These days it seems like everybody is downsizing. Moving into a smaller space doesn’t mean you’ll have to live like you did in your college dorm room. There are so many ways to fool the eye and make you think a room is much larger than it actually is. Check out these easy tips to make the most out of a small space.
One of the most important elements in a design is color. This is especially important when decorating a small room. Because dark colors absorb light and make a room appear smaller, stick to decorating with light colors. White, pastels, or soft neutrals will make your room look larger. Using strong colors in a small room can look overwhelming. If you’re a color-lover, stick to soft colors and go bold with accessories and small details. Think: throw pillows, art, curtains, etc.
Along with color comes light. Light has the ability to really enhance a room and take it from drab to fab. Sunshine really breathes life and energy into a space making it look larger. If you have natural light don’t cover it up with heavy window treatments. Ceiling to floor sheer curtains beat the glare on extra sunny days but still let the light shine through, and because they span the entire wall, they don’t cut the room in half like standard curtains might. If you don’t have all the light you’d like in the room, a great way to get more light without taking up too much room is to install overhead or tract lighting. Standing lamps can take up too much precious floor space.
One of the major obstacles in downsizing to a smaller home is making room for all of your stuff. To keep living large in a small space, you have to minimize clutter and that means getting rid of some things. Smaller house means smaller closets. A good place to start is with your clothes. If you don’t wear it, won’t wear it, or can’t wear it, it should be tossed or donated. Books you’ll never read, CDs you’ll never listen to, all of these things are just taking up space that you can’t afford to waste in a smaller room.
Keeping things neat and organized is more important in a smaller room than it is in a larger one. There are fewer places for messes to hide, so avoiding them to begin with will help make the room look bigger. Reducing clutter is easy with the right storage. Floating shelves give you horizontal surfaces to put your stuff on without adding bulk. They also look great around a TV in place of an entertainment center. Under the bed storage is a good way to hide away winter wear or shoes. For more room in the closet, consider installing a pull down closet rod. Just remember that if you can’t find a place for something you love, you’ll have to make space by getting rid of something else. Space and storage are limited and you can only create so much storage without crowding the room.
Avoiding crowding will make your room seem more spacious. This can be achieved in a few ways. The first tip may seem counterintuitive, but it works. Pull the furniture away from the walls. This creates a more intimate space while adding depth to the room. The second way to avoid crowding is to make sure the furniture is proportional to the space. Smaller space, smaller furniture. Makes sense right? Ditch the bulky couch in favor of something a little more streamlined or delicate to compliment the size of your new room.
Simple changes can make all the difference and can make or break your space. Keep things light, bright, and clean and your small room can transform in a big way.
This article was written by Erie Construction. Follow Erie Construction on Twitter for more updates on home improvements.
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