A small space can offer unique design challenges. Small apartments and rooms can feel cluttered and claustrophobic. Fortunately, there are small space design tricks you can use to open up even the smallest of rooms.
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THE MAGIC OF MIRRORS
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Mirrors and other reflective accessories are an affordable and super easy way to create an illusion of double the space in your room or hallway. Mirrors bounce light into the room and can extend the appearance of rooms. Use mirrored cabinet or wardrobe doors, or even floor-to-ceiling mirrors to make the smallest of spaces look at lot larger.
COLOR TRICKS
Picking the right color for your small space is vital. Light and neutral colors make rooms look bigger. Cool blue, light green and lilac can make spaces feel airier and less enclosed. Keep your ceiling white and paint any trims, moldings or coving in the same color.
Another way of extending space visually is to use stripes or blocks of color. Vertical stripes tend to draw the eye upwards, making a space look higher, and horizontal stripes can make a space look wider.
Color also lets you create a divide between spaces without having to place furniture or screens in the way. For example, if you have a studio apartment in which the eating space merges with the living with the sleeping space, you can divide them by painting each area a different color. For example, you might pick fresh white for the small living room, green for the living space and orange for the eating area.
THE KEY RULES WHEN BUYING SMALL SPACE FURNITURE
Buy smaller furniture so that you do not clutter your small space. As a general rule of thumb, consider furniture that is tall rather than wide. Nowadays, there are many trendy, sophisticated small furniture designs available, especially from Japan where space is a premium. The Japanese retail company Muji is a great place to start and they have a superb online range of furniture ideal for confined spaces.
Smaller furniture pieces with a more open design work well. For example, a two-seater sofa or love seat with exposed legs work better than a large sofa with high back and sides and hidden legs. Curvy shapes, open arms and low backs are ideal for small spaces.
Glass, perspex or mirrored-furniture offer function without clutter.
Look for multi-purpose furniture. For example, a sofa that can open up into a bed, or a trunk or chest which can double up as a coffee table. You can find trendy lounge cubes and ottomans which open up to create extra storage for bulky items such as spare duvets and blankets.
MAKE FULL USE OF THE WALLS
It's amazing what a drill and a couple of screws can do for small spaces. Create hooks, shelves and small cupboards to store away little used items. I have a shelf above one of my doors, high up towards the ceiling to store my photo albums, and another set of shelves high up in my study just for board games and old CDs.
Instead of buying floor lamps, you can have wall-mounted up-lights instead. This way you have more uninterrupted floor space
SMALL ROOM LAYOUT AND FLOW
When arranging your furniture, think about the flow and pattern you are creating. Start with your largest piece of furniture and look for a wall it can nest against. Setting your furniture at an angle is a good idea as the diagonal line is the longest line in a square space and your eye will naturally follow along this long line.
LIGHTING FOR SMALL ROOMS
With the right lighting type and clever placement, you can open up small spaces dramatically. To make low ceilings seem higher, use up-lights. Avoid ceiling lights as they make your ceiling look even lower. Wall lights with swing arms will provide a great reading light without taking up floor space. And wall sconces (a decorative wall bracket) with a mirrored or reflective back will help magnify light back into the room.
Whatever lighting option you pick, try to eliminate shadows. The more light (natural or artificial) your small space has, the bigger it will appear.
Small Space Decorating - Decorating Tips and Tricks to Make Your Home Feel Much Bigger
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