by Sharon Jones
It is the norm to up size to bigger and bigger houses throughout your life as your family, and your salary grow. But what if those two factors don’t grow at the same rate? Sometimes you have to think outside the box and make the home you’re in work for you and your family, and luckily there are a number of solutions that can help you to create more space.
Decoration
First of all, using a light color scheme helps a room to feel more spacious and airier. However, having one feature wall that is a slightly different color or shade than the rest makes a room appear taller, therefore accentuating its overall size.
Another great way to create the appearance of more space is to use plenty of mirrors as decoration, as they transform a plain, obstructive wall into a reflection of your living space, which in turn tricks you into thinking the space extends in that direction. And install plenty of lighting which has the same effect. When it comes to furniture, it’s obviously best to make sure you choose suitably sized pieces for the size of your rooms; don’t be tempted to cram a huge corner sofa into a small space just because you like the sofa.
Try to keep the amount of furniture you have to a minimum and keep positioning it differently until you find the best places for it, which make the most of the space you have. For example, place larger pieces against long walls rather than in the middle of rooms. One last tip when it comes to decorating is to accept that if you have a small home, it is crucial to keep it clean and tidy, in order to maximize your living space.
Space Saving Devices
One of the most important things you need to do to create more space in your home is to look for any dead space that can be used as storage. For example, empty space beneath beds or under staircases can be used to store all kinds of things that you haven’t yet been able to find space for. You might need to have a clear out to get rid of anything you don’t use, in order to create more space for what you do use.
Think outside the box when it comes to finding storage spaces, for example you can turn walls into storage facilities if you attach shelving units, or you could hang baskets from the ceiling. Don’t be afraid to mix genres too, for example it’s OK to store bedding in an unused kitchen cupboard if you need to. You can switch rooms around too, for example, if you find that the room originally designed to be a bedroom has the most space, it could be better used as a lounge.
Building Work
As you’re saving money by not up sizing, you can save more easily for some minor building work to help you make the most of the home you’re in. You could convert your loft into an additional living area using this loft conversion company, or extend onto the side, front, or back of your home to create more rooms.
Some walls in properties are merely built to separate spaces rather than to serve any kind of structural purpose, so you can knock these down to create open plan living spaces which make it feel more spacious. Lastly, you could face your fear of parking your car on your drive and convert your garage to make more room for your growing family.
As you can see, there is plenty you can do to make the most of the home you have and utilize the spaces to their best advantage. You can decorate with pale colors, install plenty of lights, and have mirrors on your walls. Think carefully about how you position your furniture and make the most of any dead space you have. If you are thinking of changing up your house, maybe you’re thinking of getting some new furniture, or perhaps you are planning on doing some renovations, then it would be a good idea to check out this article here about what to think about when it comes to renovations.