3 of 5

Space Savvy- Make the most of Small Rooms

Choose appropriate sized furniture…Avoid large, bulky scaled furniture in small rooms. Upholstered furniture with low backs and arms will appear less obtrusive. Consider open legged chairs, glass coffee table tops instead of solid wood ones. A love seat may work better than a full sized sofa, or two chairs as opposed to a love seat or chair and a half for the second seating area. All of these will appear to take up less space.

Work with color…Color plays a vital role in a small room. It sets the decorative style and scheme, but also can change the room’s appearance. For example: Cool colors such as blues, greens, (some) purples make a small room appear larger and airier. The reverse is true of warm colors such as reds and yellows will make a small room seem more intimate and intense. Warm colors can work in a small space, but just be prepared for the cozy, intimate results.

Use textures for interest…Combining textures in your décor will give a small room interest, appeal, dimension and depth. Choose accessories and fabrics with textural appeal for the best impact. For example: glass, stone, silver, chrome, brass, mirrors, detailed finishes, textured fabrics, shiny fabrics, area rugs and so on…