Transforming Small Spaces: 5 Design Solutions for Limited Living Areas
Home is where the heart is, as the old adage goes. It’s where you feel the most comfortable and relaxed and where you can truly rest and recharge your batteries. It’s also somewhere to raise kids or share special quality time with your chosen partner, break bread, and share drinks with friends and family. Your home should be comfortable, secure, and cozy. After all, where else do you come to every day after work?
But what if your living area is a touch on the small side? It can feel cramped and crowded if it’s not organised correctly. And you may think that there is not a whole lot you can do to redesign a limited living space. However, you’re mistaken if you think that way. You can use some incredible design hacks to transform a living area. Let’s explore these in some more detail.
Invest in a Standing Desk
If you have a home office incorporated into your living space, it can take up a bit of room. The chair, desk and other associated items, such as a small filing cabinet or shelf, can make your living space crowded. One solution to this is to invest in a standing desk. This means you can remove the office chair and stand while you work or study instead.
A standing desk has a few benefits besides making some much-needed room in your small living space. For one, you won’t compress your spine, neck and shoulders, which happens when you sit for an extended time. You’ll improve your circulation, posture and reduce the risk of sprain or injury from sitting too long.
Get Some Cube Storage Solutions
One storage hack for a small living space is to get a cube storage unit. You can get these from most furniture or hardware stores, and they are a great solution to store all your odds and ends and items like books or board games. You can display things on the open shelves or even buy some fabric tubs that fit well into the cubes, so you just pull out the items you need when you need them.
A shelf like this can easily fit against a wall or in a corner, allowing you more storage than you would otherwise have in your small living space.
Downsize and Declutter
Another top tip to make a small living space work well for you is to consider the sheer amount of things you have. It may be that the numbers don’t add up, and you have too much for your home. This can occur over time as you accumulate items such as books and ornaments.
If this is true for you, this makes for a perfect opportunity to declutter and downsize. Use the Marie Kondo method – pick up an item and ask yourself if it sparks joy. Or, ask yourself if you’ve used the item or read the book in the last few years. If the answer is no, it’s time for it to go.
You could donate or sell these items on Gumtree, eBay or Facebook marketplace. This way, you make some money back to put into savings or towards an experience such as a holiday or a fun activity, rather than buying more stuff.
Consider Your Decor, Decorations and Furniture
The less decoration and decor in a small living room, the better. For example, having your walls covered in art and photos may look good, but it can give the impression of a crowded and cluttered space. This may make you feel slightly claustrophobic in your space and minimise your enjoyment of your living area.
The same applies to furniture suites and sets. Having a complete lounge suite and a recliner in a studio apartment is inefficient.
Take a minimalist approach to your wall, other decorations, and furniture. To create the impression of more room, be sparse with your decisions and enjoy the breathing room.
This doesn’t mean you can’t hang some art and have somewhere to sit and relax but don’t go overboard with this. The idea is to match your decor and furniture with the available room.
Keep The Room Neat and Tidy
Nothing makes a small living room look crowded more than a mess of random objects and clutter. It takes some extra effort, but if you ensure everything has its place and is put away neatly, it will work wonders for your wellbeing. Spend half an hour each day, or less if you make it a habit, tidying up. Clear the coffee table, put away shoes, arrange magazines and books on the shelf, and you will notice a difference in how your small living space looks and feels.
A Small Space Summary
This helpful article has taught you how to transform a small space with five design solutions for limited living areas.