Congratulations on purchasing or renting your own space. Now that you’ve moved in, you need to decorate. There are steps to take to feel at ease and others to avoid at all costs. Here are some of the dos and don’ts of decorating a small living space.
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Do Use Warm Colors
A small space feels tinier when you paint the walls in dark colors. Deep reds, blues, and blacks cause a psychological effect that makes the walls seem to close in on each other. The way to prevent this is to cover the walls in warm colors.
Light blues, greens, yellows, pinks, and purples do two things in your small living space. First, they make the area seem larger. Second, warm colors make you feel calm. In turn, you’re more relaxed, which leads to better sleep.
Don’t Clutter
Living space clutter doesn’t work in any sized space. Covering every square inch with paintings, posters, and nicknacks makes the room feel smaller. Overall, the less clutter the better. It allows you and others to admire the wall and floor decorations instead of trying to find a particular piece.
Do Consider The Proper Furniture
Does your living space double as the bedroom? If so, then you want to purchase the proper items. They should be small, comfortable, and easy to arrange. Don’t purchase large pieces that entirely take up the space.
Invest in sturdy, long-lasting pieces. For instance, don’t buy a sofabed with a thin, lumpy mattress. Consider a sofa mattress constructed with memory foam to maximize your comfort or those of your guests.
Two other furniture-related items. First, don’t buy bulky items. Most likely, these won’t fit anywhere in your small living space. Eventually, you’ll have to return the pieces for something less intrusive.
Second, use furniture that’s visually light. They don’t have to be the same color. Nevertheless, consider lighter hues to encourage comfort and calmness.
Don’t Buy A Small Area Rug
Area rugs add a new dimension of color and texture to a living space. Sometimes, its design helps find new ideas to decorate the area. So, make sure you purchase the right-sized rug.
All furniture legs should fit on the rug’s edges to avoid the illusion of shrinking space. So, measure your living areas before you go rug shopping. It doesn’t have to touch the room’s walls. On the contrary, it should be big enough to create the idea of a separate section of the space.
DO Get Creative With Storage
As was said before, clutter is bad for small living spaces. Nevertheless, you have items you don’t want to throw out or donate. To prevent this, think of creative ways to store your items.
A series of bookshelves is one idea. Instead of placing them next to each other, add a small unit to different corners. Also, consider areas under furniture. Think storage boxes, footrests with hidden space, and under-the-bed drawers.
Create designated spaces for keys and email. Conceal electronics in wall-hung cabinets. There are endless opportunities to store keepsakes and other items.
Don’t Take Up Floor Space
Floor space gets minimized even with properly sized furniture and zero clutter. There’s not enough area for coat racks or standing lamps. In these situations, you move your gaze upward to the vertical surfaces.
Instead of a coat rack, hang heavy-duty hooks on the walls. Install a multi-tiered shoe rack to store your footwear. Hang your lamps or purchase side-table versions with bulbs that provide soft illumination.
Do Move Furniture To The Room’s Center
Never push your furniture up against the wall in a small living space. Similar to other items on the list, this practice makes the room feel smaller. Plus, it doesn’t promote conversation.
Move the furniture to the room’s center to create an intimate nook. If your living space doubles as a bedroom, determine if there’s enough space to place your sofas and chairs in another corner. Doing so creates a feeling of separation between the two areas.
Closing Thoughts
There are plenty of ideas to decorate your small living space. Take your time to implement the above suggestions. Soon enough, you’ll have an inviting and relaxing space for yourself, your partner, and your guests.
Categories: Tips And Advice Stuff
