Make Your Small Space Feel BIGGER

Smaller homes don’t have to mean tiny space. Hear us out…

For many Melbournians, small houses and apartments are home.  And believe it or not, it’s possible to create a small, yet comforting living space that’s modern, roomy and highly functional all at the same time! Just because you can’t change the footprint of your home doesn’t mean that it needs to feel pokey.  There are ways and means to make your space light, bright and airy, even without moving walls or raising ceilings.

At Love & Co, we’ve seen it all – from large, grand family homes to chic inner-suburban apartments and we assure you, appealing homes aren’t due to their size but more so how they have been furnished and styled. Our stylists often wow our vendors when they come in to assist in preparing their home for sale. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can really open the mind to endless opportunities to better make use of a space.

Today our team is sharing their top “Tips to Make Your Small Space Feel Bigger”. Ok, let’s get down to business:

De-Clutter!

Ok a no-brainer, but the first step is a good, old-fashioned cleanout!

Roll up your sleeves: it’s time to get rid of all that extra ‘stuff’ that just builds up.  From kitchen drawers to coffee tables, overhead shelves and bedroom cupboards… sort out what you actually need and use, and get rid of all that unnecessary clutter. Pack away some of the extra ornaments and souvenirs.  Clear the space (and clear your mind too!)

The cleaner space will not only look good, it’ll feel great! And as they say, styling can make or break a space. Whilst adding some decorative items can add character and personality they can also consume a space if over-done. So showing some restraint and limiting one item per wall or table can still make a statement whilst remaining minimal.

Look at Your Furniture

Sometimes less is more: a few tasteful furniture pieces, rather than a lot of mediocre ones will make the room feel refined and uncluttered.

Need to purchase new furniture? Sure a large couch or bed is everyone’s dream but consider the space it needs to sit within. Will there be enough space around it and other furniture? You don’t want to be carefully sliding between items to get through a room. Try and pick rationally when selecting these big ticket items to ensure they don’t take up the entire room.

Concentrate on beautiful textures, and create that visual harmony by incorporating contrasts without cluttering the space. Opt for light-coloured and plain upholstery wherever practical – heavy patterns and dark fabrics will ‘soak up’ the light and make the room feel more cramped.

There are also so many cleverly designed pieces you can buy to help you save space, like a stackable coffee/side tables such as this nesting table set from Temple & Webster!

Effective Lighting

Effective lighting is one of the most important elements for making a space feel bright and airy.

• Natural Light

Open up your curtains; roll up the blinds… and enjoy the natural light flooding into your home!

Are your windows obscured by bushes and trees?  A few hours in the garden with some secateurs or a pruning saw might make all the difference to how much light penetrates your rooms.

Wash the windows too – this might sound like we’re going a step too far, but you’ll be amazed at how much light is kept out by a thin layer of dust and dirt on the glass.

Think about installing an extra window or replacing a solid door with a glass-panelled one.  Remember, ceiling windows are a great way to brighten up internal spaces or rooms that don’t have any spare wall space.

• Artificial Lighting

Is your home gloomy at night?

Having multiple light sources is a great way to expand the ‘feel’ of a room, so think about different layers of lighting: task lighting for areas of high activity (such as over kitchen benches) and feature lighting to draw the eye to a specific point of interest.

Lamps are a great way to soften the feel of a room and add that cosy warm ambience that can totally change how a space feels.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

Colour is one of your best weapons for making a room feel bigger than it really is.

As we all know, light colours make a space feel larger, but it’s also worth remembering that contrasting light and dark colours can create depth and interest, which is also important when it comes to decorating small spaces.

Here are a few interesting tips to consider:

• horizontal stripes will make a room feel longer
• vertical stripes will make a room feel taller
• when multiple colours are used in a room it creates visual boundaries; using just one colour gives the impression of one large continuous space
• dark ceilings make the ceiling feel lower

While we’re not suggesting your home should be painted bright white from floor to ceiling, we do recommend you choose a light palette if you’re trying to create that light and airy feel.  Think white and creams… these tones are natural, comforting and guaranteed to never go out of fashion!

Mirrors

If you can’t physically add more space, you can create the illusion of it by incorporating a large wall mirror into your décor!

Mirrors are another way to maximize your lighting and the create the illusion of added depth and space in any room.

Window Furnishings

Think carefully about your window furnishings: dark-coloured, heavy drapes will block out light and create a moodier feel in your space, while light-coloured curtains or blinds will enhance a brighter, lighter scheme.

Uncluttered windows are also crucial to making a space feel bigger, so how about installing blinds that can be rolled right up out of the way, or adding some tie-backs to keep ensure your curtains are kept to the edge of the windows?

So as you can see, making your home feel bigger isn’t rocket science, it’s about being smart with your choice of textures and colours, and keeping your clutter to a minimum.

Be prepared to experiment: finding the perfect balance between form and function is an individual journey, and remember, your home is your special place, so it needs to be comforting and practical and inviting.