Recreate your living space for less than you think
Do you have a small room that you would like to feel larger? Are you looking for ideas to take your cramped living environment and turn it into a luxurious retreat where you can escape from the stresses of the world?
Despite small rooms with a lack of storage people are still attracted to big city life. If your home feels untidy and cluttered then you can employ an arsenal of creative ideas to maximise its look and feel.
Painting the walls is one of the most powerful and immediately achievable ways to have an impact on your living space. Different colours will each bring a fresh feel to the room. Dark and rich colours such as reds, browns and other earth tones can create relaxing and sumptuous surroundings. For a delicate serene vibe light, airy shades of green and blue are relaxing and calming. Upbeat colours like yellows and oranges are energising and make a room come alive. In the world of fashion, horizontal stripes are known to increase the illusion of width and the same goes for rooms. A series of vertical stripes is a terrific way to increase the impression of height to a smaller room.
Minimising visual space can be crucial to creating a spacious feel. Simplifying the number of objects in a room is the way to make this work. In a small space, an understated colour scheme can be crucial to create a sense of space. Adding too many busy pattern changes or colour combinations will only confuse.
Art can do wonders for a smaller room, bringing a touch of luxury of that is irresistible. Beautifully framed photographs of loved ones and friends can take on a similar role. As they say, you surround yourself with happy things and you will have a smile on your face. If you do not have the wall space, why not experiment with hanging art from the ceiling. It is a great way of providing a visual centrepiece of the room and giving the rooms character.
Life and lighting will have a dramatic impact on the mood of your room. The more natural lighting you have available the better. Using lamps and lighting within a room will add depth and character to the space. Up-lighting is highly effective in creating atmosphere; just remember that whatever you light will become one of the features of the room.
Large items of furniture, such as bold contemporary sofas must be selected with care to ensure they don’t dominate the room. Judicious use of wall shelving will give additional storage space without cramping the floor layout, allowing for presentation of your belongings in a neater fashion. Just make sure that you do not overcrowd your shelves or they will become self defeating. Shelving units with doors are best for hiding such disorder.
Similarly, windows are best left uncluttered, providing clear lines of sight to the outside world. The bigger the better – to capture as much light as possible. Light can do more than anything else to add a pleasant ambience to a living environment!