Big Tips for Decorating Small Spaces
Decorating a small space can be challenging, and every square foot counts when it comes to maximizing your storage and creating a visually appealing space. If you live in an apartment or house with tiny rooms, your decorating should make an effort to help those small spaces seem larger while providing you with a place to put everything, preventing a cluttered appearance. Here are some big tips for decorating small spaces.
Use Light and Bright Color Palettes
Image by Dee / Flickr
Avoid dark colors in areas that you would like to appear larger. Using white, pale gray, cream, and light blue hues will keep the space light and open. Using a monochromatic color scheme in the room, such as white, cream, and beige will help expand the appearance of the space. A trick many interior decorators use in small spaces is to paint the walls light and paint the ceiling darker to draw eyes upward and create an illusion of height.
Use Mirrors Strategically
Image by ben dalton /Flickr
If you hang a mirror on the opposite wall from a window, it will reflect light around the room and help make a room look and feel larger. The bigger your mirror, the bigger the result. Natural light brightens a small space, so also choose sheer privacy curtains to filter the sunlight rather than block it completely.
Skip Bulky Storage Furniture
Image by ih / Flickr
Chests, armoires, and bookcases give you places to store your belongings or collection of knick-knacks, but they also take up a lot of space and look bulky in a small room. Use floating shelves on walls or in place of nightstands to give you ample storage space without using valuable floor space. Don’t overlook the wall space above window frames – you can often use this space for shelving.
Make Your Windows Look Bigger
Instead of installing curtain rods directly on the window frame, place your rods a few inches below the ceiling and an inch or two beyond the width of your windows; giving the illusion of larger windows.
Use a Rolling Kitchen Island
Image by Simplified Building / Flickr
If you have a small kitchen, choose a kitchen island on wheels. You gain additional storage and counter space, but you can always roll it out of the way if you have company and need more floor space. You can also add bar stools to your island or counter tops to save the space that a breakfast table would consume.
Choose Multi-Purpose Items
When possible, choose furniture that can serve more than one purpose. For example, instead of a basic coffee table, choose a chest or ottoman with storage so you can store throw pillows, blankets, books, or other items inside and still use the table top.
Put it On the Walls
Image by Wicker Paradise / Flickr
Instead of placing table lamps on each end table or nightstand, invest in wall sconces. They give you backspace on your tables for other items and provide ample lighting just where you need it.
Small spaces present unique decorating challenges, but with a little thought and planning, you can maximize your spaces and give the appearance of a larger room.
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