We Asked Interior Design Pros to Share Their Best Tips on Small Space Living

The pros weigh in on how they handle small space living. Image: McGinn Photography

Anyone who’s ever had to deal with a tiny apartment knows that small space living comes with its own set of challenges. It doesn’t mean designing these spaces is impossible. With a little planning and forethought, even the most cramped spaces can become equal parts functional and eye-catching.

If you’re dealing with tight square footage and aren’t quite sure where to start, you’re in luck. We asked some interior design pros to share their best tips for designing small spaces. Keep reading to see what they had to say.

Plan your space carefully before you start buying. Image: Finch London

Think it through

“Make sure to be precise as to the function of the space. Ask yourself questions about how you use the room. For example, do you need storage for kids toys? Is a sectional a necessity or will a sofa and a chair be fine? Would a round table be a better fit for your dining area? Asking these types of questions will help you identify your specific problem areas — and viable solutions before you start to purchase furnishings, which will ultimately save you time and money. ” — Basia Falcon, owner and head designer of Sycamore & Gray in Highland Park, IL.

Go big with a statement piece. Image: Kelly Martin Interiors

Don’t discount a statement piece

“Get the size right! Too often consumers think my space is small so I’ll buy a bunch of small pieces. Top designers know that’s the exact opposite of good space planning — one stunning statement piece of anything always makes a better impact than many busy small items just creating visual clutter.” — Charmaine Wynter of Charmaine Wynter Interiors Inc. in Southlake, TX

Invest in uplighting. Image: Lindye Galloway Interiors

Opt for lifted lighting

“In smaller spaces, flat areas like the floor and table tops are at a premium, so consider lighting solutions that hang in the air like wall sconces by your sofa and pendant lighting by your bed. However, if your home relies on recessed can lighting for most of its illumination, be sure to layer in some floor or table lamps so that you have light casting up onto your ceiling, too. Leaning too heavily on recessed lighting tends to leave the ceiling in darkness, and that makes any space feel smaller.” — Rebecca West, Interior Designer at Seriously Happy Homes in Seattle, WA

Let color unify the space. Image: Ally Fountain for Ethan Allen – Bellevue

Consider a unifying color

“I recommend covering all the walls of the room in one color to make it feel larger. Consider using a warm and rich or soft and soothing hue to cover the majority of the room, including the ceiling. Highlighting one unifying color fades defining lines, which enhances the coziness of the space. Additionally, using that wall color at least one other time in your space — either in an area rug or a small accent piece — will pull your style together while continuing to let it feel open.” — Dee Schlotter, Color Expert, PPG Industries, Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA

Use multi-functional pieces wherever possible. Image: West Elm UK

Make it multi-functional

“Regardless of your style, the most important thing to decorating a small space well is to invest in pieces that can be used for more than one thing. If space is an issue, think about investing in multi-functional furniture like a set of nesting tables that can double as a coffee table. A desk can also function as a buffet when entertaining, or even a bench can be a coffee table, extra seating.” — Lisa Melone Cloughen of Melone Cloughen Interiors, Inc. in New York, NY

Use these tips to get the most out of small space living. Image: Day True

Most of us would agree that small space living requires a certain amount of flexibility and creativity. However, when done right, there’s no reason why even the tightest of spaces can’t showcase a design worthy of acclaim. To help you get the most out of your space, we asked interior design pros to share their best advice for helping compact rooms shine. Read over their tips and do your best to incorporate them in your own interiors. Sometimes one tip makes all the difference.

Do you live in a small space? If so, what tips do you have for making limited square footage work in your favor? Share them with us in the comments below.

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