Got a small flat? Fret not. You don’t need a mansion to get the home you want. We look to experts for tips on how you can make your small space serve a huge purpose.
§ Choose your colors. While playing with dark colors may be tempting, lighter shades work better with smaller spaces. Pale blues, grays, greens, yellows and creams will make your space appear more open, according to nest.com. If you must use dark or deep hues, do so on trims and detailing, and use the same color as your walls.
§ Use multi-purpose furniture. Invest in functional pieces such as an ottoman that doubles as a storage unit or a desk that can be extended to serve as a dining table. Because you have limited space, make every furniture count. “Use two small round tables instead of one big coffee table. “They’re better for traffic flow than those huge knee-knobbler coffeetables,” designer Ken Fulk says on House Beautiful.
§ Mirror, mirror on the wall and on closet doors. Snow White’s stepmother may be on to something when she filled the castle with mirrors. Mirrors reflect images, doubling your room’s visual square footage. Floor-to-ceiling or wall-to-wall mirrors do the trick.
§ Let there be light. Do not block the flow of natural light into your house. Do away with heavy curtains or headboards that stand in the way of light or views that can connect your interior to a pretty landscape outside. The continuity of perspective will trick eyes into thinking your space is bigger.
§ Have a statement piece. Just because you have a small space doesn’t mean everything else should be small, too. Make a statement with one item, such as a huge sofa or reading chair. Having one prominent furniture or décor will create the illusion of a huge space more than several small pieces.
§ Customize if you can. Built-in shelves, storage nooks and furniture that are tailored to your room’s exact size and needs are ideal so you can put everything together. Install carefully measured pendant lamps so lighting does not take up precious space on the floor or your table.
§ Think vertically. Draw the eye upward by using catchy ceiling fixtures or hanging wall art or pictures so that the guests will tend to look up. Cabinets and bookshelves that go all the way to the ceiling will create the illusion of space.
§ Say NO to clutter. Arrange knickknacks, books and tabletop décor in a way that will let them breathe. Not everything has to be displayed. “Don’t fill every inch,” House Beautiful designer Chris Barrett says of accessorizing on shelves. “Group your collections and give them room to breathe.”
