Designing a small living room or kitchen can be a serious test of your design skills. How to find the golden meaning between stylish and practical? Just a few decorative tricks can turn a small space into a functional and livable home.
Height of the walls In a small space, every centimeter counts, even on the wall. To really make the most of your home, don’t miss out on vertical planning. Try to store as many things as possible close to the ceiling: this is easy to do with shelving and custom cabinets.
Visually divide the space Visually separating open floor plans is appropriate in large homes, but with a lack of meters, it will make your home more compact and less functional.
Zealous with decor When it comes to furnishing your small space, less is more. Keep in mind that you may not be able to fit all the ‘features’ of a particular room into your space, and that’s okay.
Mix lighting styles Every designer knows that lighting can make or break a space, no matter how small. However, lighting is even more important when designing small spaces. If there is too much light, the interior will be uninhabited, and if there is too little, it will resemble a dark cave.
Buying reusable items In small spaces, you often need items that perform a double or even triple function. If you have a sofa or coffee table that only serves one purpose, it’s likely that effective storage and space-saving solutions are being overlooked.
Customize your storage systems Fitting storage systems to a specific location will necessarily be more expensive than standard furniture. But custom storage solutions will go a long way to meet your needs. For example, it’s easy to remember where items are in the kitchen if you set aside space for appliances with cutting board compartments at the top and drawers for cereal and snacks at the bottom.
You arrange furniture close to the walls The first impulse when arranging a small living room (or other room) may be to push all the furniture against the walls in order to create an empty space in the middle of the room. While it makes some sense, this strategy can have the opposite effect. Placing all the furniture against the walls in an attempt to maximize space is a common mistake that makes a room feel smaller. Leave some air between the wall and things to create the illusion of a larger room.