In light of the burgeoning prices in the housing market, most people have no choice but to buy or rent properties that have little space. Lack of space is indeed becoming an issue in some parts of the world since, without shelter, one can barely survive. Dividing areas into little sections has been the solution of most landlords, and the smaller the space, the lower the price you have to pay.
Although space is mainly a problem in urban and highly commercialized cities, considering how it is the center of commerce and people choose to be close to their jobs to avoid long commutes, it’s still a global issue warranting a solution.
Through clever designs, you can trick your eye and virtually expand your interiors. So even if you have a handkerchief of a living room, bedroom, and kitchen in one, you can still have the space for everything and even give your abode a stylish update. To start maximizing the space in your home, here’s how.
Use Your Floor Space
With traditional Japanese interior design, a few things catch your eye: the low-lying furniture and minimalism. You can evoke a calming atmosphere by using low-lying furniture and dealing with less clutter, meaning you get more space for movement.
To start, you can opt for a tatami chair instead of a couch and place your mattress directly on the floor instead of getting a bed frame. For storage, you can install open shelves and save yourself from the guesswork of hunting for items.
Get Versatile Furniture
As much as possible, you want to avoid shifting furniture too much around your house to create a bigger area. However, that’s a bit unavoidable for places where space is at a premium. There are convenient solutions to prevent constantly moving furniture from turning into a full-blown problem.
For instance, you can retrofit some of your pieces with castors and make them easily maneuverable. Using multi-purpose ones like a kitchen island doubling as a dining table and a cabinet is another great way to save space.
Have It Customized
There are now smartly and practically designed furniture out in the market. However, your house might come with more unique demands, making customized pieces your only hope at maximizing space.
Since you’re the one who’s going to be living in your property 365 days a year, there’s no one else who knows your needs for storage and areas for movement and relaxation better than you. It’s best to sketch your designs and have them made by an adept carpenter. This way, you can use every available space in your apartment without it looking crowded.
Install Mirrors
Installing mirrors is probably the oldest and most well-known trick in the bag. Mirrors reflect light and its surroundings, giving the impression of a more spacious area.
If you want to update the look of the condo for sale you’ve come across on listing sites, this is the trick you must try. Whether you use frameless ones, a full-length, or one with a sunburst design, creating the illusion of added space is not the only thing a mirror provides; it also makes a room look luxurious.
Light Shades for Your Walls and Drapes
A brighter space has plenty of benefits. Besides the fact that bright hues can help you save on electricity costs since you no longer have to turn on your lights during the day, it also makes your indoor spaces look bigger.
To let more light in, you can also change your drapes to light-toned ones, or if it’s within your budget, you can place additional windows, which can also enhance the ventilation around your home and provide you with better indoor air quality.
Carpets for Definition
As much as possible, you want to avoid having solid walls and dividers to separate your kitchen, living, and bedroom spaces because they can make an already tight area seem even smaller. If you want to define space sans the crowding, you can use rugs or carpets.
Besides serving as a buffer between your floors and furniture and adding a cozy vibe to your home, these soft-touch pieces also define space, helping create the illusion of separate areas.
Keep It Clean
Minimalism is a lifestyle you can choose, given that it’s possibly the most effective solution to having more living space in a tiny area. Excessive stuff creates a mess, and you might think you’d need those someday. But if something spends days on your sofa or coffee table collecting dust, then you most likely don’t need it in your life.
Before actioning on other interior design hacks, you first must get into full cleaning mode and throw out the things you no longer need. For the things you need, you should get into the practice of putting them back in their respective storage spaces right after using them to avoid unnecessary clutter.
Even though design hacks aren’t a solid solution to skyrocketing housing prices and residences getting smaller by the year, they can be an outlet that you can use to express your creativity.
