Decorating for small spaces

Decorating for small spaces

Decorating a small space such as a mobile home or studio apartment can be a challenging task, but when done correctly, small spaces can give the illusion that they are much larger. Small spaces can also have many advantages for the home decorator. They are easier to keep clean and are more likely to be decorated very consistently and have a smooth flow throughout. What's more, it is not necessary to buy as much in the way of furnishings and accessories, so this makes decorating easier on the wallet. Also, you will need to de-clutter frequently because you simply do not have the storage space in a small home. A good rule of thumb is if you haven't used it in 6 months, toss it. Firstly, consider your wall color choices. Light, airy, neutral colors and pale pastels tend to give the feeling of a larger room. Also, painting a horizontal stripe midway down your wall all around the room can create the illusion of a much more lengthy space, but avoid vertical stripes, which have a narrowing effect. Avoid dark colors like black or navy blue, as this creates a claustrophobic feeling by decreasing the depth of space in a room. Paint your ceiling a lighter shade than the rest of the room, or leave it white.

. When decorated correctly, small spaces can give the illustion that they are much larger spaces.

Select small, streamline sofas and chairs with small legs and narrow arms as these will tuck into your small space with more ease. Avoid large three-seater sofas with overstuffed cushions as they simply take up too much space and make it difficult to add accessories without seeming like there is too much in your room. When choosing wooden furniture pieces for your room like coffee tables and bookcases, once again choose thin, narrow designs and perhaps choose a piece with a double function, such as a coffee table that is a trunk for storage purposes or a bookcase with cupboard doors on some shelves to hide items you don’t want on display. Avoid large accessories. Gigantic paintings above your sofa will seem overwhelming and take up too much space on a small wall. Mirrors and other reflective surfaces give the illusion of more space. Purchase fabrics of small patterns only. Limit busy patterns to small items like throw pillows or a small throw blanket. Use enclosed cabinets and armoires more frequently than bookcases cluttered with many items: the cupboard doors can conceal a mess that you never get around to organizing. Select only your favorite items for display in the room. In the bedroom, keep framed pictures to a minimum and select small vases or jewelry boxes for your dresser top. Purchase storage bins and hide them under the bed for extra storage purposes. Add a closet organizer to keep things up off the floor and neatly arranged. Again, avoid the tendency to clutter you space with knick knacks. This can sometimes be acceptable in a larger area, but the smaller the area, the more easily cluttered it becomes. Instead of bedside tables, opt for small bookcases mounted on the wall on either side of the bed. This frees up much needed floor space. If space allows, consider moving your dresser inside the closet, again freeing up floor space. Hang a mesh laundry bag on the back of your closet door. Make good use of your bathroom medicine cabinet and the cupboard space under the sink. In a small bathroom avoid leaving a surplus of products on the counter top, which again will contribute to a much cluttered feel. Window treatments should be streamline and petite as well. Avoid floor length drapes. If your curtain choice covers the window, try to keep the curtains open as much as possible to shed some light on the room, as spaces tend to look larger in natural daylight. Place your furniture in such a way that shadows are eliminated or at least minimized, as shadows tend to give the illusion of the room being cut up into smaller pieces. Avoid ceiling lights as this gives the impression of a lowered ceiling. Be sure to maximize the use of the many nooks and crannies a kitchen tends to offer. For example, use the space above the cupboards to showcase special dinnerware or wine glasses. Hang pots from a rack suspended from the ceiling as a means of freeing up cupboard space.