The Sunday News
Amanda Ncube
DECORATING or designing a small space is taunting, it’s hard to know where to put all your stuff. For one to achieve that chic beautiful look there is a need to be careful and creative.
The first step when decorating a tiny space is to accept that you have a small space and start taking steps to make most of it as each space is valuable.
Avoid wasting valuable space by placing items that you do not need such as a bedside table, squeezing one in will only make your room feel more cramped. Instead, opt for a stool to rest remote controls, magazines, and tiny table lamps. Also consider mounting fitted cupboards or bookshelf on walls instead of using a full size table. By so doing you will be creating more space. Cramming items will only lead to an unusable, squashed space.
You need to be creative when it comes to storage areas to cut out more usable square footage. Avoid incorporating floor to ceiling shelves, utilising the space above the window frame, and adding built-in seating. Maximise the functionality of this small family room. If your kitchen is petite, rather than using countertops for decorative bowls or knick-knacks, use the space under the upper cupboards for hanging utensil storage so your drawers and the cupboards are free to hide less-attractive necessities.
No matter how many smart storage solutions you incorporate, you will always have limited space. It is important to evaluate your belongings and make sure everything is meaningful or functional. This can be super common on our vanities or in the bathroom, where products tend to pile up. Never underestimate the power of mirrors. They can double the visual space in a small space and reflect light and colour to add visual interest. Mirrored backsplashes increase the size of a small kitchen while mirrored furniture provides an unexpected reflective surface, and large mirrored panels on a wall look like additional windows. Natural light is your best option. Maximise your space by placing mirrors on opposite walls from your windows to reflect and spread the light. Opt for woven blinds or sheer privacy curtains to filter sunlight rather than block it, and if the natural rays filtering into your space are limited, keep your paint hues and dominant furniture colours light to brighten the overall mood.
If you do prefer minimalistic styles, then increase your small space by avoiding clutter and crowding your home with patterns is probably easier. But if you love maximalistic style do not fret over size. A lack of square footage does not mean your home has to be tedious. Incorporate large-scale patterns and bright-coloured accents to bring interest to your pad. Bold wallpaper in a colour scheme that connects your rooms, or bright drapery hung close to the ceiling will create focal points to distract the eye from a lack of excess space.
