Cosy Vs Cramped: Making The Most Of Your Small Home

With house prices steadily rising, it is more than likely that your home might be slightly smaller than you ever imagined. In fact, small homes are becoming very popular, with houses being built in places you wouldn’t have thought possible. In fact, there has been great interest in one house in London that is only 5 foot wide. Small houses are a brilliant way to get yourself on the housing ladder, and there is no reason to say you cannot make it stylish and personal to you. But there is a fine line between a cosy home and a cramped one. Here are a few tips to ensure that it does not become too small to move, and remain looking classy.

Living in a smaller home means that you have to be slightly more creative, with the space that you do have, in order not to create a cramped space. This does not mean that you have to shun all styles and designs that you like. In fact, it is better to have a design theme in mind, so you are not trying to combine too many conflicting styles/colours/patterns, which will make your room look cramped as opposed to cosy. Before you start to decorate, look through style magazines, or online to find some designs that you like and can take inspiration from. Remember that lighter colours will brighten up a room and make it feel more spacious, and darker colours will do the opposite. However, if there is a particular style that you like that is a little darker, this is when your creative side has to come in, and adapt this style to suit your small home the best it can.

If you are lucky enough to be in a position where you can make big changes in the property, it will be worth considering some layout changes. This is likely to be more costly, and time consuming but can make a massive difference, particularly if you are viewing this home as a long term living arrangement. Creating a more open plan living area will naturally create more space in your home, so consider knocking down some walls, allowing more light in, as well as giving you more space to work with.

If you are considering any structural change, make sure you have consulted an expert, and only remove non-structural walls. An open plan home will improve the flow, lighting and visual sight lines, which will all help to make your home look and feel more spacious. Just remember, if you do any huge structural work, or extensions, make sure you have got the appropriate planning permission if needed. Because the space will be tight, regardless of whether you have made your home more open plan, try and build in your furniture – for example, wardrobes and storage cupboards, utilising all different cubby holes etc. This way, you can ensure your furniture fits perfectly. It is very unlikely that you will be able to find a piece of ready-made furniture that will fit exactly how you want it to, and this means that you will not be utilising the space to the best of its ability, which in a small home is something you should avoid. Although this may be more time consuming and expensive at the time, it will be worth it when you see your finished home.

Higher ceilings will automatically increase the sense of space, and by including tall items of furniture you are not only drawing attention to this space, but also utilising it, so it does not take up valuable floor space. Certain accessories will also make a room feel a lot bigger and lighter as well. Mirrors, for example, will give the illusion of a double room as the reflection will feel like an extension of the room. A perfectly hung large mirror will not only make a difference to the feel of the room, but will also add a touch of luxury. Apply this to all of your rooms, and do not forget your hallway. All too often this is forgotten, or will wait until last, but actually, this will be the first part of your house that visitors see, so it is important that it is show stopping.

Although the furniture and structural layout are incredibly important, do not neglect your walls, as they can have a big impact. Painted walls will add a sense of luxury, once again proving that small homes can be classy and luxurious. If you prefer lighter colours, cool shades will automatically open up a room and make it feel incredibly light and airy. However; do not feel that you are only limited to lighter colours in order to suit your home. Earthy reds, oranges and greens all create a sense of warmth and richness; something that you do not always get from paler shades. Colours to avoid are really dark brown, burgundy, and navy. This can make the room feel a little claustrophobic and closed in. consider glass accessories, such as a chandelier to reflect the light off of the walls, opening it up.

There are so many ways to decorate a small home. The size does not dictate the potential it has, and you can easily make a small home stylish and cosy, without it becoming cramped. Whilst there are some trends and styles that are better suited to larger rooms, equally there are those (particularly the ones mentioned above) that suit smaller rooms. It is just about planning, and adapting styles to make the most of your space. But, with house prices rising, and first time buyer opting for smaller properties, there are a lot more items and styles that are catered towards creating a large living area in a small space.