5 Tips for Transforming a Small Space into a Comfortable Home

Urban sprawl is making way for micro apartments, and eco-friendly homeowners are happy to invest in smaller spaces that reduce waste and costs. The following five strategies can help you harness the minimalist principles of modern home design.

Look up 

Don’t forget to take advantage of vertical storage space. Short shelving units and dressers take up valuable floor space, so reconsider your storage options. Invest in floor-to-ceiling cabinets, hang jewelry on the walls, and mount shelves higher than usual to make room for furniture below it.

Rethink color

Convert your close quarters into a more spacious, airy environment by introducing lighter colors into your decorating palette, including your paint, furniture, and linen choices. White walls make any room feel bigger, and a light area rug softens the slimming effect of dark hardwood.

Trick the eyes 

A quick paint trick will “extend” your ceiling and make the whole space look taller. Just tape off a border one foot from the ceiling’s perimeter. Keep painting until you hit the tape, and voilà, you’ve created an optical illusion! People don’t naturally look up, so they’ll assume the walls follows the color upward.

Let furniture multitask 

Folding chairs and beds let you accommodate guests without permanently sacrificing leg room for mostly useless furniture. But some furniture needs to be there, so make it count by giving everything more than one job and investing in a few great pieces of multipurpose furniture. Eat and work at one slim, long table, and let backless bookshelves double as room dividers.

Downsize

This might sound obvious, but it’s also the most important advice for people with small homes: declutter! Items that take up shelf space are particularly claustrophobia-inducing; instead, hang artwork and photography. Wall art is flat, and you can find compelling and creative pieces in any style.

Smart modern home design requires you to think creatively and find new uses for your floor space, furniture, and walls. If you have a small space to furnish or decorate, it’s a great opportunity to flex your design muscles and come up with unconventional ways to maximize every square inch.