Sweet Home: How To Make Small Living Work
There has long been plenty of talk around small living and its economical and sustainable benefits. Very often I think we belive we need more space than we actually do. Craving space is of course a normal thing as we naturally seek privacy and distance from both objects and people in a space. But before you decide to upscale to that bigger house. Take a look at your own smaller home and see if you have used it to its full potential.
I would start off by taking a look at the amount of natural light that comes in to the space. Small spaces benefits from natural light as well as a more open floor plans as this creates the illusion of more room. Would it be possible to bring more light in by perhaps knocking down a wall or insert an internal glass window instead?
Regarding colours, textures and furniture think ‘less is more’. Use a simple colour palette and to create interest go for different textures that supports your concept. If you choose lighter and more fragile textures you will keep that light and airy feel. Also important is to look at the size of your furniture. Bulky and heavy forms will decrease the feeling of space so try to steer away from these. Like the designers do use transparent and translucent materials where possible as they are reflective hence meaning more light.This does not mean that your home have to be full of mirrors or look anything like a disco ball. But it could be good to keep these materials in mind. Another vital trick is to use furniture which does not touch the floor as much; for example sideboards which you attach to the wall instead of placing directly on the floor. Again this emphasizes a feel of openness.
Credit: Dwell / Photo - Dean Kaufman
Small living does not suit everyone, but I strongly believe that if you just take a look at the space again and use the right materials and methods you will be able to get a bigger space than you might have imagined from start. Just think of the money you can save by living smaller! So what do you say, is small living something you are in favour of?
