If you live in a small apartment or home, don’t think you’re decorating opportunities have to be limited as well. Designers use decorating tricks to make small spaces appear larger. The way you decorate a small space can affect how you use it. Knowing how and where to use these decorating tricks will help you design an aesthetically pleasing room. Not only will it look good, the room will also be functional.
Use color to lengthen, elongate and open up.
Starting with the basics, the first way to make a small space appear larger is through the use of color. For instance, if the room is narrow, you can make the room look wider by painting the shorter walls a darker color and painting the longer walls a lighter color.
If your room has a low ceiling, painting a light color on the ceiling will make it appear higher. Lighter shades on the walls of a small room will make it appear larger. Certain colors will also make the walls appear to recede, such as blue, green and violet.
Reflect the appearance of space.
A common technique interior designers use to create the illusion of space in a small room is the use of mirrors. Hanging a large mirror on a wall opposite of a window will help reflect more natural light into the room.
You can use vertical mirror panels hung with spaces in between to elongate a wall. Another way to add depth to the room is by hanging multiple mirrors of varying shapes to create an interesting and unique pattern on the wall.
For very small, dark rooms, you can cover an entire wall with mirrored tiles. This will give the illusion of doubling the room in size and help reflect more light into the room. Positioning mirrors near lamps will also help reflect light.
Flooring that will open up small spaces.
The right type of flooring can also help open up a small space. Laminate wood flooring in a small living room or bedroom will reflect light, making the room appear larger. Using large tiles and installing them on the diagonal will add the illusion of more space to a small kitchen or bathroom.
Choosing furniture for small spaces.
The furniture you put in a small home or apartment can really make or break the available space. Take advantage of multifunctional furniture to allow for more, much-needed space.
Futons have long been a popular furniture choice for dorm rooms, apartments and small bedrooms. A futon serves a dual purpose as a bed at night and a sofa during the day.
Another space-saving option for small bedrooms is a trundle bed. A trundle bed consists of a standard height bed that has a smaller, pullout bed on casters which can be pulled out at night, providing an extra space to sleep and then conveniently rolls back underneath the main bed.
Bench seating that has storage space underneath the seat is another good choice for space-saving furniture. Small end tables can be placed by a sofa or chair to eliminate the need for a larger coffee table. Nesting tables, which are designed to fit underneath each other, conserve space, as do armoires designed for TVs and computers.
Choose pieces that work well in small spaces. A dining table that takes up the entire room won’t be functional or aesthetically pleasing. A loveseat might look better in a small living room than a large sofa.
Displaying home accents in a small space.
It’s important to keep clutter to a minimum when working with small rooms. If you own more décor than you have room for, rotate what you have on display. Keep part of your collection stored safely and change it up when you want a new look.
Install wall shelves to display décor instead of adding tables or display cabinets. This will free up floor space. Use wall shelves or over the toilet shelving units to clear clutter from bathroom counters.
Remember that less is more, especially when designing for small spaces. Use what you have carefully when decorating small areas, including the empty space.