Living large – sandesam.com

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Making the most of small spaces

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Even if your space is small, you can feel like you're living well if you pay attention to the design.

“With careful thought, detailed curation, and personalized features, you can create big style in a smaller space,” says Jessica Cinnamon, principal designer and founder of Toronto-based Jessica Cinnamon Design Inc.

Here's how:

Furniture. Choose sofas that are three feet deep or a little shorter, and choose neutral, grounded furniture pieces in monochromatic tones and limited patterns. “Introduce different textures for more interest,” she says. Placing furniture away from walls and allowing some breathing space around it will help make a small living room feel larger, she adds.

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Multipurpose furniture. Invest in multifunctional furniture that can double as seating and/or extra surfaces. Murphy beds and expandable multifunctional coffee tables are “perfect” for smaller rooms, notes Cinnamon.

Furniture scale. Furniture that is too large or too small is one of the biggest faux pas when decorating a small space. Avoid sofas and chairs with thick, curled arms, as they will take up limited space on the paths in and around the room. Cinnamon also recommends avoiding sofas with backs with multiple cushions and instead recommends sofas with tighter, more streamlined backs and bottoms.

Store. Failing to take advantage of vertical storage such as cabinets, shelving, floating shelves and/or custom built-ins is another common mistake. Cinnamon also recommends creating additional, unexpected storage on kitchen islands and simple hallway walls. “Utilize interior wall space and introduce custom hidden storage,” she says.

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Accessories. “Minimal, thoughtful decorations look best in small rooms. Too many accessories will visually disorganize the space,” says Cinnamon. “Use reflective materials like mirrors and glass, being aware of what a mirror is reflecting as it can expand a space but can also make the room appear more cluttered.”

She also recommends using round elements instead of square ones to help fit into corners and be able to move throughout the space. “Even in a small space, we recommend purchasing a larger rug that helps ground furniture placement. Its anchor items, like a sofa, a bed or large-scale artwork, delineate the space.”

Lighting. Use lighting to create zones and don't overlook the impact of multi-level lighting. “Good lighting is a key element to consider in all interiors and especially in small spaces, where it can define and ground spaces in smaller, open-concept designs, and draw the eye to a room, adding dimension and, most importantly, draw the eye upward, giving the illusion of higher ceilings,” says Cinnamon.

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Colors, floor. Be consistent in tone and color depth. Use lighter-colored flooring underfoot, she advises.

Paint. “Painting is the easiest and most cost-effective way to create the illusion of space,” says Lydia Thammavong, head of design, styles and trends at Rona. “Whether you're looking to visually expand a small area like an entryway, powder room or hallway or an entire house, the same tricks apply to make ceilings appear higher and walls recede.” (See sidebar.)

Extending your color palette into adjacent spaces creates a sense of continuity and expansiveness, so consider using the same color palette in a hallway or in connected rooms, whether in the same tone or in tonal variations.

Paint tricks

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Lydia Thammavong of Rona offers tips on how to take advantage of paint to make a small space feel bigger:

Stripes

• Paint a horizontal stripe around all four walls or just one wall to make the room appear deeper and wider.
• Thin vertical stripes draw the eye upward and create the illusion of height in narrow or short rooms.
• Alternate stripes of similar tones to create a calm, subtle look that visually opens up the space. Choose contrasting colors for a bolder vibe.

Color tricks

• Cool colors like soft blues, purples, and greens make a small area feel open and airy. Light colors, soft pastels, whites and neutrals reflect more light, making the room appear larger.
• Although many believe that dark colors make a room appear smaller, the right tones can create a luxurious or intimate mood.
• Paint the walls, trim, and ceiling in multiple shades of the same color to virtually expand a room.
• Adding an accent wall creates a focal point that adds depth to a room without overwhelming it. Choose a bold or cool contrasting color for one wall and light, neutral colors for the others.

Maximize the light

• Assess the amount of natural and artificial light that enters the room. Rooms with lots of natural light can tolerate warmer colors, but if there's too much light, a cool color can make a small space feel too chilly.
• Reflective surfaces reflect light, making the space appear larger. A glossy white finish on matte walls, for example, can reflect light and improve the feeling of space.

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