Most of us would live in a stunning mansion given the chance, but realistically even the most hardworking among us will probably only ever be able to afford a normal sized or smaller home in our lifetimes. But that’s fine- small can most definitely be beautiful. Whether you’ve got a foot on the property ladder and have managed to purchase your first little house or you’re renting your first apartment, if you’re in a smaller property you can still make it stunning with some tips for small homes
In some ways, you have it easier with a small home as it’s easier to decorate and you don’t need as much stuff, but there are issues you have to face too. You want everywhere to look as spacious as possible, and find places for your things so that it doesn’t look cluttered and bursting at the seams. Here are some of the ways you can style and decorate a small home to make it look its best.
Create Flow – Tips for Small Homes
One of the best ways to create a sense of space in the home is for the decor to flow. This means keeping the flooring and colour scheme consistent throughout. If every room is a different colour it can look very ‘stop/start,’ Your best bet is to choose a light neutral and use it in every room- white, magnolia or a very light grey are all good choices. These will make the space feel bigger and brighter.
The same applies to flooring, either go with a neutral coloured carpet all the way through or something like wood downstairs and carpets upstairs. Wood looks sleek and is easy to clean so won’t harbour any stains or smells, it’s beautiful and classic and will work with any decor changes over the years.
If you’re planning on staying in your home for a long time, invest in real wood floors. These can be sanded and re-stained a number of times and can last upwards of thirty years if they’re looked after well. So once you’ve made that initial investment you don’t have to worry about flooring for a long time.
Other ways you can create flow is by making sure things like internal door handles match, you could also replace sockets and light switches with the same coloured metal. All of these things help tie your home together and make it look well thought out.
Tips for Small Homes – Measure Furniture
In a small home, you have to be careful with the furniture you choose. When you’re working with a limited amount of floor space you need to pick pieces that fit the space. Measure carefully larger items like sofas, ideally mark out the dimensions on the floor with tape so you know exactly how much room it will take up.
For tiny bathrooms, you can get a range of cloakroom vanity units to fit in small spaces- corner units often work well. For bedrooms, you might have to go with a small double instead of a double, or a queen sized bed instead of a king size. Either way, plan the space- don’t just buy things because you like the look of them they have to be the right size and shape in a smaller property.
Maximise Natural Light
Making the most of the natural light in the home will help it to feel bigger and brighter. One way you can do this is by switching up your window treatments if you currently have very heavy shutters how about replacing them with vertical blinds, which let plenty of light in when they’re open. If you place large mirrors opposite windows, this can bounce and reflect natural daylight back into the room and is a cheap and easy way to make it look more light and airy. If you own your home, you could consider having skylights fitted, or glass doors leading out to the patio. This will flood the downstairs with natural light.
Keep it Minimal
Finally, in a small home, you don’t want it to be crammed with clutter- even a few items left out will look messy in a tiny room. One of the best tips for small homes is to find good storage solutions. In bedrooms, built in wardrobes work well as they’re fitted floor to ceiling allowing you to maximise the space, plus they can be fitted around any awkward nooks and crannies.
Choose carefully the items you want to keep out on display, go with quality rather than quantity and keep it minimal to maintain the clean lines of your home.
What are your best tips for small homes?
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