Having recently downsized to house half the size of my previous one, I know a bit about decorating a small home! As An interior decorator, having my home present itself as a showcase for my personal style is important to me. Here are some of the best ways to add small space style to any home decorating project!
- Don't look at having a small home as a handicap. Not having a large space to plan a decorating scheme for can be a blessing, Not only is it a much easier task to design a small home, it is much cheaper as well.
- Adding color is one of the fastest ways to add small space style, but many small homes are rentals and have rules against painting. If that is the case, consider hanging fabric panels over the walls. You just need inexpensive curtain rods hung at ceiling level, and hang the fabric panels to drape to the floor. Not only will it add color, but it will soften the room and add a feeling of luxury as well!
- If you do paint the walls, choose cool colors such as greens, blues, and lilacs or try my favorite small room color trick...sunny yellow! Even though it is a warm color, adding the color of sunshine to a room makes it "feel" like you are out of doors under wide open spaces. Plus, who doesn't feel good in a yellow room!
- Paint the ceiling, walls, and interior doors and trim the same pale color. It will allow the eye to rest, making the room appear larger.
- It is a common decorator's trick to make a small space seem larger by leaving the windows uncovered. However, that can leave a stark feeling at night, and can be an issue for privacy. Use blinds so that during the day they can be pulled back to let in the most light possible. But don't just leave those white blinds as your only window treatment! Hang inexpensive valances, swags, decorative side treatments or sheers to add style, color and softness. It also adds a professional touch to any room design. Hint: Hang the window treatments so they just cover the windows trim work...NOT any of the windows. Again, letting in the most light possible is the goal here.
- Storage can be beautiful! In a small home, having adequate storage becomes a decorating issue when clutter overcomes the design.
- Cover cardboard boxes with pretty fabric and a glue gun and use in your home office or family room to store office supplies, games, homework supplies, etc... Plain tin cans covered with paper and decorated with seashells, beads, or even pretty pebbles can hold utensils in the kitchen or combs and barrettes in the bath. Everyday items can be reused in the stylish ways!
- Go bigger. Use fewer, but larger pieces of wall art, furniture and rugs. This will give the room an uncluttered look. Just changing out your wall art alone can make a huge difference. If you don't have the funds, consider picking up a large frame at a thrift shop, give it a coat of gold paint, and frame a pretty piece of fabric. Other budget ideas to fill our a large frame? Make a collage of pretty scrap booking papers or handmade paper from a craft shop and frame together.
Having a small home doesn't mean you have to sacrifice small space style. Using a few decorator tricks you can have high style in small places!
Kathy Wilson is a home and garden writer, author and consultant and is the home decorating expert for LifetimeTV.com. Visit her for more home and garden ideas at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com Also visit her at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com where any woman can learn to make money on the internet!
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