Make a Small Home More Spacious

Does your home feel a bit cramped? Looking for better ways to utilize a small amount of space? We’ll give you tips on making a smaller home seem larger.

Although many homes these days keep getting bigger and bigger, there is a trend gaining momentum of purchasing smaller, cozier homes. Whether you purchase a smaller home because of the smaller price or the smaller size, you will need tips on using the space well.

One challenge with less rooms and less space is the need for both a guest room and an office. One solution is to tuck a cozy office into a spare but spacious closet, adding plenty of shelving and drawers to the walls. Another solution is to use a Murphy bed or a fold-up futon in the guest room, leaving room when you don’t have guests for your home office. A recently introduced innovation in Europe is the computer bed. Perfect for a dorm room or a child’s room, this solution features a bed that folds out with a computer center beneath it. When you fold the bed back up, the bed is conveniently hidden and a computer desk is accessible. Check out this and other solutions at flyingbed.com.

Don’t have a laundry room? One solution is to tuck the laundry center into a closet. You can elevate the washer and dryer for accessibility and convert the interior of your doors into shelving for storing detergent, hangers and other supplies. Another advantage is that when you close the doors, your laundry “room” is out of sight!

Another space-saver is to install built-in bookshelves, eliminating the need for stand-alone bookshelves or chests of drawers. Beyond books, bookshelves can hold other items in canisters or mesh baskets. You can also save space by buying furniture that serves more than one purpose, such as a low set of shelves that doubles as a coffee table.

The garage is always a challenge, no matter how large or small the home. It is also a magnet for clutter. Maximize space and cut clutter by installing built-in shelving. A great space-saver is to build a loft-rafter storage area. There are systems available that help you store items overhead, or you can use ¾-inch plywood suspended from the rafters to store recreational equipment, luggage or seasonal items.

The kitchen is another trouble-spot for most homes. If you have a breakfast bar, for instance, you can save space and time by using suspended barstools, seating that hangs from a steel support under the countertop. You can see this seating solution at seating-innovations.com. Another way to add storage space and counter space is to build a kitchen island. In addition to adding more cabinets or drawers, an island also gives you a whole new work surface.

One overall tip to keep in mind, no matter what size the home, is that clutter always makes a home feel smaller. Cut the clutter and increase the space!

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