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5 Simple Ways to Make the Most of a Small Space

Small space, big ideas. Maybe you decided to pack up and jump on the tiny house trend. Or maybe you’re a city dweller in an apartment where your kitchen is also your bedroom and your living room. Either way, from living the dorm life to the studio life, we all live in a small space at some point in our lives. But just because your square footage is minimal doesn’t mean your decor has to be! You can make a small area look seriously awesome and maximize your decor game, no matter what kind of place you dwell in. Time for a refresh; here are five simple ways you can make the most of a small space

Make the most of a small space after room
Duvet cover: “Lazy Day” by Zulfikri Mokoagow | Fleece blanket: “A Cloudy Night” by Lili Batista | Art prints: “Pigeonzilla OMG!” by Julien Croyal, “The Monster Mash” by Nathan Joyce, “Let’s Go on an Adventure!” by Philip Tseng, “Run With the Pack” by Chris Wharton, “Coffee Talk” by David Olenick, “Deer Birds” by Manoou, “Portland” by Thomas Guy, and “Rose Garden” by Brent Schoepf

Before

First, let’s look at what we’re working with. This space is not only on the smaller side physically – it looks small from a visual standpoint. What’s more, it doesn’t look particularly inviting.

Make the most of a small space after room
Tapestry: “I Feel Like Dancing :)” by ailadi | Sherpa blanket: “Banana Jungle” by arrynando | New art prints: “Nekozushi” by Pika & Marius, “Mario Mycology” by Dianne Delahunty and Nicole Frisk, “Life is Damn Good” by Fil Gouvea, “Have a Nice Day!” by Vó Maria, and “Popoki” by littleclyde | Pillows: “Polka Dots Fantasy” by Michael Cheung, “Tropical” by Daniel Teixeira, and “Dik Dik” by Meg Hunt | Weekender bag: “Tropical Tendencies” by Michelle

After

Ahhh, much better. After adding some fun wall art, a few well-chosen room decor items, and bed accessories, this bedroom is looking a little bit bigger, and definitely more interesting. It’s got all the style of a larger room.

1. Refresh plain walls

When there’s not a lot of floor space to get creative with, direct you sites upward! You can see in the “before” room that there’s a little bit of art intrigue going on but besides that, it looks pretty barren. Try creating a gallery wall with wall art that pops. Gallery walls draw the eye up and create visual intrigue and depth. Try to connect the imagery with colors that tie-in together or a similar theme. For example, in the updated “After” room, you can see that some of the wall art was replaced with wall art that ties into the room’s subtle nature theme. Mix it up with framed prints, tapestries, acrylic prints, etc.

Also, try getting clever with how you hang your wall art. Instead of just using nails, frames, or double-sided tape, try mixing it up with bulldog clips, varying frame sizes, even clothes hangers can make amazing wall hangings.

2. Consolidate your storage

The less clutter, the better. But at the same time, the less big furniture pieces, the better. In a small space, you don’t have a ton of room for adding storage pieces. So double up on function and make them a useable part of the space! Get some seating that acts as storage, lift your bed to fit storage bins underneath, get a good lookin’ wall hanging you can incorporate into your gallery wall that you can also use for hanging your totes, hats, etc.

3. Plants!

Plants are always a good choice. They can brighten up any room and make it more inviting. Try hanging some plants to clear up room on your table and desk surfaces and to tie into your gallery wall.

4. Separate your work and sleep space

Nothing makes a studio, dorm, etc. feel small like having your bed and hangout space all in the same visual square footage. Separate your work/hang and sleep spaces as much as you can. Use a bookshelf, for example, to act as a divider between your bed and living space, or a wardrobe.

5. Keep it light, keep it bright

This one comes straight from the overlords of interior design themselves, HGTV – make a small space seem larger by using lighter colors. Notice in the “After” room that the wall art, the furniture, the bedding, even the planters are all lighter shades. This opens up your space significantly. (And having some lamp light and natural light doesn’t hurt either – open those blinds!)

 

Shop wall art for your space!

CategoriesFun Stuff
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Carlyn Hill

Dad joke aficionado, cartoonist, & contributor for sites like HelloGiggles and The Mary Sue by night. When I'm not writing or drawing, you can find me in my cave of a room hanging out with my boyfriend, Netflix.