This is a collaborative post written by me, in partnership with a brand/company.
There’s always that one small room in the house that we struggle to make full use of. If it’s not the bedroom for the unlucky sibling, it’s used as some sort of dumping ground for bits and pieces which you just haven’t managed to find a home for yet. This is usually because no-one wants to spend too much time in the small room; our spacious, beautifully decorated rooms are much more attractive. However, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be as useful as other rooms. Here’s how to find out how to make the most of the little room…
Colours
The first rule to follow is keep things as simple and minimalistic as possible. Dark colours not only look dingey, but make the room look considerably narrower. Using light colours will give the room more depth and make it brighter and airy. White is always a faultless option, creating an illusion of a bigger space. Pastels can work well too if you want a bit of colour, as long as you keep to a light tone.
Utilise storage space
This may sound obvious, but a lot of people haven’t quite grasped this. Storage boxes under the bed, install small shelves, fill cupboards and drawers. It’s true that you simply won’t get as much stuff in a small room as you will in a bigger one, so maybe consider moving the clutter out of the small room into another one if you can’t fit in in the tucked away storage. Place the TV on the wall to save floor space- the thinner the TV the better!
Avoid knick-knacks
It’s no secret that little ornaments make a room appear cluttered, not to mention they can look outdated and collect dust. Let the room breathe, don’t put things on the chest of drawers or bedside tables. If you do like decoration, however, opt for fewer larger items. This rule also works with artwork too, one picture instead of a gallery wall. However, we’d recommend keeping things off the wall as much as you can to get the clean-cut look. We know it is easier said than done, but don’t fill up every corner of your room, keep some clear space if you can.
Lighting
The same rule for walls works for lightening, keep it as light as possible. Introduce as much natural light- instead of hanging heavy, dark curtains, consider venetian blinds instead. If the room in question doesn’t have much natural light coming through, spread the light around the room with a lamp or two so that all corners are lit up, or have well positioned spotlights as the main source of light in the room. This will really help the room appear more expansive but avoid low hanging light fittings as these will intrude on the space!
Flooring
Flooring is one of the main features of your room; it’s an aspect you don’t change frequently and usually the first thing you notice. So, if you’re thinking about totally revamping your room, then pay close attention to flooring. Not only does wood flooring exhibit natural magnificence, but also makes a room appear more spacious, more so than carpets. You can also mimic wood with laminate and vinyl that give the same effect at a cheaper price.
Furniture
Exposed leg furniture can give the illusion of more space too as more floor is exposed, avoid beds with skirts and boxy furniture. Multipurpose furniture is great too, pull out beds and chest of drawers used as a bed-side table too. There’s a misconception that small furniture in a small space is preferable, however fewer larger pieces of furniture in a small room will often make it look bigger.
So if you’ve got a small room that you want to make the most of why not experiment with moving furniture around, have a declutter, repaint the walls an airy colour, it might not be known as the cursed small room after all!