Smaller homes can leave you frustrated with your décor. A closed floor plan makes it even harder to balance function and aesthetics. There are, however, plenty of ways to maximize the look and practicality of a smaller home. Despite the lack of square footage, your home can go from cramped to comfy just by making a few simple choices.
The interior design experts at Ron Nathan Interiors are here to help. Check out our top tips for making the most out of your home’s space.
Common Small-Space Interior Design Challenges
Common issues with smaller homes are usually due to lack of space or an awkward floor plan. These make a small home more difficult to decorate. Smaller rooms can become overcrowded, forcing you to choose between storage and style.
Furniture overload can lead to even less floor space, making your home feel cramped. Working remotely can also be difficult if a workspace is a must in your smaller home. Scale is everything when selecting furniture, and furniture placement can also prove challenging.
Smaller homes sometimes lack storage space, which can be daunting. The challenges of smaller spaces can also come from a lack of proper lighting. Light and color play especially important roles from the viewpoint of interior designers. Despite these challenges, it’s possible to have an eye-pleasing, functional home.
The Benefits Of Smarter Interior Design In Smaller Homes
There are endless benefits to smart interior design for smaller homes. You can transform a small room into one that feels much bigger. You’ll achieve your aesthetic goals and enjoy functional use of the spaces in your home.
Living in a cramped home, full of oversized furniture and clutter, isn’t comfortable, especially when it comes to having company over. But, with the right layout, entertaining in a small space no longer has to be a chore. Imagine being able to transform a practical space into one you’ll want to share with friends and family.
Our Top 7 Tips For Making The Most Of Your Small Space
It takes special attention to detail to create a functional layout in a smaller home. Light, color, style, purpose, and cost are all important factors to consider when making small home design decisions. Wondering how you can get around these challenges? You’ll have to rethink how you light, choose color schemes, furnish, and decorate your smaller home. The following will help get you started.
1. Lighting For Smaller Houses
Light is one of the most effective ways to create the appearance that a space is larger than it actually is. Color and light go hand in hand when designing for smaller spaces. Natural light is always ideal. In rooms without it, lighting fixtures hung from the wall or ceiling can reduce clutter by freeing up valuable floor space better used for displaying other stylish accents or as space for other functional items.
2. Color Choices In Smaller Homes
The colors you choose for walls, furnishings, and flooring will impact the final appearance of any room. Emphasis on lighter colors is best in smaller spaces. Dark walls can make a room look smaller, whereas lighter colors can make it appear larger. You can always accent your space with darker colors if you like. This is especially effective when there’s plenty of light in the room.
3. Furniture For Small Spaces
It’s important to consider the size and purpose of each piece of furniture you bring into a smaller home. Having too much furniture in one room can make the space feel overcrowded, as happens when furniture intended for larger spaces is placed in smaller rooms. Avoiding those mistakes is key, regardless of your style choices. Select furniture that makes your smaller space function and looks like a larger room. Keep an eye out for pieces that can serve many purposes, like couches or chairs with storage underneath.
Consider using an ottoman with beverage trays instead of a coffee table. This way, the ottoman can serve as both seating and surface space. Also, a sofa or loveseat with legs will give the appearance of more floor space. A glass coffee or end table is also a great way to add surface space while giving the illusion of more size. No guest room available? Opt for a futon instead of a traditional sofa.
Expandable furniture is also a great small space asset. You can replace a larger dining room table with a smaller one that expands. Then, keep extra foldable seating available for company. This will prevent your dining room from seeming overpowered by a large dining set.
Bunk beds are great for kids’ rooms, especially if you have the option to incorporate built-in storage. Anytime you can add storage fixtures to your home via building work, it will reduce the amount of floorspace taken up by bookshelves or tables. Many smaller homes feature built-in seating, shelving, and drop-down desks. The latter attach to a wall and fold down for easy use. They can fold up when not in use to free up more space in any room. Fold-down beds are helpful as well to keep furniture out of sight, except when needed. Anytime you can hide a large object, you’ll be opening up a room’s floor space.
4. Decorating In Small Spaces
Take advantage of every nook and cranny your small space has to offer, but be careful not to overdecorate. Choosing what’s most important to show your style while keeping the things you use daily within reach requires balance. Keep in mind that you can use decorations to make space appear larger as well.
Window treatments are a great place to start. Hanging them higher above the windows, and using long drapes, can give the appearance of larger windows. Dressing the windows with light colors will also help.
Consider going vertical with your décor as well. Strategically placed shelving and other wall-mounted fixtures can reduce the need for bookshelves altogether. These accents can help you achieve the aesthetic you want without the need for large pieces of furniture.
5. Function And Storage In Smaller Homes
Don’t be afraid to use every available surface in a room. Use them with discretion, placing things you love all around you without forgetting the practical. Taking advantage of floor space under and behind larger pieces of furniture can be useful for hiding extra belongings. Specialty totes and bins are available for these spaces. Vacuum-seal storage bags can help, too.
6. Upcycling And Repurposing
Upcycling and repurposing are all the rage right now. Upcycling is the process of giving older pieces of furniture new life. This could mean reupholstery of an old chaise or a clock made from a vintage record. Nothing gives a room more character than unique upcycled pieces.
Repurposing is similar, using items for a purpose other than originally intended. Stacked vintage leather luggage makes a timeless end table. Using your old coffee mug as a pencil holder on your desk is another example, but the possibilities are infinite.
There are tons of do-it-yourself tutorials available online. For interior design on a smaller budget, these can be especially useful. You can create the ambiance and look you want using materials that are already available in your home by upcycling or repurposing items.
7. Multi-Purpose Spaces
You can also assign multiple purposes to a room to increase the available space in other areas of the home. Consider designing a home office that folds away quickly to make a guestroom for visitors. Drop-down desks and fold-down beds are great ways to create a bedroom that converts to free space. A home gym, crafting area, or playroom could all hide a foldaway desk or bed.
Cohesive Style Is Ideal In Smaller Homes
A smaller home can look much bigger if the interior design is cohesive. Lighting and colors should blend from room to room. This gives the impression that the floorplan is more open, even if it isn’t. Stick with appropriately sized furniture, moderate decorations, and smart storage options. This will maximize the beauty and function of every room.
The Bottom Line
Big things really do come in small packages. While you may feel overwhelmed trying to style your smaller home, there are many solutions. You’ve got the vision, and with extra attention to the lighting, colors, furnishing, and decoration of your home, you’re sure to find the perfect balance. A smaller home can feel positively huge when it serves all your needs and pleases your eye.
Our Design Team Can Help
You may be the do-it-yourself type or a busy professional who doesn’t even have time to shop. Regardless, working with an interior designer can help perfect your home. An interior designer will strive to find the perfect pieces to fit your vision.
Among the most trusted interior design firms in Wyckoff, NJ, our team has over forty years of experience. To take your smaller home style to the next level, contact us today through our website or by calling 201-666-8185.
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