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5 Useful Interior Design Ideas For Small Spaces

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Filed Under: Organizing, Small Spaces

Interior Design Ideas For Small Spaces

According to Rent Café, in 2016, your typical apartment was probably around 934 square feet. That’s roughly 4.5 one-car garages!

This size is 8% smaller than the average apartment a decade ago. It goes without saying, apartments are getting smaller, each year the average size smaller than the year before (in 2014, the average size was 943 square feet and in 2007 it was a whopping 1,008 square feet!).

And it’s not just apartments that are on the small end. Homes are shrinking too. If this trend continues, you could be looking at a lot of sidestepping and shuffling to get around your space…

Or so you think… The truth is, thriving — not surviving — in a small space is very possible, thanks to some space-saving, interior design ideas for small spaces. But just how should you design your small space to make the most of your square footage? Read on to find out!

Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

1. Use Furniture as Dividers

Save some space, not to mention money by using your furniture as room dividers. What we mean is positioning your TV stand and TV in a way that makes your bedroom area more private.

The same goes for the kitchen, living room, you name it. This space-saving idea is great for studios which like the rest of the apartments and houses, are getting smaller. (How small are we talking? Try 18% less than a decade ago.)

Photo by Radu Marcusu on Unsplash

2. Make the Most of Your Vertical Space

Who says you have to just store your belongings on the floor? Make the most of your space; install shelves or use bookshelves (remember, bookshelves don’t have to just be used for books) to get belongings off the ground. You can also install some beautiful cabinets to hold household goods; like these ones.

 

 

Another vertical space idea is to use mirrors. While mirrors don’t actually increase your space, they can give the allusion that your place is bigger than what it is. Why not decorate your walls with several different sizes of mirrors for some more character?

3. Adopt a Minimalist Attitude

Just because your space is small doesn’t mean you are stuck with several pieces of furniture cramped next to one another.

Why not go minimalist? This means adding simple, practical, yet still elegant furniture pieces to your space without the big and bold statements — as tends to be the case with more chic, even classic looks.

 

4. Take Advantage of Curtains

Like with mirrors, curtains are a great way to make your space look larger. Hang your curtains an inch or two above the window to give the appearance of longer walls.

(Another space-allusion trick is giving your walls a splash of white or some other lighter color. In general, lighter shades opens up a room while darker colors will shrink it.)

 

5. Work with the Small Size, Not Against It

Yes, you have a smaller space. Why not embrace it? Pick out soft color furniture that has rounded edges to give your place a homier feel.

You can also go with a patterned rug or colorful (yet soft) coffee table as statement pieces that immediately attract eyes. Of course, be careful not to go pattern galore, as you don’t want your space to look busy — or worse, chaotic.

 

Final Thoughts: You Have Many Interior Design Options at Your Fingertips

Use some, none, or all of these tips to make the most of your small space. At the end of the day, it’s what you think of your space is what counts. Have any more space-saving design ideas for small spaces? What did you do to make your space look bigger? Please feel free to comment.

How To Decorate Your Small Space for the Holidays

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Filed Under: Christmas & New Year, Small Spaces

If your house is more compact than spacious, you may find decorating small spaces for the holidays to be a challenge.

Last week, I shared some tips on how to decorate a narrow entryway for the holiday season, but you may still be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the thought of making things festive throughout the rest of your house. Never fear.

Adding holiday cheer can still be fun and festive no matter how much room you have. Follow these tips for decorating your small spaces for the holidays, and you’ll soon find yourself ready for entertaining.

 

 

Go for Multi-Use Items

Your pocket-sized pad can accommodate both company and holiday decor if you just think outside the box.

Speaking of boxes, storage cubes serve as fantastic footstools or side tables while pulling double-duty for storing your seldom-used items. In fact, they’re great for storing your seasonal decor items.

 

 

Use neutral-colored cubes and add sparkly or winter-hued accent fabrics to the tops.

Other multi-use furnishings or decorating resources can include narrow consoles to place tablescapes, ladder bookshelves strung with lights to add ambiance and tiered cake holders as a surface for either holiday sweets or beautiful candles.

Anything you can think of to serve more than one purpose can assist in the fight to save valuable space.

Take It Easy on the Color Palette

It can be tempting to go crazy with the red and green at this time of the year. If those are your favorite colors, feel free to use them. However, it’s a good idea to consider limiting the tones and hues you choose.

 

 

Keep your palette to a minimum of two to three colors total, as adding a bunch can truly overwhelm the eye in a small space.

