White wall. Shrink the furniture. Unadorned surfaces. Style tips like these take the boring out of decorating a small space.
The following seven houses break all the norms of the less is more rulebook. Every microspace, when done right, proves that you don’t need a lot of square footage to create a home full of style.
Stylish Tips for Decorating a Small Space
Shrink your furniture
Sometimes a bulky piece of furniture can add a lot of appeal to a small space.
If you filled the small nook shown here with several small pieces of furniture, it would feel cramped and cramped.
However, filling most of this space with a large sofa makes this compact living room very inviting.
More Is More
French blogger Éléonore Bridge adopted the ‘more is more’ decorating theme to transform her 377sqm crash pad into a stylish home.
How did she pull off this look? Pastel-toned walls and furniture set the stage for a colorful collection of wall art, antiques and home accessories.
Paint the ceiling a light color
A dark ceiling can add depth to a small, bright room with white walls. The trick to doing the job is to use a semi-gloss or semi-gloss paint that reflects light. As opposed to matte dark colors, glossy colors will make your space feel bright.
Use a Single Area Rug to Anchor a Room
When done right, rugs can create distinct zones within a small space. This 100 square meter space uses one large rug for the living room and a smaller rug for the home office.
Paint Walls White
When paired with contrasting light-coloured elements, dark walls can add architectural interest to small spaces.
This sleek kitchen offsets dramatic black walls with a white ceiling and cabinets. White creates the illusion of molding around the edge of the door and the top of the wall.
Dining Furniture Should Match
Matching tableware looks coordinated. But when you want to make a bold, stylish statement, a mismatched ensemble like the one featured here can turn heads.
To achieve this look, you’ll want to make sure the chair you choose has the right seat height for the table you’re using it for.
To create a bohemian vibe, use an eclectic seating combination. For a clean and modern look, keep all the chairs the same style, with each chair being a different color.
Recessed lights make a small room appear larger
Recessed ceiling lights enhance small spaces without taking up valuable floor or vertical space. However, layered lighting allows you to add brightness and style just where you need it.
The oversized cantilever lampshade, pictured here, adds a lovely focal point to this small living room while illuminating the coffee table. The floor lamp on the right is for reading. Two small table lamps in the center provide diffuse decorative light to this small space.
