Do you have a small living space and want to make the most of it? Is your living area feeling cramped and cluttered? Well there are tons of ways to make your small space look and feel bigger. We’ve come up with a few of our favourite tips to help you maximise the room you have, and live large in your small space.
How to maximise your living space
Create an inviting living area by using small scale furniture or furniture that creates the illusion of more space. A corner lounge suite or three-seater with a chaise is a great option that can be placed against two walls, freeing up space within a small room. Add a small occasional chair or ottoman which can be pulled up when you have company. Upholstered dining chairs can also double as extra seating in the lounge for visitors.
The legs on a sofa can also make a difference when it comes to making a room feel bigger. A low line sofa will create the illusion of a higher ceiling, while a leggy suite allows you to see the floor underneath, making the available floor space (and the room) feel larger. The Harper sofa with chaise is a great example of this and would be a perfect addition to a small space.
Harper 3-Seater Fabric Sofa with Chaise
When it comes to your dining space, opt for extendable tables like the Jaxton. The Jaxton features a drop leaf design that allows you to reduce or increase the surface size of your dining table. Meaning it can be tucked away in the corner when it’s not needed, then brought out and extended when you need the dining space for extra guests.
Choose a big floor rug
A cosy rug will make your small space extra stylish. The larger the rug, the bigger your space will feel, so opting for a rug that is large enough to place all of your furniture completely on it will make your room feel more spacious. It is also a great way to create ‘zones’ for different functions within an open living area. One zone for living, one for dining.
If you have dark flooring, a lighter coloured rug will instantly make the space feel bigger, a plush deep pile will soften hard finishes, or choose a low pile or flat-weave rug to create a clean, uncluttered look.
Make your space multi-functional
Furniture that serves more than one purpose will allow you to make the most of your small space. A home office or media room can also double as a guest bedroom with the simple addition of a sofa bed. Or if you can fit two sofas in your living space, why not make one a sofa bed for when you have extra guests over? You can opt for a sofa bed that seamlessly fits into your space, so seamless that during the day no one would recognise it was a sofa bed, they would assume it was a regular sofa!
Hogan 2-Piece Lounge Suite and Hogan 3-Seater Fabric Sofa Bed
An ottoman with storage space can be used instead of a coffee table, and double as a great spot to store extra bed linen.
Wish you had the space for a separate home office, but you’re lacking the square metres? Try our Swivel Desk which can be easily used in a multi-purpose living space. When in use, it can open out to a generous L-shaped desk space, and when not in use it can easily tuck away, and double as a bookshelf or entry console.
Stay organised
Got too much junk lying around your house? Your clutter could be making your home feel even smaller than it is. Don’t over-do it with knick knacks – keeping surfaces free of stuff will help your home feel clean and clutter-free. Sell or donate what you no longer need, and then figure out some great storage solutions for the rest. Baskets, stylish buffet cabinets like the Alumina and bookshelves with built-in drawers like the Bari are all great ways to hide away what is left of the stuff.
Alumina Buffet and Bari Bookshelf
Small homes and apartments don’t have to be cluttered, boring or feel closed in. Try implementing some of these tips to make small spaces in your home, work for you. For more tips and styling ideas head online to harveynorman.co.nz and explore our full range of furniture and home décor today.
