Most modern home makeovers and small home refurbishments involve doing away with heavy, dark furnishings and completely opening up the space. Internal barriers are removed, colour schemes are lightened up, and the new home is given a bright, open and breezy ambience. This is really the ideal decorating look when decorating a small home because it makes everything feel larger, more energetic and super clean. But what are the essentials of opening up a small home? Well, today we present 8 brilliant solutions. We bet there's something here to inspire a renovation!
The internal doors, room dividers and screens within the home are the obvious place to start. Use glass or transparent dividers if possible. They will make a huge difference to the look and feel of the home.
This beautiful wooden kitchen/dining room may not be the smallest home we've seen, but it certainly shows how effective a unified look can be. Note how your eye naturally runs from the floor to the dining table and up through the window. This all creates a sense of flow and unity that both make the room appear larger.
Transparent and plexiglass furniture is a really good tool if you're looking to create a sense of flow. It doesn't block the light and makes the room appear more weightless and bright. It's very stylish too!
Interior designers often say that placing the furniture up against the room will make it look smaller. But this isn't always true. If you have a small area that also functions as a passageway, there is really no beating this approach. Just check out this little living room for inspiration.
No matter what layout you choose to open up your home, it often helps to build upwards. A lot of people neglect to decorate or use the upper half of the room and that approach can make everything feel small and claustrophobic. The simple addition of a large artwork high up on the wall can have a huge effect too.
Big mirrors don't automatically open a small space, but they can with the right approach. See how the huge mirror in this little bedroom barely reflects any clutter at all. It reflects the light from the window instead.
The windows (or window!) are a really important tool in the design of a small home. Highlight the window view with smart window treatments that run either side of the glass and never, ever block the light with heavy curtains. It's also a good idea to extend the curtains so they run from the floor and all the way to the ceiling as seen in this living room. This will make the windows appear larger too.
A light colour scheme is an obvious choice when looking to make your home feel more open. But metallics can often create the same effect too. Don't be scared to employ bright and vivid colours too, just use them in small splashes throughout the home.
For more home inspiration, check out 9 essential features every small home needs.