We’ve rounded up four simple ways to amp up your home, no matter what size your space is.
More ways than one
Having a small space to work with can be rather challenging at times, especially if there is more than one person in the household, and even more so when the space needs to be used for more than one purpose. When a living room becomes a part-time office, or the kitchen serves as the dining area, it is important to have multipurpose furniture that can help serve both.
A favoured trick is using storage ottomans in the lounge as side tables - they can double up as extra seating as well as keep those odds and ends away. Talk about a complete three-in-one item! Also consider sleeper couches as extra sleeping space or pull-out drawers underneath your bed. The more multifunctional your pieces of furniture are, the fewer items would be needed while serving its dual purpose.
And then there was light
By definition, light is the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. If you don’t have enough natural light, there are ways around this. Within the home, dark and poorly lit areas tend to appear smaller and colder, while light and brightness can bring the feeling of openness and warmth. Besides the natural lighting that can fill a room from particularly large windows, having the correct table or floor lamps help too.
When windows aren’t in your favour, try opting for string or pendant lights to help create more lighting in the room. Not only do they make a great design statement, especially when choosing quirky and outrageous types, but they’ll also help create light without taking up additional floor space. Any feature that can aid a design problem and be attached to the wall is a great space saver.
Go bold or go home
Bold can mean loud colours, kitschy prints, heavily embellished textures, or even all three when used correctly. Make a statement in the room by using one of these techniques, but be sure to include plenty of neturals to offset the bold choice. Also, don’t be afraid of going big in a small space. If there’s one thing small spaces lend themselves to, it’s daring colour or pattern. This diverts the eye into thinking there is more space with such a bold choice.
A balancing act
Making a space feel larger than it actually is, is all about the perfect balance of big and small decor pieces. While the space may be small, it is still necessary to have the bigger furniture items that anchor a room - just be strategic about its placement.
Placing that couch right against the wall may not necessarily help, so rather let the couch float by placing it away from the wall to allow breathing space. When you allow others to walk around a couch, you create the illusion of more space than there actually is - a simple technique that can make a rather significant impact. Another clever tip is to run your curtains from the ceiling to the floor. This elongates a space and directs the eye upward, creating the feeling of more space.
