MARK CUTLER STYLE GUIDE: Small Spaces can Have Big Ideas

Designing a room of any size has its own challenges associated with it, but designing within a small space can be especially difficult. Usually the list of things that you are trying to get into the space is longer than the amount of space you have will allow. That is more of an organizational problem, and one that I will talk about in another post.

Ways you can make your space FEEL bigger.
Here are some simple and easy techniques that you may want to try:

Paint is the easiest technique to use, but there are a couple of different ways you can use color to open a space up. The first is to try and paint everything the same color, the walls, trim, ceiling and even the floor if possible. Blurring the edge between surfaces can really make a space almost float. Not being aware of where the floor and walls meet or the ceiling and walls, can make your space open up in a tremendous way. If you decide to use this approach, you can be pretty open with choice of color. While lighter color will certainly make the space brighter, a strong choice of color can create a warmth without compromising your sense of space, in fact often a deep color will actually make the space feel bigger. Another approach, and one that I favor, is to use a light color on the wall, and then deeper color on the floors and ceiling. I am a huge fan of colored ceilings to begin with, and it works especially well in small spaces.

Mirrors. The most obvious choice is to mirror an entire wall, I usually find this technique a bit extreme and somewhat disconcerting. A more subtle approach is to do one or a series of mirrors the size of a doorway or window in the space. I have even gone to the extent of buying French doors and replacing the glass with mirror and then mounting them on the wall. The use of architecture in this way, seems more convincing and creates the illusion of space beyond your room, this can really open up your space.

Cut Clutter. It may sound obvious, but it does need said: Do not have a lot of clutter around. A small space benefits from one or two bold statements, rather than a lot of small ones, so, for instance, a bookcase stacked and organized is better than stacks of books around the room. A singular object d' art on a table is better than a whole collection. So when selecting furniture try and find pieces that will do double duty as storage too if you have a lot of things that need to be kept in the space.

Mark Cutler
Interior Designer,
MarkCutlerDesign.com