September 23 2024
Adding an extension to your property is a great way of enlarging your living space – but is perhaps an expensive luxury we can’t all afford. While a small home can feel cosy and comforting, it can be restrictive when it comes to having guests over. Rather than splurging your savings on a new room, try our tips and tricks to make each room in your home seem bigger with these affordable solutions to small spaces.
Tip one: Less stuff, more space
It’s true; clutter does make your home seem significantly smaller, especially if it takes up floor and wall space. You want an airy room with plenty of free space if you’re looking to make your rooms appear larger, so think minimal when it comes to furniture and decor. Limit how many ornaments and the like you buy, taking time out of shopping to consider if you really need it.
Once you’ve adjusted your spending habits, go room to room and, as Marie Kondo suggests, question how often you use the items in it. Bag up everything you don’t need and remove it from the house. Don’t worry about throwing away your stuff though, you can simply put it into storage. Doing so will allow you to hold onto your most precious items without having it taking up space and you can access it when required.
Storage units are particularly handy for those moving from a bigger home into something smaller, as well as if you’re struggling for space but don’t want anything to go to waste.
Tip two: Foldaway furniture
Particularly handy in the dining room and bedroom, foldaway furniture is an excellent way of optimising your space. From desks to dining tables, you can hide away pretty much anything to save space. People have taken to having a foldaway table and hanging up foldable chairs on their walls, a move that is both artsy and space-saving.
Make more room in your home office or bedroom with a multi-functional murphy desk. They transform from a desk into a storage unit, typically folding up onto a wall when you don’t need it. Otherwise, a corner desk will slide into squared-off spaces in the room, allowing for more floor space in the centre of the room.
Get creative with your furniture but don’t go crazy – always remember that less is more when trying to maximise your home. As mentioned, multi-functional options are best, including sofa beds for guests, drop leaf tables and lift-top coffee sets.
Tip three: colour choice
Dark, drab colours not only suck the life out of rooms but can make them appear much smaller. This is because they absorb light, whereas soft tones are known to reflect it and therefore make the room seem much larger than it is. White or cream is the best for this creating this illusion, but if you find this too clinical, you can opt for light taupe, beige, sand or cool grey.
Rather than brightening up the room via the walls, bring it to life with pops of colour through soft furnishings. Yellow cushions are particularly popular, as are light yet colourful pastel shades. Plants are another great way of adding vibrancy to a room without looking garish, so why not get a cactus or succulent? They’re easy to look after and totally on-trend in the decor world.
Use our tips and tricks to achieve that bright, airy space you’ve always dreamed of. Start with storage with the help of Ready Steady Store. We have a great selection of storage units all over the UK, all of which are safe and secure.
