprint, such as storage ottomans, bookshelves, and small tables.
Create a central focal point
When your home is under 150 square feet, you have to work harder to create a focal point. Focal points serve as the most important pieces in the room. They set the tone for the rest of the space, take up the most space, and draw the eye to them. They can be artwork, furniture, rugs, or even a cluster of tulips in a bowl. Think of ways to make your focal point unique and functional. A bold painting might make a great focal wall. Alternatively, you could use your kitchen as the focal point of your home and create a unique pared-back aesthetic along with a functional kitchen.
For example, why use the surface to hold food instead of having a kitchen table? Rethink your furniture arrangement and take advantage of your small space to create a central focal point in your home.
Be Crafty with Storage
There are so many clever ways to utilize the small spaces in your home for storage. Often, the most obvious and cost-effective way to use your limited space for storage is to stack things on top of each other. This can be used to create a small office or create additional storage in a bedroom or bathroom. Other ways to utilize your limited space for storage include: Use an antique chest as a decorative cabinet. Narrow the width of a cabinet by cutting its opening into half or even less.
Place a drawer inside and use it to store decorative pieces or books. Use a cabinet for additional storage. Install new drawers in the cabinet, and use the old ones as storage. If you use the chest or cabinet as a decorative piece, you can also use it as a decorative piece. You might place decorative items on top of it, place flowers in it, or use every edge of its wooden piece to create a decorative display.
Add Colour and Contrast
Look to the color and contrast of your walls to help you create a small space that feels larger. When you have a single color or wallpaper throughout a room, it can feel like you are living inside a cave. Instead, choose a wall color that contrasts with the color of your furnishings, or use a bold color that adds a pop of color to the room. You can also contrast the wall color with the color of your furnishings to create visual interest in the room.
For example, you might contrast a grey wall with a black sofa to create visual interest in the room. You can also use contrasting colors to highlight certain elements in the room, such as a colorful painting on the wall. Adding color and contrast to the furnishings in your room can make a big difference in the way it feels when you walk into the room.
Change up the Lighting
Brighten up your lighting fixtures with colorful or unusual bulbs that add a punch of color or contrast to the light. This can brighten up a room that feels a little dull or give it a boost of color and contrast. The lighting can make the biggest difference in how the space feels in a small room. Consider how you use the space.
Is it a dining room? Perhaps it is a living room. If so, consider switching out one of the ceiling fixtures for one that is lower, as it can create a bold contrast and make the space feel much larger. You can also try adding a light fixture that creates a dramatic view from your small space. For instance, you can install a pendant light that creates a view out of your small window or a skylight that makes your ceiling seem much higher.
Utilize a Built-In Wall or Piece of Furniture
A built-in wall or furniture can add a unique and stylish touch to your small space. These can be used to create an elegant, decorative wall separating a bedroom from the rest of the house or a built-in cabinet in a small kitchen perfect for stashing things like spices, condiments, and small appliances. Build a wall out of bookshelves and decorate it with art or mirrors. You can create a decorative wall by stacking bookshelves on top of each other or painting the inside of a bookshelf to match the wall color. As well as this, if you are able to spend money on extra space, a mansard loft is a great way to add an extension to your roof. It gives you that extra needed spacious area and is suitable for smaller homes such as detached, terraced houses.
You can use a small piece of furniture to create a built-in table, like a credenza, that is perfect for holding decorative items or flowers. In a small kitchen, use a piece of kitchen cabinet or a small refrigerator to create a built-in wall for decorative purposes, like hanging decorative items on it or painting it to match the wall color.
Take the scenic route to the Rooms You Use Most Often
When you have a small space, it is often the rooms that are nearby that feel large. This is especially true if you have a smaller home or if you live in a more densely populated area with a limited amount of land. Consider moving one of the rooms in your home so that it feels more spacious. This can be done by moving a wall, building a room on the other side of a wall, or creating a hallway. This can make a huge difference in how a room feels, such as making a small bedroom seem like a regular bedroom. When you have a small living space, avoid using furniture that is too large for the space. This can cause rooms to feel cluttered and disorganized, especially in larger rooms. Instead, use smaller pieces of furniture, such as tables, chairs, and a couch, to create a comfortable and homey feel.
Conclusion
Living in a small space can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. These ideas can help you create functional and stylish spaces in your home that are as much a part of the look and feel as anything else. This is especially true when you consider the small spaces in your home.
