Making The Most Of Small Spaces

Making the most of

Small Spaces

By JC Summerford

If you’re not ready to tackle a wholehouse makeover this spring, we’ve got some great ideas to freshen and brighten up your place. With the right decorating ideas, you can express your own personal style and open up even the tiniest of spaces.

Make it Multipurpose Standard kitchen cupboards are always useful, but how about adding floor-toceiling open shelves along one wall? They’re a perfect place to display your best glasses and plates, or even eclectic artwork.

Likewise, in the bathroom, narrow wall shelves are great for storing bathroom essentials in a stylish way. Buy colorful containers and baskets for holding cotton swabs, cotton balls, and toiletries.

If your bedroom is small, you really have to use every inch of space. If you have a couple feet between closets or windows, you could put in a small desk to double as a vanity. Add a mirror and shelves above it to provide extra storage for books, office items, or cosmetics.

32 HICKORY LIVING • MARCH 2020 ©iStockphoto.com | urfinguss

Don’t waste awkward, odd-shaped spaces underneath stairs or between floors. You could squeeze in a few shelves, pretty canvas bins, or cubbyholes to store the kids’ toys!

Hint: build bookshelves up high, close to the ceiling, to give any room a larger feel.

Live Light To make your living room appear larger, avoid decorating with dark hues. You could paint one accent wall an intense color like lime green or bright blue and contrast with a crisp white or lightcolored couch and chairs. Floor-to-ceiling window treatments also make a living room look more spacious—choose pale, neutral colors.

Break that habit of pushing furniture up against the walls or standing lamps in corners. By leaving a few inches of room between the wall and furniture you’ll create an illusion of extra space.

Strategically placed chairs and tables with tall legs are great for tiny spaces. Consider using that open space underneath for more storage. Placing an oversized rug in a cozy space adds even more illusions

of grandeur. A vertically striped carpet that extends beyond the furniture would be ideal.

Mirrors are an obvious way to make a room appear larger than it really is. Install a tall mirror, or several, along one wall. You could add draperies around it to make it feel more like a window!

Keep in mind that in a small room, each décor element can have a big impact. Buy artwork, lamps, and knick-knacks cautiously.

Divide and Conquer Sometimes an office is pressed into service as a bedroom. Make the most of it by installing a space-saving Murphy bed along one wall or add a fold-out futon that can double as seating. If you prefer to separate the areas, use a sheer curtain, bamboo, or fabric room divider to create two distinct spaces.

Living in a small place has plenty of advantages overall. It’s less stressful to keep clean, easier to decorate and re-decorate, and if you focus on quality over quantity, you can create a personalized designer look for far less than filling a big house!