It is very seldom that a home or an apartment has exactly what you want as far as space and the layout of the rooms are concerned. Add to that a growing family, and you’ll soon find space is at a premium. You can make the most of your small living space by using your imagination when it comes to decorating, and knowing how to arrange furniture to disguise the imperfections. Here are seven ideas you can use to make the most of your small living space.
- Your undersized room does not have to look cramped. Decorate using smaller pieces of furniture and aligning everything up against the walls. This leaves the floor space open and makes the room look bigger. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least 30 inches of space so people can walk through a room comfortably.
- Use your wall space to its best advantage. What you lack in floor space can be made up using the wall area by adding lots of inexpensive shelves to hold everything from books to trinkets. Hang baskets from the ceiling and use them for storage. Pile decorative wicker chests or cute storage boxes against the wall, and use them for clothes or other items that don’t need to be in view.
- When deciding on furniture for a small room, purchase pieces you can see through and under. This decorating scheme doesn’t make the room feel boxed in and gives the impression of open space. One example would be to have a couch that has legs so you can see the floor under it, or a coffee table and end tables that have glass tops. Don’t just put a dresser in your bedroom, make it a floor to almost ceiling “closet”. You gain a significant amount of storage in the same square footage – just look up.
- Dual-purpose furniture is a must in smaller living spaces. Use a sleeper sofa as a place to sit and to sleep. Dining tables come with fold down sides making more space in your dinning room; just flip up the sides when you have guests. A chest makes a wonderful coffee table that doubles as a storage space for blankets, books, or throw pillows.
- Place small bright patterned rugs on your floor to give the room a larger look. Using rugs that have small patterns on them will also extend the look of the room.
- If you need more storage space, look up for the answer. Make your furniture dual purpose using ottomans that offer storage for toys and any other lightweight items.
- Light colored wall paint makes your room look bigger. The same goes for your window coverings. It is okay to have bright colored furniture and floors, but keep the walls and curtains neutral to give the room the appearance of openness.
Decorating a small living space can be challenging. Just remember that an over-furnished room will look smaller and cluttered. Keep things open so the room will look bigger and inviting. One good rule of thumb is if you can’t fit something in easily, don’t use it, you will just be cluttering up the limited space you have.