eTopical Precious Finds
Do you wish you had a bigger apartment? Most small spaces seem fine at first, but over time, it becomes apparent just how much they lack space. Living in a cramped situation can make your house feel less like a home, and the longer this goes on, the worse you’ll feel.
No matter how small your space is, all hope is not lost. Here’s what you can do to make your small space feel a bit more like home.
Get creative with décor
Sometimes, all it takes is a change in décor to make a space feel cozier. What kind of wall decorations do you currently have? Was it intentionally chosen, or did you just throw something together and hope it would work out? If you never bothered to deliberately create your décor, there’s a big chance it’s working against you.
Take a good look at your space and get rid of anything that bothers you. Everything should make you feel good, and if that isn’t happening, take it down. Look for new ideas on Pinterest and Instagram and see what makes you happy. Choose your new décor based on how it makes you feel and your space is sure to feel more like home.
Change the background of your walls
Staring at the same color on your walls for years can get boring, so consider giving your walls a facelift. As a renter, you might not have permission to put up traditional wallpaper, but you can use peel-and-stick wallpaper without destroying the paint or wall.
If you can’t use any kind of wallpaper for some reason, get some large tapestries to hang on your wall. You could even hang a large tapestry across an entire wall and use it as the background for hanging other things, as if the cloth were the wall itself. When you’re limited, you have to be creative and resourceful.
Utilize colors to open up the space
If you’re able to paint, go light instead of dark. Light colors will make a small space feel bigger. Although some color combinations look amazing, like dark blue and gray, you need to be careful when using them in small areas. You can still use a darker color to paint your window and door trims, baseboards, and crown molding.
Eliminate separate flooring
Provided you’re able to make these changes, having your floor flow seamlessly from one room to another will make your house feel bigger. When your home has separate flooring for each room, it feels confined. For instance, your kitchen tile leads to a carpeted living room, which leads to a bedroom with a hardwood floor. Each room feels separate, which creates a feeling of smallness as you move about the house.
Creating a seamless floor from room to room will give the impression that your space is larger, and it will also be visually pleasing. The best way to do this is with a hardwood option, even if it’s fake. You can always lay down area rugs in key areas where you need a little bit more warmth or padding, like in bedrooms and the living room.
Remove your doors
Depending on the layout of your home, it might make sense to remove some doors. For example, if there’s a door separating the dining room from the kitchen, or another sitting room, remove it to open up the space. This is the easiest way to open up a space without adding extra rooms.
Add large mirrors to the wall
You’ve probably noticed that mirrors really do make a room appear larger. Mirrors give the impression that the space of a room extends beyond the wall, and even though it’s a big optical illusion, it’s still satisfying.
The best places for mirrors are in your living room and bedroom. You’ll spend most of your time in these areas, so it makes sense to dress them up a bit more. You can find cheap mirrors that look great at just about any department store, and they come in a variety of sizes. Just be sure to measure your wall space before buying your mirrors, and make sure the frames match your décor.
Make your small space feel like home
You deserve to enjoy your home, and if it doesn’t feel big enough, do something to open up the space. Change your décor, take off some doors, and get creative. Turn your home into more than just a place to sleep and eat – make it your cozy sanctuary.
