A home is a home no matter how big or small it is. With burgeoning city spaces and houses giving way to apartments, smaller homes have become a reality for many of us. With this change, has come a need to look for design, furniture and decor insights that work well. Below are 5 wonderful insights from experts and designers at HomeLane on decor for small homes.

1. Muted Monotony

Homes should be personal yet bright and beautiful. This is often how we approach their design. Yet vibrant, striking hues can be claustrophobic and harsh and affect moods, often adversely over time. Colours are linked to well-being and a milder palette of pastel pinks and blues, peach or light yellow are best for the look and feel of small homes.

accent paint asian wall

If you still feel adventurous and want some colour that pops, wall accents in bold colours, such as this beautiful textured blue by Asian Paints give much-needed relief.

2. Merging Rooms

Small homes afford what large ones cannot – cosiness and warmth. Yet, it defeats the purpose when walls reduce whatever little space exists. The removal of walls makes homes more open, welcoming and gives a sense of space. Using rooms for dual purposes – dining & cooking, study & sleep – further optimizes empty spaces.

In case the division of spaces is warranted, it can be done by painting connecting walls in different colours, breaking them with interesting nooks or even using furniture to create imaginary partitions. In the below video, we are shown how furniture can be used inventively to demarcate the space.

3. Clever Use Of Furniture

Clever Furniture ideas for small home

Most furniture is of standard size and height, and some of them, such as sofas are bulky too. Besides occupying much space, they dwarf the room, making movement impossible and in small homes can be a pain to navigate. Although small living and bedrooms don’t have much space, clever use of furniture can change that.

2-seater or backless sofa, small stools for the living room, leaner cupboards and bookshelves, photographs on walls, mirrors and plants can brighten and add expansiveness to any room. In the picture below, a backless sofa cleverly placed divides the space into two and affords comfortable seating.

4. Quality Over Quantity

Most homeowners build the look of their home over several years, layer by layer adding furniture and upholstery whenever the need arises or something is especially liked. HomeLane experts warn that this only creates clashes and clutter as the years go by. Choosing functional and great looking furniture or accessories with thought for small spaces ensures we buy mindfully. Quality then becomes a paramount parameter rather than just the number.

Sturdy quirky 2-seater sofas and a single beautiful painting for the living room, a single 4-seater dining table in solid wood or kitchen appliances such as all-in-one ovens not just emphasize quality but act as statement pieces for small homes.

5. Lighting

Contrary to popular thinking, lighting plays a significant role in small apartments. Intelligent lighting makes corner spaces bright, and disperse lighting emphasizes every nook and corner. While traditional homes often keep plug points and lighting fixtures for last, small homes need these to be planned well in advance.

Natural Lights

Large glass windows that allow plenty of natural light and hanging lights with artistic finishes as seen in the below picture, recessed lighting in bookcases and cabinets are all clever lighting ideas that help reduce a cluttered feel and showcase more of the room.

The above points cover the essential aspects of decorating and designing small homes. Would you have anything to add to our list?

Avatar
Author

Write A Comment

x

Meet a designer online

Please enter your name.
Please enter your email address.
Please enter your phone number.
Please enter pincode.

By submitting this form, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of use