Small Space, Big Impact

Submitted by Elliman Real Estate: Featuring NYC real estate for sale. Written by Julianna Lundblad (@juliannanyc)

It is said that good things come in small packages. That can certainly be true within your living space. With just the right bit of imagination, a once cramped, unusable space can be transformed into your new home office or guest bedroom.

While it would be nice to expand your living space for more square footage, that is not always possible. Say you live in a NYC apartment, the trick is to use design secrets to make the space feel bigger.

Color can play an important role in the feel of a space. While warm colors can create a cozy feeling, they can make small spaces feel cramped. When choosing colors for a small space, choose cooler shades. Blues and greens are cool colors that are calming; when light shades of these colors are chosen, a small space can suddenly feel much more expansive.

Another key to opening up a small space is to keep furniture in the center of the space. This creates the illusion that the space is roomier than it truly is. Mirrors also help to create the illusion of roominess. Add a large mirror to your small space or a grouping of mirrors, and your small space will seem to grow.

Another trick to making a small space seem larger is to declutter. Clutter can make even a large room feel cramped. Be certain not to let clutter undermine your efforts to reclaim a small space as a workable area. Try to have furniture in your room that can double as storage, like a bench with hidden storage inside, so you can keep things that you don't use often out of sight.

Keeping a sense of scale is also important when dealing with a small space. You want your furnishings to be in proper proportion to the space. Don't seek out scaled-down furniture. Instead, choose furnishings that have a low profile. This will serve to make the ceiling in the small space seem higher. Also, seek out designs with a clean line when you are choosing furnishings for your small space.

One more trick to help your transform your small space is to utilize rugs. An area rug of the proper scale can help to define the space as being something specific--a new work space or office. This is important not only so that other people see the space as being "X" but also so that you can see it. This is especially important if you have lived in your home for a while and are used to the space as simply being an extension of another, larger space or as a haphazard storage area.

By taking these steps, you can reclaim your small spaces and put them to proper use. Whatever purpose you decide to choose for it, your small space can be a beautiful and useful part of your home.

Looking to sell your house quick? Contact NPT Assisted Sale today