Are you saddled with a small home with small rooms? Don’t feel burdened by the task of designing them; it’s not as hard as you think to make a great room out of small space constraints. These five small rooms all work really well…and we tell you what it is about them you can borrow for your own small rooms.
1. Dark wall colors
(Pictured above) Forget only sticking to soft pastel colors. While it’s true lighter colors can expand a space, dark and dramatic colors make life (and small rooms) more interesting! How to make sure things don’t derail? Include lots of colorful art to contrast with a dark color. Add in interesting lights and even consider reflective surfaces to expand the space that way. Does a room have to have a dark color to be successful? No. But those who take the chance and choose a dark and dramatic color for their small spaces rarely regret it.
2. Large scale furniture anyway
It’s true that small-scale furniture in small rooms can definitely make a room feel proportional and not too cramped. But sometimes, going for a large scale furniture piece away can make a space feel cozy and add a lot of interest. In the room above, a sectional couch takes up a lot of the space of this small TV area, even jutting out a bit in front of the window. But the rest of the space isn’t cluttered with a lot of other furniture, so the result is an ultra comfy-feeling space.
→ Trick of the Trade: Sectional Sofas in Small Spaces
3. Lots of design elements for a rich, full feel
The same sort of idea above applies in the Danielle’s bedroom seen above. Just because the space is small in square feet, doesn’t mean you can’t try out dramatic decorative elements or fill the space with as many accessories as you want. A big tufted headboard commands the focal point of the room, and nightstands topped with trinkets and functional items are a lovely addition. What helps is they did keep the room’s color palette soft and the symmetrical feel to the space keeps the room balanced and making visual sense.
4. Pull double-duty when they need to
For many folks, small rooms are often housed in small spaces — so sometimes that small room has to pull double duty! The two small rooms above work well because they manage to find a way to house all the functions those rooms need. In on bedroom, a small wall alcove houses a small scale desk and chair for getting work done (notice how this contrasts with the room near the top of the post, that has oversized furniture but only has one function in the room). In another room, a dining room transforms into a guest bedroom thanks to a cleverly concealed Murphy bed.
(Image credits: Julia Brenner; Breanne Johnsen; Carolyn Purnell; Andrea Sparacio; Adrienne Breaux)
