Just because your space is small doesn’t mean you can’t give it a stunning look!
Wondering how to make your small home look stunning?
Looking for some small house interior design tips that are not that difficult to implement?
Searching for smart small home decor ideas?
Then read on – this is the exact blog post that you’re looking for!
Interior design hacks to make a small house look nice
If you live in a small home, it may feel like you’re limited in your interior design options.
But with a little creativity and the right tips and tricks, you can make your small space look beautiful, feel welcoming, and get the maximum functionality out of it.
In this blog post, we’ll share some expert interior design tips that will help you make the most of your small home and create a stylish and functional living space.
Most of these are design hacks that we have picked up ourselves over our experience as premium small home designers in Bangladesh.
Whether you’re working with an apartment in a block of flats, or a tiny house, these tips will help you transform your small living space into a beautiful and comfortable place to live.
Add a few large pieces of furniture
This might sound illogical – adding large pieces of furniture to a small room would make it look crowded and make it more evident that the room is small, right?
Well, generally speaking, yes.
However, a FEW well-chosen large furnitures placed in selected locations can make rooms look larger than they are.
This is what we refer to as “playing with the illusion of scale”, and in our experience as a premier interior design company in Bangladesh this can be highly effective in small house design.
For example, placing a large mirror above the headboard of a bed in a small bedroom can distract people from how low the ceiling is.
If you can’t understand which pieces of furniture would work the best for your small house, or where to place them for the best results, do contact a professional interior designer.
Use mirrors
Ask any home designer or room decorator and they will tell you that mirrors are a great design hack for small rooms.
Here’s why: a mirror reflects light throughout the room, lightening up darker corners and increasing visibility.
It also reflects the parts of the room opposite it, giving a visitor something “extra” to look at and making it appear that there is more depth to the room than there actually is.
This is a design trick that you can implement in almost every room, including your bathroom.
Create a dining space in your living room
Having a small house does not necessarily mean you need to give up on your dining space.
You can still have a dining area in your small home by using a corner of your living room.
Utilise the wall space by placing your table and seating against it.
Opt for comfortable, plush furnishings to add a luxurious touch to the space.
Accent with spotlights and wall decor to enhance the overall theme of your simple, yet stylish, interior design.
Creating “functional spaces” in a large room area is called “open floor plan design”. Here are some tips and tricks on creating an open floor layout in your home.
Avoid short, heavily patterned curtains
One mistake to avoid in small space design is using curtains that do not reach the floor. Short curtains can make the room appear even shorter, as they break up the flow of the fabric.
To create a sense of height in the room, choose curtains that drape all the way to the floor.
Avoid heavy patterns as they can make the space feel cramped.
Instead, opt for solid colours or simple patterns to keep the room feeling open and airy.
Finally, please remember even simple patterns or single-coloured curtains can be eye-catching – you just have to pick a suitable pattern/shade.
Line up most of your furniture against the walls
One effective strategy for designing a small home to appear spacious is to anchor most furniture to the walls, leaving an open area in the middle of the room.
Beds, racks, study tables, extra seats and personal effects like bicycles can all placed against the walls, leaving a large expanse of carpeted space in the middle.
This room decor hack can be applied to any room in a small home to create the illusion of openness.
Please note though that you should not mindlessly push everything up against the wall.
Doing that will make the entire space against the walls look crowded, which will again make your room look cramped.
Be careful when selecting which pieces of furniture to keep in the middle of the room, and which to set against the walls.
Talk to a room decorator or house designer if you can’t make up your mind how to proceed.
One more thing you can do is go through all your furniture and sell ones that aren’t adding value to your home. Here’s how to decide which furniture to keep.
Go for patterned wallpaper
A patterned wallpaper is always a good idea to make a room look inviting and beautiful, but with a small room you are faced with the question – what kind of pattern to choose?
Here’s the issue: A pattern needs to be repeated at least once to show off its effect, right? That’s the basic idea of a pattern.
However, a large-scale pattern may not have the space it needs to repeat in a small room.