You can still choose cheery and bright colors if those are your favorite, but using them strategically will give you a more cohesive result.

Keep Things on the Up and Up

When you have a small space, using the overhead and highest areas of the room can be your best-decorating strategy.

 

 

Ribbons strung from the light fixtures, helium balloons on the ceiling or knick-knacks placed upon high shelves are all great ways to add visual interest while keeping premium floor space open. You don’t want guests bumping into or knocking over your decorations.

 

 

Make It Flow

A tight space containing large, tall objects can look and feel cramped. Instead of placing full-sized seating in your rooms for extra guests, consider using stools or ottomans. They take up less space and give your room a more open feeling. Keep this principle in mind when adding decor like a Christmas tree or wreath also.

 

 

Slim profile and compact greenery may fit your room’s proportions better without seeming disproportionate or obtrusive.

Keep these tips in mind when approaching holiday decorating for your small spaces. Even the tiniest of homes can embrace the spirit of the season. Have fun with it!

Tips for decorating small spaces for the holidays.

3 Creative Ways to Make Your Apartment Feel Like Home

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Filed Under: Small Spaces

Although an apartment is technically a small space, there are many creative ways to make it feel more like home. You can pack all the love that a home has to offer into a much smaller space. Let’s see how you can make the most of living in small spaces?

Making a Small Kitchen Work

While there are many things you can do without in the kitchen when apartment living, some things are just a pure necessity. Utilizing every ounce of space in an apartment kitchen takes some creativity.

 

Photo by Tecnica Construcciones – More kitchen photos

 

Let’s check a few ideas to make the most of a small kitchen.

Using built-ins

If your apartment does not have built-ins, ask the landlord if you can work with him or her and have them installed. A built-in set of shelves hovering over an enclosed cabinet will give you tons of storage space. The built-in is built directly into the wall and does not take up precious floor space.

 

 

Shelving

Shelving above the sink and on every existing wall in the kitchen is a great way to store and even display useful kitchen tools and items.

 

 

Over the Fridge

No space is sacred in any rental apartment kitchen, most especially not the space on top of the fridge. This area can be used for storing your microwave and your toaster when not in use.

 

 

Turning the Smallness of the Bedroom into a Cozy Space

The bedroom is the most important room in your apartment. It is where you will rest and rejuvenate after a hectic day and where you spend time with your significant other.

  • If you do not have the luxury of having a separate space for a living room and a bedroom, convert your bedroom into both. The use of a futon or daybed is a great way to have the best of both worlds. You can set up your futon as a couch by day and as a place to rest your head by night. Futons can have extra cushions added to them and really big fluffy pillows for extra comfort.

 

 

  • Your television in your room can be perched atop a wardrobe, set inside an armoire, or even hung from the corner of the ceiling.

 

 

  • A small closet can double as a computer storage space. Utilize under-the-bed storage systems and use the closet as a workspace.

 

 

Bringing the Outdoors In

  • If you are fortunate enough to have a big bay window or a walk-out patio, you can turn that space into your own little private oasis.

 

 

  • A bay window that has a window seat is a great cozy addition that can double as a reading room. Take comfy cushions, throw them on top of the sill, and add extra comfortable throw pillows. Put up some shelves and you have a private reading room.

 

 

  • If you have a small walk-out patio, add some hanging plants and a bistro set and voila – you have your own private villa. A great place to have a glass of wine and watch the sunset.

 

Photo by KNS ARCHITECTS PVT.LTD – Search deck design ideas

 

These are just a few ways to make the small spaces in an apartment feel like home. What are your favorites?

Being Happier in a Smaller Space

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Filed Under: Small Spaces

Downsizing: Small Space Living

The old adage that less is more certainly applies to downsizing your home. If you are in a situation where your children are all out of the nest and a big empty house no longer suits you, then downsizing may be the answer.

downsizing

 

The Upside of Downsizing to a Smaller Space

There are many benefits to downsizing. It may seem like a big adjustment at first, but downsizing can make you a much happier person.

Your Long Term Finances

Think about your financial situation. Maintaining a larger home may not be in your best interest any longer.

Downsizing will lower your utility bills due to less square footage requiring heat and electricity. If you move into a condominium, you will not have to worry about paying for snow plowing or lawn services. You’ll never have to worry about repairing things like leaky roofs again.

 

downsizing

 

Less Cleaning

Lower your cleaning commitment. There is much less cleaning to be done in a smaller home. If you do not need the extra space, why spend time and money cleaning a larger home when you can downsize.

