Do you ever get the feeling that you have too many pieces of furniture and not enough room in the house? Or perhaps when the kids are home and the house is full, you get the feeling that there’s not much room to breathe?
Having a small living space is sometimes unavoidable, and if you’re not in the position where you can move to a new house or plan for an extension, then there are still ways you can make the place feel bigger. Here are 7 top tips for how to make the most of a small living space:
1. Choose Furniture Wisely
Your furniture has the power to make or break a room- and even the biggest of rooms can appear small if they’re crammed full of furniture. Try to keep a minimalist theme to your house, and only opt for furniture that you actually need. A small bedroom needs only a bed, a wardrobe, a bedside table, and some storage spaces like a chest of drawers.
The type of furniture you choose will also have an effect on the size of your living space. Dark, chunky furniture is going to take up more space than slim, light coloured furniture. Pay attention also to materials. A glass dining table, for example, is a great option for your dining room, since you can see through it to the floor below, giving the impression of more floor space. Reflective furniture in chrome or copper is also a good idea.
2. Use Your Walls
People often forget that their walls are a great spot for storage. Instead of having a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, why not install some wall shelves, therefore freeing up the floor space below? You could also use your walls as a hanging area for coats, or even as a space to organise your shoes.
Similarly, doors offer the same benefits as walls when it comes to storing items. You could install an over-the-door towel rack in your bathroom, or hang up your shoes in a special, space-saving hanging shoe rack.
3. Install A Made To Measure Kitchen
If furniture or appliances don’t fit well in your home, then it can easily look as if you have less space than you do. When shopping for furniture, it’s best to have measured the area properly so that you know what’s going to best fit.
When redoing your kitchen, however, it can sometimes be a little trickier to find things that fit in perfectly. Luckily, kitchen designers like Kesseler are happy to provide their customers with made to measure kitchens. Their kitchen cabinets can be built to absolutely any height, width and depth to suit your space, and as a bonus, their team of design specialists will take all the measurements for you. Regardless of space, shape or size, you’re able to get the beautiful kitchen that you deserve.
4. Keep Clutter To A Minimum
The problem with clutter is that it just seems to build up without us knowing- until suddenly, you can’t seem to find a surface area that’s even free anymore. It’s price to keep a regular practice of decluttering your house, maybe once every six months or so.
Sorting though clutter is also a great way to make some extra cash. Get real with yourself about what you really need and use often. If you see yourself as a bit of a hoarder, then you might have to recruit someone to help you with the sorting process. Anything that you decide to get rid of can be sold online, so let that be your incentive.
To save space, lofts are a great place to store items that you don’t use often like suitcases and out of season clothing, but if you don’t have a loft, you might have to get creative.
Most people have a good amount of space under their beds which can be a great spot for keeping clutter neatly out of sight. Using plastic containers is a useful way to keep all your different items organised, and you simply have to pull a box out from under a bed instead of rummaging around in the darkness.
5. Let In The Light
Believe it or not, a bright house can appear bigger- so try to let in as much light as possible. If you have the budget available, then think about getting some new windows fitted.
The bigger your windows, the more the light will be able to come through, and the less you’ll feel confined by the room’s four walls. It’s also helpful to fit some blinds in place of curtains, since they generally take up less space on the walls and are better at letting the light in.
To keep your whole house feeling light and airy, you should consider painting your walls white to reflect the light from outside. Stay away from dark coloured carpets and if you can, consider opting for wooden floorboards or tiles.
6. Add Mirrors
If you want to make you house appear bigger, then using a mirror is one of the easiest, yet most effective things to do. The reflection in the mirror tricks the eye into thinking that a room is larger than it is, so adding some floor length mirrors in each room of your house is going to do wonders for a small space.
Mirrored furniture is a sure way to make your rooms look bigger. Why not consider buying a large, mirrored wardrobe for your bedroom, or perhaps a mirrored sideboard or chest of drawers? The more reflective items you have, the bigger your space will look – and as a bonus, they’re also bang on trend at the minute. .
7. Stay Away From Patterns
If you’re partial to pattered bedding or curtains, then you might want to reconsider this. Light, neutral block colours do more for a space than heavy patterns do. White bedding always goes down a treat, and make sure to keep your pillows a neutral colour as well.
Featured image credit: Photo by Collov Home Design on Unsplash
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