3 Tips for Interior Designers Working with Small Spaces
Interior design is all about creativity – taking a blank canvas and transforming it into livable art. Even the most seasoned home designers can encounter stylistic roadblocks when trying to decorate small spaces, however. Here are three useful tips designers can use when breathing life into a tiny room.
- Use mirrors
If you’ve ever been in a fun house, you know that mirrors can create optical illusions that alter your depth perception. While you don’t want to make your clients feel like they’re living at a carnival, you can certainly employ this trick of the eye in your designs to make small rooms appear larger than they are. Interior decorator Susanne Kasler told Elle Decor that she likes to create a wall of mirrors in her small spaces. According to her, this instantly makes the room appear larger.
This concept is also a great opportunity to think outside the box. For example, try adorning the wall with mirrors of multiple sizes or in various color frames to add some texture to the area.
- Put furniture to good use
When working with small rooms, make sure each piece you bring into the space serves a purpose. Cumbersome furniture that isn’t multi-use will simply make the area seem cluttered, as you’ll have to bring in more items. Designer Alessandra Branca explained to the source that items like drop-front secretaries are ideal, as they can be used as both storage and workspaces and are extremely compact. Couches and beds should contain sliding storage units, and tables should be appropriate for both dining and working, suggested the designer. - Stick to sconces
Any designer will tell you that lighting is one of the most crucial, and often overlooked, elements of interior decor. Despite its importance, this feature is usually the first thing to be pushed to the side when it comes to planning small spaces.
Because floor and table surfaces need to be used for storage, lamps get moved to the back burner. Overhead lighting can be harsh and unflattering, however, which is why designer Gail Green suggested installing wall sconces to illuminate tiny spaces. Not only do these lighting fixtures free up surface space, she told the Huffington Post, but sconces also give off soothing ambient light, which is cozy and warm.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gail-green/ten-essential-interior-design-tips-for-small-spaces_b_7132142.html
http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/interior-designers/tips/a2438/designer-tips-for-small-spaces-a-62889/
