15 Interior Design Ideas for Small Homes

If you have a small home, it can be difficult to know how to utilise the space in an effective way. The key with a small home is to give the impression that it is larger than it is, and with a few simple interior design tips, this can easily be achieved. Take a look at our fifteen space saving tips to see how you could give yourself more space in your home.

1. Consistent Floor Designs

Choose one style of flooring and stick to it. Changing the appearance of the floor in each room will look too busy and cluttered, and make the individual rooms appear even smaller. By keeping it the same, all of the rooms blend smoothly, giving the appearance that your home is larger than it is. Tiles are an ideal option in smaller homes as they will reflect the light thus giving the room a larger feel.

If you have high ceilings in your home, this is an ideal way to create more space. You can store bulky items that you don’t use all that often out of direct sight, reducing clutter. In small homes it is important to think ‘up’ and see where you can utilise space up high. You can even have a shelf running around the perimeter of the whole room, as long as this does not block the light entering the room.

Think outside of the box with storage items. A chest, with inside storage can double up as a brilliant coffee table and can look very effective. You do not have to spend a lot of money on this, and you can paint it to fit in with the theme of your room. It is a practical storage solution.

If you are lucky enough to have a garden in your home, make sure that this is inviting. Spend time installing a patio; using tiles that continue the theme of your home to the outside. Patio furniture is a very good way of introducing more space into your home, particularly in the warmer, drier months as it can become a place that people want to spend their time. You can create a stunning patio with tiles from our Outdoor Porcelain range. 

Do not forget about the space in your hallway. If you are a book lover, your hallway is the perfect place to store these by lining it with bookcases. It will look inviting and homely instead of cluttered, but it means that you have more space in the other rooms, once again, giving the impression that the rooms are bigger than they are.

This does not mean that it has to be boring. Pick sofas and chairs with a plain or textured upholstery, as opposed to a vibrant print. This doesn’t mean that you cannot bring vibrant patterns into your home, but do so through accessories, such as a scatter cushion, as opposed to a whole arm chair in the chosen print.

Make the most of your windows. If you have big, deep bay windows, why not transform them into a masterpiece. You can install a plush seating area that looks inviting, as well as creating storage space that is out of sight. Again; another practical, yet stylish (and not to mention comfortable) space saving solution.

If you remove any obstructions and leave a clear view throughout your home, it will give the illusion of a larger area. When you clutter up an area, it breaks up your view and leaves you focusing on the items on the floor, whereas, if you remove these obstructions, you can see straight through, distracting people away from the small size.

By letting as much light as you can into your home, you will brighten it up, making it appear larger than it is. Avoid putting large objects near windows, as this will obstruct the amount of light that can enter. Arrange your furnishings mindful of this and consider where you are placing items, so that that they will encourage as much light to flood in.

To give the illusion of a larger, less cluttered home, it is advisable to choose fewer, larger items of furniture over smaller pieces. If you choose smaller pieces, you be more tempted to cramp them together, making the floor and rooms appear too crowded. By fitting fewer larger pieces, you can make more of a statement and this will make the room appear larger.

Do not clutter your kitchen sides. Utilise all drawer space, and install storage solutions, such as magnets and hooks to hang utensils. If you have a small kitchen, anything that is kept on the side, will be very obvious and your eyes will naturally focus on that. The freer the sides are, the roomier it will look.

If you are used to living in a small home, you will understand the importance of having to make use of every available space. If you have a free area underneath your stairs, why not transform it into a work station, adding a desk and chair, or install drawers or shelves. You can keep belongings out of sight, creating that clear space that will make your house appear larger.

Reduce the number of darker colours that you have in your room, as this will make it look smaller. Instead, opt for whites and cream pieces that will reflect any light, making your room feel larger than it is. It will allow the light to flood around the room, which will make it seem airy and spacious.

This seems like such an obvious one, but can make a great deal of difference. Removing the clutter from your room will free up a surprising amount of space, giving you more room to move around. Utilise handy storage boxes, to keep everything organised but out of the way. It will make a massive difference, and make your home feel a lot larger.

Patterns are an incredibly popular interior design choice, and they will continue to be throughout 2015; however if you have small rooms, it is advisable to stick to one print, rather than trying to introduce too many. This is still on-trend, and will not distract too much; however, with too many patterns, you run the risk of your room appearing too busy, which can cause it to look eve smaller than it is.