3 Tips for Maximizing Small Spaces

Ann — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:03:24 +0000

Do you have a small room, apartment, or office that you want to feel comfortable in and good about? There are some tricks you can use when designing in a small space that will help with the flow and overall vibe of the room or home. It is important that you enjoy the coziness of a small space instead of feeling cramped and overwhelmed.

The first place to start is to remind yourself of the benefits of having a small space. For example, there’s not has much to clean, it’s self-serving and convenient, you don’t have to spend money to ‘fill’ the space, and it’s comforting. Listed below are three important design tips to help you make the most of your cozy space.

Remember to utilize the vertical space creatively to maximize your ability to store your stuff. With things neatly arranged and out of sight, the space that is in view will feel orderly and open.

Clear Out the Clutter

There’s nothing that makes a small space feel more cramped than having too much unorganized stuff. Clutter makes a room look smaller and quickly fills up an undersized space. One way to conquer clutter is finding hidden places for storage or creating them with furniture that doubles as storage. Use baskets under coffee tables or tucked into storage benches to stow your stuff or get creative by utilizing spaces that are often overlooked, such as the space beneath the staircase. This can be turned into a small closet, a chest of drawers, or even a hide-away bed, if the space will allow.Choose the Right Color Scheme

When it comes to color, dark tones will make a room look and feel smaller. Though it may seem counterintuitive, when done correctly, choosing a dark color scheme for a small space will simply add to its cozy feeling. There are tricks to making a space feel more open, however, there are some small spaces that will never feel open no matter how many tricks you use, and therefore, it can make sense to embrace their coziness with a color scheme that is darker.

Light, cool colors tend to make a space feel open and airy. One way to use cool colors effectively is to find a monochromatic color scheme or colors that are in the same family. To break up the similar colors use tone-on-tone woven fabrics, textured wall finishes, and gentle tonal drapery fabrics. Cool colors on large pieces and delicate warm colors on most surfaces give the room a more open look.
The key to using either a dark or light color scheme is to avoid a lot of contrast. While experiencing a space, contrast causes the eye to stop rather than flow, which is jarring in a smaller space, therefore causing it to feel cramped rather than comfy.

Find Functional, Balanced Furniture

Use a few large, simple pieces of furniture or accessories in place of several smaller pieces which would make a small space look cluttered. The size of the space needs to balance with the size of its belongings. When selecting furniture, consider maximizing the function of the piece. For example, in a small dining room, benches around a table provide more seating than individual chairs and consume less floor space. Furniture should always work double duty in small spaces. Be very selective about what you bring into a small space as each piece will need to speak for itself.

If you’re having trouble figuring out what to do with your small space, don’t be afraid to bring in a professional. Most interior designers offer consultations at an hourly rate (we do!) which can make getting professional advice very affordable. Finally, size isn’t everything, it’s what you do with it that counts. Go forward and embrace your (small) space.

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Ann — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:56:18 +0000

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3 Tips for Maximizing Small Spaces

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