If you’re anything like me, you may find yourself scrolling through Instagram, green with envy at all of the amazing homes that the people you follow have. A lot of the big time US bloggers on Insta, seem to have these dream homes that are absolutely huge! Don’t get me wrong, the prices differences and quality of the builds from UK to US can vary hugely. But most of us, especially over here in the UK, don’t have such large and spacious homes. So as much as it can be fun to try and style our homes like theirs, it doesn’t always work when you’re short of space and don’t have a separate mudroom or laundry room.
But the good news is, you can still have an Insta-worthy home, even if it is on the small side. You just need to learn the tips and tricks behind making the most of the space so that it doesn’t look cluttered and even smaller. So if you have rooms in the home that aren’t going to be getting extended anytime soon, then this post is for you. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of a small room in your home, as well as how you can create the illusion of space.
Limit the Colour
Too much colours isn’t going to be a good look in a small room. Take a room that is small, and painted quite a dark colour like navy blue or purple. It can instantly shrink the size of the room. It makes the lines of the wall and the floor really obvious, which can make the room look quite boxy. So dark colours or too much colour isn’t a good idea. Instead, choose lighter colours, like white and neutrals for the main walls. You could add pops of colour, of course, or choose one statement wall in a more bold colour. But overall, limit the colour in a small room, otherwise it will instantly shrink it.
In a bedroom, for example, you could choose white walls, natural wood floor, with wooden furniture and white bed linen. To add a pop of colour that compliments the room you add in a orange and red rug, for example. Subtle colour that doesn’t make the room look smaller or more boxy.
Make it Cosy
A small room really allows you to create a cosy space and is one of the only rooms in the house that will work well in that way. First of all, you could make the most of the fact that the room will hardly take any time at all to heat up. In that instance, it could be worth looking at a small wall heater, rather than a large radiator. Not only will that mean you take up less space on the wall, but it can heat the room up meg quickly as it is small. Other ways to add cosiness to the room or embracing ‘hygge’, could be by creating a small cosy corner with a chair and plenty of cushions. Or, if you don’t have the space even for that, make the main focal point in the room (most likely a bed), super comfortable and cosy. Layer with cushions, throws, and pillows.
Let in Light
First of all, you don’t want to have window sills that are too fussy or cluttered with junk or trinkets. Not only does it open up the space, but it will allow more of the natural light from outside come into the room; the more natural light, the better. Large, thick, and heavy curtains can also look out of place in a small bedroom. They can take up space in the room (which is at a premium in a small room as it is), as well as blocking out some of the natural light. So having roller blinds or Roman blinds could be a good idea. It only uses up the space in the window, rather than the space on walls like curtains will. Plus, they can be fully opened to let in the light. You could add panels of lace or voile if you want to let in the light but still have a little privacy.
Built in storage furniture
Use Every Nook and Cranny
Again, if you want to make the most of the room and fit everything in that you need to, then using the space and shape of the room wisely is really key. Custom furniture or custom wardrobes can be a good route to go down, simply because they can be made to fit the shape of your room precisely. For example this website can create walk in wardrobes and dressing rooms to maximise any space available. If you have a slanted room, such as a room in a loft, then most furniture won’t fit in it. So don’t limit yourself; get some custom furniture made. It may cost a little more than regular furniture, but it is going to be worth it when you can use all of the space available and hide the clutter that doesn’t need to be on show.
Declutter Your Things
Speaking of clutter, it can make a difference to the room, and your home in general, if you declutter your things. If you haven’t had a clear out recently, then now might be the time. Our homes are likely to be filled with plenty of extra bits, especially with the festive season only just behind us. So think about the things that you no longer need; can they go elsewhere? Be that another room in the house, into storage, thrown out or sold. When space is limited, you don’t want to fill the room with excess clutter that doesn’t really need to be there.
Use the Walls
Using the walls in a small room can mean a couple of things; number one is that the floor space is not being used if the wall is being used. And if the floor space isn’t being used, then it can free up space for people to move and walk around in. So where you can, think about what can be mounted on the walls. In small rooms, mirrors are better on walls, rather than a freestanding option, as well as things like floating shelving for books, rather than a bookcase. You can still display everything that you want to, but it doesn’t take up space that people will be walking in or using for playing or getting dressed.
Second of all, walls can really help to make a feature and create the illusion of space. Think about a mirrored wall, for example. If you went down that route, then it would instantly make the room look bigger, as soon as you walk in. It is only an optical illusion really, but it can make the room look more bright, spacious, airy, and light. So don’t forget about how important using the walls in a small room can be. Just don’t over clutter a small room with too much. Things like a photo wall wouldn’t look good in a small room.
Rethink Furniture Location
When it comes to a small room, you do have to get a little creative. If you had a large and spacious bedroom, then you would put a bed in the centre of the room. But when space is limited and there is a window in the way, you may be less inclined to put the bed there. But really, what says you can’t put a bed up against a window? So with a small room, you might have to rethink how you lay out your room. Get a little creative to make the best of the space. Urban Wardrobes UK can give you ideas on how to incorporate storage into small rooms.
Get a Custom Headboard
If the small room in question is a headboard, then there can be some wasted space when it comes where the bed is placed. When you’ve got the bed against the wall with a headboard, it does limit what you can put there. So in that case, why not make your bed (and headboard) work a little harder? If you got a custom headboard, or created one of your own, then you can make so much more the space. It could house your books, photos, and trinkets, and even things like a small makeup mirror or stationary.
Look Outside
When you walk in a room, and your eyes are drawn to look out of the window, then it can create such an illusion of space, as the room can look more open and spacious. So where possible, draw attention to the window on your small room. Two items around the window, like ornaments or wall art could bring your eyes to that area, as well as framing the window with some voile or a feature wall. So build up a view around the window so that you and others can take in the view, as well as look beyond.
Do you have any small rooms in the house that need some love this year? Would love to hear about any renovations or projects that you might have planned.
