Space in most homes in London and throughout the UK is limited, and more and more homeowners are focusing on maximising the existing space within their home.
In addition, many families are choosing to downsize their home, perhaps as a result of their children leaving home to go to university, or to reduce the size of their energy bills and other outgoings.
As a result, there is an increased focus on efficiently using the existing space within a home, and making each room look and feel as spacious as possible. Just because a home is small, it does not have to look or feel cramped or claustrophobic. There are many ways to achieve this. Most are very simple and straightforward, and do not require much expenditure. Others require a little more though and planning. Let’s take a look at some of these ideas in more detail.
Interior design and decorating tips and tricks
From an interior design and decorating perspective, there a variety of `tricks` that can be used in order to make a room seem more spacious.
One of the main ways to achieve a feeling of space is to use lighter shade paint colours. Lighter shades will reflect natural light, and make the area seem larger and more spacious.
Another interior decorating tip is to use the same shade for all four walls, in order to increase the feeling of a well proportioned space. Whilst a (feature) wall, consisting of a different colour or material will work well with larger spaces, they are not recommended for smaller areas.
If possible, try to consider removing the internal door. This will help the flow of light from one room to another, and create a feeling of space. Of course, this is not a practical solution for a bedroom or space, where privacy is needed, although even in these situations, you could consider installing a sliding door, so that when the room is not occupied, the sliding door could remain open.
The use of mirrors is a very simple, cheap but effective way to make a small room feel more spacious. Mirrors reflect sunlight, and even a room with a small window can seem light and airy by installing a couple of mirrors in strategic places. Ideally, a mirror should be positioned so that they reflect a window, so that you have a view of the outside from different aspects of the room.
A key factor in making a room look and feel more spacious is to carefully select the most suitable furnishings for the area, as this can make all the difference. Try to choose smaller pieces, as big and bulky furniture will make a room seem small and cramped.
If you are furnishing a bedroom, for example, don`t buy an oversized bed which will take up a lot of the floor space: a simple double bed will offer more proportion for the room and provide a better feeling of space.
Another tip is to choose furniture which shows the legs, as this can offer the illusion of more light and space in a room. Again, choose chairs which have an open frame, which will create the illusion of light and space.
Finally, a key tip is to keep your window furnishing to a minimum. Drapes, valances and heavy curtains may offer an enhanced design, but they will restrict the amount of natural light that can enter the room, and the bulky nature of heavy curtains will make the room look small and cramped. The best window solutions for a small room are simple lace curtains, or slatted blinds, which offer both privacy, whilst still allowing natural light to enter the room.
Exploring more adventurous solutions
If you are feeling a little more adventurous in your quest to create a feeling of spaciousness, then you may want to consider knocking down an internal wall and opening up the smaller space so it becomes part of a larger room within your house. This is usually the best way to create a light, airy and spacious feel in your home. This option is very common among homeowners of terraced and semi-detached Victorian properties in London and elsewhere.
Of course, this is a more expensive solution, and will require detailed planning and using a reputable building company to manage the whole process.If this is an option you want to explore, then be sure to hire an experienced high-end renovation specialist such as Fittra to carry out your project. If you have the available budget, then it is often the best way to create a more spacious look and feel to your living space, in addition to adding to the value of your home.
However, even if you do not have the time or budget to remodel your home, then there are certainly enough ways to give any small room in your home a makeover in order to make it look and feel more spacious, without breaking the bank.
