Optimizing Your Small Room

From the home decor pros at Fashion Furniture, here are some tried and true ways to maximize a small room with big designs:

Built-in Drawers & Shelving

Make use of wall space with built-in storage such as drawers, which can be used to store miscellaneous items that you want hidden from view. For other things like books and decor, open shelving can be a design in itself by helping to create a feeling of depth along the wall. When it comes to knick-knacks, try to keep the amount at a minimum; that way, the room won’t feel cluttered and cramped. Creating the illusion of space is all about minimalism, so keep it simple with a few statement pieces that add an eye-catching visual interest to the overall look.

Mirror, Mirror on the Walls  

A must-have for small rooms, mirrors help to reflect light while also tricking the eye into seeing double the amount of space. The best places for either large wall-sized mirrors or smaller ones are in darker areas of the room that don’t get as much light. According to Cody Calamaio from the Bob Vila blog, “mirrors aren’t just for checking your hairdo.” He recommends positioning the mirror across from a bright window, which will bounce natural light back into the room.

Rugs to Define Space

Just like curtains or shades help to frame a window, large area rugs do the same for the floor by highlighting the perimeter. The magic of rugs is their power for optical illusions. For instance, when you place a floor rug in the center of a room, it creates a room in itself. Try placing one under a dining room table, which will help emphasize the edges of the floor.

Floor-to-ceiling Window Treatments

Depending on your personal taste, you can choose from a wide variety of different floor-to-ceiling window treatments such as traditional curtains, a simple roman-style shade, or the natural and earthy bamboo roll shade. Not only do window treatments help dress up a room, but they create a dramatic vertical line that makes the room look significantly bigger. For rooms that use natural light such as living rooms, kitchens, and other shared spaces, choose window curtains with lightweight fabrics in light, neutral colors, which will help open up the room and let in a little sunshine.

Multi-functional Furniture for Extra Storage

When you’re designing a small space, you should choose each piece of furniture carefully in order to maximize the room’s design. Try not to pick furniture that is too large for the space, which could make the room seem overcrowded. Also, look for pieces that are multi-functional, such as benches and ottomans with built-in storage.

Decorate the Walls with Large-scale Art

At Blesser House, their golden rule for decorating small rooms is to have one large piece of artwork instead of a gallery wall with smaller items. To make the space feel roomy and spacious, they also suggest leaving some walls blank “to prevent the room from feeling cluttered and overwhelming.”

Lighten Up the Colors

Use light colors in a small room, which will give the space more depth and expansiveness. But neutral colors don’t have the be boring. You can also incorporate bright accents for pops of color, which make a striking contrast when paired with lighter shades in the background.  

Accent Lamps to Evenly Diffuse Light

Instead of the intense and focused light of one standard ceiling fixture, try placing additional floor lamps, table lamps, and pendant lamps around the room to help make the space feel more expansive. The smaller lights in various areas will add warmth to the entire space with a touch of golden-hued light.

Hang a Visually Appealing Chandelier

A bane for interior designers, low ceilings can make a small room seem confined. One way to combat this common design challenge is with an elegant hanging pendant lamp or chandelier, which makes the most of the vertical space by drawing the eyes upward. Look for a spot in the room where you can hang a low-hanging light fixture, such as over a table in the dining room or above the bed.

Clear the Clutter

One of the worst things for a small room is clutter, which can make it feel cramped and disorganized. The challenge with small spaces is that clutter can quickly add up. To keep the room looking organized and tidy, try storing essential day-to-day items in small baskets or decorative trays. For other small knick-knacks, wall shelving and large baskets are a few stylish ways to incorporate storage into your home decor. If you have a problem with too much stuff in a small room, it might be time to do a major overhaul of all your possessions. Going through all your things can be time-consuming but when you’re finished, you’ll have an inventory of everything you need and what should be thrown away or donated.

Stay tuned for more design tips from the Fashion Furniture blog, your source for the latest trends in interior design.

For all of your interior design needs, contact the experts at Fashion Furniture today!

Resources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2014/10/21/10-tips-to-make-a-small-bedro…

https://www.hgtv.com/remodel/interior-remodel/optimize-your-small-bedroom-d…

https://www.housebeautiful.com/home-remodeling/interior-designers/tips/g145…

https://www.thespruce.com/small-living-room-ideas-4129044

https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2014/10/14/how-to-design-and-lay-out-a-s…

https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/8-classic-ways-to-make-a-small-room-look-big-47895#for-more

https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/13-diy-window-treatments-to-dress-up-your-space-47507#confetti-drapes

https://www.blesserhouse.com/how-to-make-a-small-room-look-bigger/