Doing The Best With What You Have Where You Are
Whether you’re contending with small or large spaces, you don’t have to hire an interior designer to make your home look as though you did. However, you do have to exercise due diligence in the undertaking, be strategic, and have a willingness to rearrange things as necessary. There’s this little secret, too: what interior designers recommend may not resonate with you.
Trends come and go, but that which has utility to support its appearance tends to stick around. Consider wooden cabinetry, as an example. There is always a place for carefully designed oak, mahogany, or cedar furniture. This is especially true if such lumber has been used in the construction of your property, but isn’t an absolute prerequisite.
The formula for top-tier home décor is composed of equal parts passion and experimentation. Now granted, your own idiosyncratic tastes may not lend themselves to the mainstream—this could be a consideration when you’re looking to sell. You may want to do a little research into common techniques to make things more relatable.
With that in mind, following are some ideas you can put into effect that will make your home look as though someone with professional credentials swept through and detailed the place. Mix and match as you like, and don’t let these ideas constrain you. Think of them as leaping-off points, giving on a sea of possibility.
Small Space Maximization
First, start with the space you’ve got before you. There will likely be little and large spaces in even the most extensive properties. Regardless of the size you’re dealing with, there are things to be done to make it feel more roomy.
Just as a point of reference, consider a department store. Clothing racks, aisles, and walkways make the area seem cavernous and without end. Take all that away and you’re in a big empty warehouse that seems oddly constrained.
Even though there’s more square footage than the most expensive local real estate, the space seems cloying. It is the things in a room which expand your perception of size. Accordingly, you want to carefully place furniture in ways which maximize space the best. Consider motor homes, trailers, and campers for a little inspiration on utility. They’ll make a hundred square feet feel like an apartment. There’s a few ways this is done.
One way to make small rooms big, and a way which you’ll commonly see in RVs, involves mirrors. Mirrors expand light, and give the mind an impression of more space elsewhere, if subconsciously. Don’t go overboard, that can be tacky. However, a row of mirrors on an otherwise empty wall can also be chic; especially if, at the edges, they’re adorned with fabric matching the room’s existing décor; or some similar augmentation. Pictures on the wall have a similar effect; but again, try not to go overboard.
Vertical Space And Foliage
Next, utilize vertical space. Instead of a short, squat cabinet, get one that’s long and skinny, reaching from floor-to-ceiling. You’ll likely get more storage space while preserving floor space simultaneously.
Also, plants—they have a way of making even a small room seem somehow natural. There’s a subconscious communication of the outdoors—provided the foliage is healthily maintained, and not too overbearing. Vines can be grown and pruned indoors, and used to wrap a room. That’s a pretty cost-effective and trendy tactic, and it helps maximize a room’s appeal.
Warmth And Comfort
Now, there’s something to be said for spartan rooms which aren’t overcome with decorative arrangement. Perhaps experiment with such a basic means of keeping your home. Still, Spartan furnishings feel cold and empty. While they may be recommendable to make a small room seem big, they may also leave that room feeling remote and uncomfortable.
Blankets and pillows can do a lot to make a room feel more welcome. Candles are a fine touch, and gentle colors can make you feel at peace. White walls feel hygienic and professional. Those a gentle orange, a light green, or an earthy brown feel more welcoming. It’s nice to have spots of color through a room, and if you don’t have carpet flooring, get a few comfy rugs with tasteful designs.
Kitchens And Remodeling
Landscaping the exterior of your home is a good idea for staging and list-value in the property market. Also, it’ll be a satisfactory undertaking for you. Interior remodel may also be necessary not only as a means of keeping property value where it should be, but for purposes of maximizing available space.
A dividing wall that’s not a structural support could be knocked down and replaced with wicker dividers, preserving separate rooms, but making both feel bigger when inside, and easing passage through the home. However, don’t go around knocking out walls willy-nilly; if you change your mind after the fact, it’s expensive.
Speaking of expensive, remodeling the kitchen can be very costly—but you don’t necessarily have to go whole-hog, as it were. Paint the walls, install new countertops, consider the floor needs, and maybe install new cabinetry. Look at this collection of affordable kitchen cabinets to help get an idea what expenses will be, and what you can potentially do with the space.
A Home That’s A Castle
Your home is your castle—your strong fortress; your palace. Have an attitude which approaches the space this way, even if it isn’t as big as you’d like. Strategically consider the space you’re in, and what may be needed. Remodel if you’ve got to, don’t forget the yard, build up and use mirrors in small areas, and keep comfort in mind. These things will make your home feel like a professional hand has had a go at the interior.
