6 Design Ideas for Small Spaces

by Lauren Busser Direct from the Designers™’ Editorial Director

Small house plans have always been appealing. Not only do they offer a cozy, intimate atmosphere but they consume less resources, operate with great energy efficiency and require less maintenance. Carefully planning the layout and roles of living spaces within your small home is key to comfortable living and maximum functionality of the space for years to come.

Remember to Decorate To Scale

When you start to furnish your small home you want to be mindful of scale. Cramming a lot of oversized furniture into a small room will make your space feel cramped. Rather, pick one good-sized statement piece and decorate around that. The key to furnishing your small home is to make sure that there is plenty of room to move around.

Positioning of your furniture can also help. For instance, instead of putting a sofa flush against the wall, angling it can help the room appear larger and also give you some much-needed storage space.

Multi-Purpose Spaces

When footage is precious consider where you might be able to create multipurpose spaces. Sometimes this is completely unavoidable and a spare bedroom needs to double as your home office. A wall bed is the perfect solution, allowing the bed to come out for a guest or be tucked away during the day while you are working.

Stick to the New Neutrals

We all know that light and neutral color palettes make a space feel larger than it really is but you don’t have to stick to shades of white and off-white. There are lots of colors that have just a hint of a colorful undertone that will make your space pop. For some inspiration, look to Benjamin Moore’s® Color Trends 2014 palette. This palette features a number of shades that designers call “The New Neutrals.” These shades push the boundaries and stretch the meaning of the term neutral.

Let in the Light

Making sure your space gets enough light and airflow is one important principal to creating an open and spacious feeling in a room. Making sure you take advantage of daylight is just one step though. Accenting your room with metal, glass, polished wood and leather will reflect the light coming in and add to the brightness of the room. With this in mind it is a good idea to consider glossy, bright and polished pieces when you are furnishing a smaller home.

Beneath the Stairs

Don’t be afraid to make use of open space under the stairs. It is the perfect space to add some shelving for books or antiquities or even take it a step further and turn it into a mini home office with a small desk.

Mirrors

Mirrors and mirrored furniture are a great way to add some glamour into your design. A properly placed mirror or mirrored surface can reflect and diffuse light creating a dazzling effect that will help your space feel open and airy. Plus a wall mirror can trick the eye into thinking that a space is much larger than it really is.

Designing for small spaces is a matter of playing with proportions and keeping it functional and practical. Keep in mind that the best small house plans use their space efficiently and that is what you should aim to do in your interior design. Look for places that can serve multiple purposes and where you can add storage in spaces that might be overlooked.