So, go for a small pattern that can be repeated at least twice on the walls in your room.
Replace beds with ground mattresses, if possible
Ground-level mattresses with decorative bed posts can make a room feel more spacious and allow for better utilisation of the surrounding space.
For example, you can have two spacious beds placed on the ground and use the space between them as a seating area.
Alternatively, you could also use this space for storage or study tables.
Pro tip: consider adding rugs around the mattresses for a cosy and finished look.
If you are looking to get your bedroom designed, do contact our bedroom design team.
Allow for as much natural lighting as possible
Natural lighting is essential for decorating a small room because it can help to create the illusion of space.
By allowing as much natural light as possible to enter the room, you can make the space feel brighter and more open.
Additionally, natural light can help to showcase the features and decor of the room, making it feel more inviting and welcoming.
To maximise the natural light in a small room, consider using light-coloured paint and window treatments, and avoid blocking the windows with heavy furniture or other objects.
Not only will natural light help to make the space feel larger, but it can also have a positive impact on your mood and well-being.
In fact, not optimising for natural light is one the biggest mistakes in small room design.
Design idea: Consider using blinds or shutters instead of netted curtains on windows that are overlooked. This will help to keep the space bright and open, and can even help to create the illusion of a larger room.
Use folded tables
A folding table is a practical and space-saving choice for a small room.
Consider a table with drawers for storage and pair it with folding chairs for a versatile dining area.
When not in use, the table can be easily folded and stored, creating more space in the room.
This is a great solution for maximising efficiency and creating a functional space that can be easily transformed as needed.
Pro tip: Try to get a folding table that you can mount on the wall. Get in touch with a custom furniture manufacturer if you want it designed exactly according to your requirements.
Create a focal point
Having a singular focal point in a small room can help to distract from its size and create a sense of purpose.
This could be a fireplace in a living room or a striking lighting fixture in a hallway.
By drawing the eye to this central element, you can make it the star of the show and let everything else in the room work to support it.
This can help to create a cohesive and visually interesting space.
Declutter your rooms
Decluttering is a simple and cost-effective way to make a small home feel larger.
Keep items organised and only display those that fit with your interior design scheme.
If you can’t make up your mind about a particular item, think whether it “brings joy” to you or not to determine what to keep and what to get rid of.
This will help everything in the room to feel more open and allow the space to flow better. Plus, it will give a distinctly minimalist character to your room.
Decluttering your home is a way of doing home design on a budget.
Go for contrasting colours
A small room can appear larger with the use of an optical illusion created by contrasting soft, neutral colours with darker shades such as blues and greens.
This adds warmth to the space and prevents it from feeling clinical.
The contrast also gives the illusion of the walls being farther back, making the room feel bigger.
This technique can be effective in creating a cohesive and visually appealing design.
Get storage beds
One traditional and practical way to make the most of limited space in a small home is by using storage beds.
These beds can serve as half closets for clothes, shoes, or even suitcases.
Storage beds are a great solution for small rooms and can be an efficient way to utilise space.
In fact, they can be a useful addition to any home.
Get multi-functional furniture
Multifunctional furniture pieces are a smart solution for effective use of available space.
These items can serve multiple purposes and help to avoid a cluttered feeling in the room.
For example, in a kitchen, a stand-alone sideboard could be used as an extension of the countertop, with drawers underneath for storage.
By maximising the use of each piece of furniture, you can create a functional and efficient space.
Pro tip: Interestingly, kitchen cabinets can be creatively designed to optimise storage space, while also adding an aesthetic element to the room.
Interior design hacks for your small house – conclusion
In conclusion, small homes can be just as beautiful and stylish as larger spaces with the right interior design techniques.
By maximising natural light, and choosing multifunctional furniture, you can create a cohesive and visually appealing design.
Don’t be afraid to add pops of colour, but be mindful of the size of the space and choose bold accents sparingly.
And most importantly, declutter and only keep items that spark joy or serve a purpose.
With these tips in mind, you can turn your small home into a beautiful and functional space.
