The Curation: Small Space Sofa, Small Space Design Tips, and Beautiful Space
Hey Everyone! This week I shared some of my favorite small space living ideas. Though decorating compact spaces can feel challenging, these design tips will help you make the most out of a small space. And if you are considering a (customized) sofa for your place, the list below is mindfully curated to fit and maximize a small living space.
The Carmine Sofa, from $2525, Maiden Home (customizable)
Sofa Bed, from A$1290, Kóala (AU)
Two-Piece Form Sectional, from $1484, Floyd (customizable)
JÄTTEBO, $1600, IKEA
Asher Fabric Sofa, from $1645, Interior Define (customizable)
The Crosby Sofa, from $2175, Maiden Home (customizable)
Block Nomad Loveseat, from $1039, Burrow (customizable)
Beauty Sofa Bed, A$2490, Kóala (AU)
Slideaway Sofa Bed, A$2450, Eva (AU)
Weekly Learnings & Findings
Small Space Design Tips
1. Use Multifunctional Furniture
When living in a small space, it is important to ensure that every furniture piece has more than one function to maximize your space. There are so many pieces of bulky furniture that only serve a singular function, and when you put too many of them into one space, it quickly creates a cramped or claustrophobic atmosphere.
One of the most popular forms of multifunctional furniture is furniture that doubles as storage. Some examples are storage cabinets that double as a bench, or benches with lids that can be lifted with storage underneath, roll-out storage systems under beds, and sofas that have storage underneath the seat cushions.
You can also use decor that hides clutter such as wicker bins, baskets, and trays that look both decorative and organized. These items enable you to hide your clutter while keeping the room open and feeling spacious.
Other common examples designed for small spaces are bookcases with fold-down tables, sofas that convert into beds, storage headboards for beds, side tables/coffee tables that fold into a dining table, small dining tables that can expand when entertaining large groups of people, and white block out blinds that can be used as a projector instead of a TV.
2. More Floor = Illusion of Bigger Room
The more floors you see, the bigger the room feels. Where possible, choose furniture with taller legs so you can see the floors underneath. This also applies to bathrooms, where wall-mounted basins and toilets make the bathroom look bigger.
Mid-century modern furniture fits the bill as it tends to have taller legs and wooden arms, rather than solid upholstered ones so that light can pass through.
3. Negative Space
While every inch is a premium in small spaces, you should avoid cramming in too much furniture. Make sure that there is enough space between large furniture pieces, ideally 45cm to 60cm between pieces to give you enough walkway.
You can also try pulling away your furniture from the edges of the space, even if it’s only by a couple of centimeters. The space left between the furniture and the walls will create a sense of roominess which gives the impression that there was space to do that and not that everything had to hug the walls just to make way for another piece of furniture.
4. Mirrors
Mirrors are good for making a space feel bigger as they bounce light around and if you have an especially large one, they can also make the whole room feel larger by altering your perception of space and perspective. Mirrors near or across windows are always welcome because they also bounce more light around.
5. Artworks
Gallery wall is a popular choice in small spaces, but it can actually bring the room in (which is fine if that’s what you’re after). If you want to make the space feel bigger and calmer, choose one large piece of art and make a statement.
6. Paint & Material
Small space does not always have to be white, but try to stick to a single color in a room. This can be light and airy, or dark and dramatic, depending on your preference and how you want your room to feel - and use this on everything.
The reason is having the same color on everything blurs the edges and creates a calmer feel, while giving the illusion of pushing the wall backward - instead of having the trims and woodwork in different colors.
Similarly, repetition in materials is a way to reduce visual clutter and has a similar effect in making a space feel calmer and larger. For example, having the floors and walls in a similar toned color can make a space look larger as it creates a sense of seamlessness.
7. Clutter & Storage
The more stuff you see visually, especially when there are a lot of contrasting elements with no sense of order - will instantly make a space feel much smaller as our brain gets overwhelmed with so much information to process.
So, go back to the basics and assess how you use your space, which items within your space are used regularly, and which items in your living space give you pleasure to see daily.
Check out these two videos for more ideas on storage and multifunctional furniture for small spaces.
Beautiful Space
A Perfectly Pint-Sized, Art Deco Sydney Pad | Written by Lucy Feagins, Photography by Caitlin Mills, Styling by Annie Portelli
Struggling with decorating your home?
Check out my Practical Home Design course where I cover a step-by-step process so you, yourself, can confidently make your own choices and design a home that you’ll love. I'll also provide you with guides, handbooks, templates, and a bunch of resources to aid your learning.
See you in a fortnight!
Reynard Lowell