“I've just moved into a one bedroom apartment with very limited space,” commented a reader. “How do I make it look modern and spacious and get rid of the cluttered look?” she asked in frustration.
Tight, um, spot that you can relate to? Don’t fret. We’ve rounded up some of our best decorating advice to make your living space – or lack thereof – work in your favour.
Tip 1 – Less is more
It’s simple, GET RID of the junk. Too much furniture, for example, is unnecessary. Especially if it's big and bulky.
• Start off by examining one room at a time.
• Determine which pieces of furniture are indispensable in that space.
• Dump – or better yet, donate – the rest.
Tip 2 – Move it around
Feel a bit cramped in your home? Easy fixes:
• Move as much furniture and furnishings away from the centre of the room and place them against the walls. Opening up and creating space is vital.
• Ensure that your walkways and passages are clear.
• Scale your furniture down to complement the size of the room.
An insightful reader shared this space-saving gem with us:
“Try to store upwards instead of horizontal. I live in a one bedroom place and have found that funky storage boxes do wonders. I have a few on top of the fridge which look like more of a fashion statement rather than storage. Also, try to consider furniture with added storage – such as coffee tables with drawers or ottomans which have storage space.”
Tip 3 – Use light
We know that a well-lit room creates an illusion of space so essentially, you want the sun shining through and your walls to be painted in bright, airy colours. Here are few more pointers:
• Keep your ceilings white – the lighter your paint, the higher your ceilings will seem.
• Avoid dark and bulky curtains.
• Incorporate as much light – both natural and artificial – into a room. There’s nothing more claustrophobic than darkness.
Tip 4 – Hang a large mirror
Yes, we’ve said it before – mirrors have the ability to make a room seem larger because they create depth, add dimension AND they reflect both natural and artificial light. A few guidelines when using mirrors as decorative pieces:
• Position mirrors at eyelevel – too high mirrors only make ceilings appear lower which in turn, makes a room seem smaller.
• Angle your mirrors so they face a focal point, like a beautiful painting, as it gives the illusion of depth.
• Better yet, place a mirror opposite a window so the ‘big’ outdoors can be reflected into your house.
Tip 5 – Keep it clean
There’s nothing worse than feeling confined in a small room with too much stuff inside of it. As mentioned previously, less in a room is more for the eye to feast upon. It’s a fact that a room devoid of clutter will appear larger so consider these:
• A clean, clutter free tabletop can give a room a spacious feel.
• Décor is lovely, but in a small space, it can easily appear overdone. Keep accessories to a minimum and don’t scatter them all over the show.
• Again, simplicity is fundamental. Don’t cover your walls with too many pictures and paintings – one large portrait works better than a group of smaller ones.
More space-saving tips? Share them with us in the box below.