Of course, most of us love going all out when it comes to interior decor, but sometimes the size of the room can cause some difficulty when it comes to choosing the right pieces. If you are living in a smaller space, however, you don’t have to feel limited by the lack of real estate available. There are still many ways to build a beautiful living space without it feeling cluttered or empty.
Size it Up
Square footage does not have to be a determining factor in your interior design. You just need to work with what you have and get creative with your personal style. Here are a few hacks that can help make the area feel a little more spacious so that you can get the most out of your home.
Light Worker
Light colors like creams, whites, and pastels reflect light, giving the illusion of a wider area. Using these shades in your wall paint or large furniture items will open up the room significantly. If you want to take it a step further, you can juxtapose deep dark colors on the lower level of the room and use light colors above it to keep the eye moving upward, which makes the room feel taller.
Layer It
Keep the same method in mind when layering decor like throw pillows and rugs. If you mix in too many medium tones or dark shades it will give the room a cramped cave-like appearance, which is probably not the result you want. Using colors strategically and cohesively, however, will give the room dimension and depth no matter the size.
Legends of the Hidden Storage
When you are working in a smaller area, utilizing as much storage space as possible is key to avoiding clutter. Finding furniture with hidden compartments or drawers is ideal if you want to make the best use of your real estate. Utilizing the vertical space with tiered cabinet organizers or spice racks will do wonders for saving space.
Outside the Box
Thinking outside the box will come in handy when finding secret areas to use for storage. Doors on kitchen cabinets and closets are great examples of potential surface areas to use even though they often go unused and wasted. You can even use decor items like baskets, bowls, and trays to double as storage space. With all the clutter tucked away neatly, your room will instantly open up.
Perfect Illusion
Opening up a space always comes down to playing with illusion. Using floor-to-ceiling curtains fools the eye into thinking the ceiling is higher than it is – kind of like contouring for the look of higher cheekbones. Remember, it is always a good rule of thumb to keep the eye moving up, and working with height will do just that.
It’s a Light
Because you want to take advantage of the light coming in, choosing airy and sheer drapes will allow the sun to peek through and reflect on those bright walls. Fully exposing the window with a high bar also lets you view the outdoors, which expands far past the limits of the room, making the room expand with it.
Nothing better than rolling out your yoga mat and meditating in front of a beautiful view.
Play Time
Lighting is your best friend in a tight room so take advantage of all your options. There are several layers to properly balanced lighting and it begins with the foundation of ambient light that provides a uniform glow around the whole room. In order to keep the eye moving upwards in the small room, you want to use lighting as close to the ceiling as possible, like recess lighting or a flush mount.
Never Flush
Sticking to one flush mount light, however, will cast harsh shadows around the room which will create a stuffy environment. This is where the second layer comes in: task lighting. As the name suggests, it is used to light a particular task like cooking or working.
Using sconces for this purpose will add brightness without using up valuable surface area. Next, using floor lamps for accent lighting will fill the remaining shadows of the room while also directing us upwards.
Mirror Mirror on Every Wall
Okay, maybe not every wall, but you want to incorporate several mirrors in your room decor. They work best in small spaces because of their ability to reflect the room and bounce light around it, giving it a more spacious appearance. You want to opt for a larger size to make the room feel grander.
If you have any walls with a darker color, using a mirror will help balance the light reflecting off the lighter surfaces. Once again, the key to opening up space is by leading the eye upwards, so hanging the mirror high on the wall will make the ceiling feel taller. It can stand alone or accompany other artwork on a gallery wall.
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