 

downsizing

 

Time Saving

Save time! Once you have successfully downsized, there is a great deal more time available throughout your day for activities that you enjoy. Less maintenance, less cleaning and fewer repairs all equate to more time for enjoyable activities.

 

downsizing

 

Money Saving

You’ll save money. By saving money from eliminating some maintenance services as well as cleaning supplies, utilities and requiring less home décor, you will have more money to spend on your hobbies, paying off debt or saving for retirement.

 

downsizing

 

Less Stress

Reduce stress in your life. When you own a large home, you often worry about the backyard, curb appeal, the pool, raking leaves, shoveling snow, making repairs and keeping up in general. How many weekends have you spent on house projects? When you downsize, you open up a new avenue for fun and relaxation. All that time you spend cleaning and maintaining is now time you can spend golfing, going to the beach, walking and spending time with friends.

 

downsizing

 

While having a big beautiful home is a dream, if you’re looking to save time and money downsizing may be right for you.

 

Living and Organizing Small Spaces, aka Cozy!

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Filed Under: Bedrooms, Home Office, Organizing, Readers Love, Small Spaces

How to Organize Small Living Rooms

Not everyone has the sprawling ranch of their dreams, with a living room that goes on for miles. Most living rooms are cluttered and lived in. If you have a small living room, there are ways to make that small space work for you rather than against you.

featuring framed wall art

 

Creative Furnishings

There are many options when it comes to seating arrangements in your living room. One of the best options, however, is to buy furnishings that double as storage space.

 

Ottomans

Ottomans are a perfect example of how to creatively make a small living room work for you. Ottomans can store blankets, pillows, and throws, or even linens for overnight guests.

 

I love this shoe storage ottoman from One Kings Lane!

 


Josie Shoe Ottoman, Beige
from: One Kings Lane

 

Benches

Benches are a great way to add extra seating arrangements and store great stuff. Books, heavy-duty blankets, movies, music, and even electronics can all be stored inside benches. You can even store bench cushions when not in use.

 

small living room

 

Futons & Daybeds

Futons and daybeds work perfectly to accommodate extra seating and are great to use as a pull-out sleeper for company.

 

 

Tables

Tables with storage and plenty of it is another great way to accommodate a small space. Tables that have cubby spaces for things like playing cards or remote controls are a great way to store small items. Tables that lift up completely to reveal storage are another good way to make a small living room work for you.

 

featuring a black accent table

 

Wall Space

Many people overlook the walls of their living room when it comes to finding extra storage space.

Wall space is also a great place to push a high-back bench with storage underneath. Guests can make themselves at home sitting on the bench up against the wall while never knowing that there is storage below. A folding table can be opened up in front of the bench for company and then put away when not needed.
A shelf hung with hinges at just the right level on a wall is perfect for a laptop or this desk “murphy bed style”.

 

How to organize small living rooms. Examples and ideas to help you furnish and organize your small living room.

 

How to organize small living rooms. Examples and ideas to help you furnish and organize your small living room.

 

Another great use for wall space is a table top size piece of wood with hinges and support – perfect for a light snack or cup of tea. When not in use, the table can be folded down and put away, creating more room in a small space.

Or, what about this super clever idea?

Living in small spaces, furniture arrangement and ideas.

 

Fold and Go

Folding tables, chairs and beds were invented for a reason. They are great to use when you need them and even greater when you do not.

Folding chairs are easily stored in a closet or even under a bed when not in use, but make perfect sense for when you have extra company.

 

How to organize small living rooms. Examples and ideas to help you furnish and organize your small living room. Design Sponge hang chairs wall

 

Folding tables can be pulled out for extra company and put away when not in use as well. Folding tables are easily decorated with nice tablecloths.

 

Pull out dinning table for small rooms

 

Folding beds and couches can host a guest (or two) at night and be closed back leaving all the space free again for the daily use activities of your home.

 

How to organize small living rooms. Examples and ideas to help you furnish and organize your small living room. Pottery Barn sleeper sofa

 

These are just some ways to be creative when trying to make small living rooms more functional as well as inviting.

What are your favorite tips to make good use of space?

 

 

Find below all the items from the vignettes and collages:

 


 


Aidan Gray nested table
laylagrayce.com

Wooden furniture
wayfair.com

Black antiqued furniture
$995 – alexanderandpearl.co.uk

 


Framed wall art
wayfair.com

Lacquer finish furniture
$1,825 – alexanderandpearl.co.uk

Tufted ottoman
safaviehhome.com

 

Have you checked all our organizing printables?