Small space, big impact: How to optimize space
Small homes can have as much impact as an impressively large space. Builders know how to achieve it. Decorators know how to enhance it. Vendors have products to optimize it. Let's take a look at how they do it.
Posted — UpdatedIf you went to the recent Parade of Homes, you were dazzled by homes with fabulous kitchens, beautiful living areas, gorgeous bathrooms, screened-in rooms to die for, and light fixtures you couldn’t take your eyes off of. But these houses also had a big square footage and a price tag of as much as a million dollars.
Small homes can have that same impact. Builders know how to achieve it. Decorators know how to enhance it. Vendors have products to optimize it. Let’s take a look at how they do it.
Sightlines are important
Open concept is the builder’s greatest gift to small homes. Combining living, dining and kitchen areas creates a large open area conducive to family activities as well as a sight line that says “wow." By including lots of windows, 10’ ceilings, crown moldings, Edison bulb light fixtures, and fireplace treatments that go to the ceiling, they create the same impactful look in smaller homes that are found in the larger ones.
Builders are creative about using small areas in corners under stairs, in attics, under eaves or above closets. Small nooks can be built out as coffee bars, pet bedrooms, mini-offices, sewing centers, mud rooms, or appliance storage. Space-saving barn doors or pocket doors are installed where conventional doors would be more cumbersome. Access doors are built into unfinished areas in the attic which are then easily set up for storage.
Second only to floor plans are décor choices
The best way for homeowners to make their small space feel bigger is to clear as much floor space as possible. Take a second look at your furnishings. Get rid of pieces you don’t really need or that are too big for the space. Use creative storage methods to clear the floor. Choose furniture like coffee tables, side tables and ottomans with storage capacity. Hang window curtains at ceiling height, drawing the eye upward and letting in plenty of light. Display art and other wall treatments that are vertical rather than horizontal.
In the bedrooms consider beds that have storage in their bases or use storage containers that slide underneath. Wall-mounted bedside tables lend to the illusion of a larger room. Install bedside lighting on the wall or ceiling. Paint wood feature walls with satin paint rather than matte so it will reflect light instead of absorbing it.
Closet storage is the single most versatile space in your house
An organized pantry is a cook’s dream
Don’t overlook your garage
Garage storage cabinets, shelving and wall organization optimize garage space not just for tools and lawn equipment, but for sports gear, seasonal items, bulk food items, baby equipment or furniture like folding chairs. The extra reward for these efforts is often that you may no longer need to rent a storage unit, and you can get your car in the garage!
No limits to pizzazz in small spaces
One of the most surprising aspects of smaller homes is that the measurable dimensions are smaller but impact possibilities are not equally limited. Good choices by the builder and the homeowner optimize the uses of the space available. Well-designed floor plans create impactful sightlines in a smaller home. Sensible color palettes lend to the impression of larger space. Clever storage options help rid your home of clutter. Ingenuity optimizes the usability of small spaces. All these elements come from builders, remodeler, interior designers, and vendors but in the end it is the homeowner who brings it all together to create the home of his dreams.
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