by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: July 24, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2009

Do you have a small space in your home that is causing you lost sleep over how to decorate it? Small spaces can be challenging. Here are a few tips to help you maximize the appeal and usefulness of your small space.

Color

Begin by choosing light colors. The walls, floors and ceilings all should be in colors that will not make the room seem closed in. That doesn't mean that your room needs to be boring, the use of a bright color accent wall will make a small square room seem to grow longer.

Light

If the room doesn't have much natural light and you own the property you may want to consider adding larger windows. Light is the best decorating tool that you have in any room but especially in that challenging small space. If adding more windows isn't an option then make sure the lighting in the room is good. Lamps are an easy and inexpensive way to brighten up a space.

Paint

If you are trying to create a designer look, painting the walls with horizontal stripes in varying shades of the same color will give a feeling of spaciousness. This is a trick that designers use to fool the eye.

Mirrors

Mirrors are a great way to make any room appear larger. In a bedroom mirrored closet doors give the illusion of spaciousness. In other rooms an arrangement of mirrors on the wall will reflect light and again light is the best friend a small room has.

Scale

Scale is a very important tool when decorating a small room. Furniture needs to be reflective of the room size. If you place a double bed in a small room it will appear much more spacious than if you try to use a king or queen bed. To make it even larger a futon or a day bed can free up lots of floor space. The ultimate space saver for a small bedroom is the ubiquitous Murphy bed which only takes up wall space when not in use.

Bedrooms aren't the only rooms that can be small, the home office is often quite small. Choose your desk accordingly and place as much storage as possible on the walls off the floor.

Furniture placement

Placement of furniture is vital. Arranging pieces of furniture in the center of a small room will make it seem even smaller. Place the furniture along the walls and leave the center open so that you aren't bumping into pieces as soon as you walk into a room.

You need to be creative with your seating and storage options. Choosing a coffee table that hides seats is a good option and was used on the design star show. You can also choose seating that doubles as either storage or has a pull out bed.

To summarize, use light colors except for accents, keep furniture in scale to the room, use wall placement wisely and add mirrors to reflect as much light as possible. With these tips you can make even the smallest room one seem light, bright and functional.

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