Modern living for many, often means living in small spaces. As house prices rose almost inexorably over two decades, the fight to get a foot on the property ladder meant that even the smallest of flats and houses have become desirable.
Once you have moved into your new home, the challenge is on to make it as comfortable as possible, while ensuring there is no clutter and that it’s still welcoming – a bit of a challenge at times, right?
There are some excellent interior design tips for smaller properties that will help you make the most of the space you have, and fool the eye into believing the room is actually much bigger. Here are 7 of the best.
1. Make the living areas as open plan as possible: Go for sofas and chairs without arms to give the appearance of more room, and place the biggest pieces against walls so they don’t take up any more much-needed space than is necessary. Bi-fold doors are ideal for kitchens and bathrooms, as they take up half the room of an ordinary door and are a quirky design feature all on their own.
2. Use lighter colours to open up the room: Dark shades of paint or wallpaper on walls only have the effect of closing in a room, and that can be the design death knell of a small space. Soft tones of cream, browns and greens will provide a lighter, brighter hue. You can always accessorise more boldly with cushions and throws, or even in the art you choose to decorate your room.
3. De-clutter: Be ruthless with your “stuff”. If you’re not using it regularly, find somewhere to store it. Having too much going on in a room will positively suffocate the space. If you have room for shelves, use them to store books, CDs and DVDs etc – there are some terrific options for using curtains to cover shelving. Be inventive and use the same or coordinating material throughout the room to provide a seamless look.
4. Don’t over-dress your windows: Fussy curtains can be an oppressive presence in small rooms. Choose ready-made roman blinds that offer a clean, straight line on your windows. These blinds are designed to roll up evenly in a stacking fashion when closed but hang smoothly when open. You can also choose the type of fabric or material and the colour to coordinate with the rest of the room.
