Sumana booked her small flat in an upscale location in Kolkata 2 years ago. It was a few years after her marriage, when her husband Sujoy and she saved some money for the down payment and Himalayan courage to take the plunge, so to speak.
After spending years in rented homes, both of them became emotional at the prospect of living in their own home shortly. They spent hours discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing on how they will decorate their small flat.
The flat must show the level of taste of the owners. After all, both of them are college professors.
Their friends expect some artistic inclination from both of them.
Sumana and Sujoy received the information that they would receive possession shortly.
Overjoyed, they finally decided on how they would decorate their small apartment.
If you plan well, decorating a small space doesn’t have to be a big challenge. Let’s see how Sumana and Sujoy trumped it.
Let there be Ample Light
One of the factors you must remember while decorating a small home is the use of light. Bright lights make small spaces look bigger. It is not only the electrical lighting but also the presence of natural light which is important to achieve this goal.
Use additional lighting throughout your space to bring in some additional warmth. If you don’t have the room for floor and table lamps, choose lighting options that don’t take up any prime real estate, like string lights, wall sconces, or pendant lighting.
Insist on Light Colours
When you use light colours in a small space, the space looks expansive and airy. It is advisable to use light colours on the walls and the furniture.
Dark colours on the furniture make your small flat look intense. Use a variation of colour tones while decorating the space rather than using dark and light contrast colours.
Light colours will reflect most of the light and will make the home cheerful.
Make Use of Mirrors
Mirrors add both additional light and the feeling of additional space into rooms by reflecting back natural and non-natural lighting and giving an illusion of more square footage. They’re also practical on their own. Use one large mirror or arrange a few smaller ones throughout a room.
Look for Multi-purpose and/or Folding Furniture
Furniture that can do double duty will save you both space and money. And thanks to the tiny house/tiny apartment trend, there is no shortage of ingenious furniture items that either serve multi-purpose uses or fold up to make space in your home when they’re not in use. Desks, dining tables, and even king-sized beds come in styles that can easily be put away to make more room to move around. Likewise, you can find furniture that serves a variety of purposes, such as beds that can convert into couches and side tables that can convert into desks.
Additionally, furniture with hidden storage space is quite useful in small homes. Sofas, beds with storage boxes can store your winter blankets or extra pillows without creating clutter. Try to find ways to store your items without just shoving everything into a closet.
Brighten up with Plants and Flowers
Adding greenery and flowers to your small home can breathe additional life and style into it as long as you’re careful not to overcrowd. There is a huge selection of indoor plants these days.
However, you must remember that they must be maintained well, otherwise, the effect will be the opposite. If regular maintenance is problematic, you can use artificial plants and flowers too.
Use the Vertical Space
Don’t neglect your walls. Making the most use of vertical space means both playing around with taller items and affixing your walls with things like shelving and art. If you have a piece you really love but can’t find a place for— a beloved vase, for instance— hang up a secure shelf and put it on there instead. And when you’re hanging drapes, install the rod only about 2 inches below the ceiling or crown molding, which adds an illusion of extra height.
Be Minimalistic while Decorating a Small Home
Your approach should be minimalistic while decorating a small home. Decorating a small space necessitates a bit of inventory taking, otherwise, you run the risk of overcrowding your space.
Decorating a small home will force you to think about what items are really important in your life. You will find that some items such as old artefacts no longer serve any purpose except adding clutter in your home.
Use Your Intuition
Work with your intuition when decorating a small space, and don’t try to work in anything that doesn’t feel or look right. Ultimately, the goal is to maximise its possibilities and really show it off at its best. And while no design rule is set in stone, the tips above should help you do just that.
