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The Home Mill Co.

BASIC ELEMENTS IN DESIGN OF SMALL SPACES

Updated: Mar 13, 2022

Small spaces are what most of young adults in college or starting up a business or newly employed people can afford.This doesn't mean that you cant have a beautiful space.After all its where you spend your most time at and you deserve to enjoy your home just as any other person.

There are several factors to consider when designing small spaces.However,we narrowed it down to the very basic that can help you achieve good quality space.

We took a project to design for a very tight space measuring 3.8 m by 3.3 m excluding the bathroom and entry way.We came up with the following principles that can help you to achieve the same for your space.


1. Custom-make your furniture

Custom made furniture allows you to fit into the space available in your room while still responding to your needs.This means that you do not have to sacrifice on the essentials required for a space to function rather.

However, invest in custom made furniture that will be flexible for you to reuse in the event you move to a new space.

We have attached a PDF file where you can get drawings for the furniture pieces in this space and contact a carpenter to make for you or simply take on a DIY exercise.We highly recommend you contact a carpenter though for better results.(Link will be up soon)


The bed,clothing rack & shelves,couch and Kitchenette are all custom made for the space

2. Use mirrors and reflective surfaces

Mirrors not only reflect light but also give an illusion of a bigger space. You can choose to play around with different shapes to achieve an effect you intend to create.

We used mirrors to create the illusion of a second window in the space making the space look more airy and inviting.

However,remember mirrors need to be cleaned frequently for better reflective quality.


The mirror on the door gives an illusion of a bigger space beyond the door

The mirrors on the wall give the illusion of an additional window,placing an artificial light source above it makes this effect better

Reflective glass trays are another good way of using this effect

3. Go for bright colors but keep it minimum

Bright colors reflect light well.Other than what you have done with the mirrors opt for bright colors to take on the light reflection further.Bright colors does not mean having all the bright colors in one space,choose colors that compliment one another and keep the scheme to a maximum of three for a beginner.This will give the space an illusion that it is bigger than what it really is.However, if you are drawn to darker colors,you can still bring them in but limit them to the smaller accessories rather than larger objects in the room.

There are many color combinations you could try but here are some ideas you could explore:



Different color schemes in groups of three

4. Avoid clutter

Clutter!clutter! will make our space look really small and just tiring to look at.Avoid cluttered corners or places in your small space.Invest in small cute baskets or containers to store your items especially those small items. You can get these affordably at most home decor shops or you can decide to take on a DIY adventure to create your own baskets by recycling old boxes, a tutorial will be up soon. You can push this further and express your liking of certain effect you want.This also makes it easier to find things even in such a small space you could lose an item in all the clutter.


Organise your items into baskets.Take advantage of the space below the bed and chair.Use baskets and containers to organize objects in your Kitchen


5. Go for dual use furniture

Other than investing in custom made furniture,take furniture that can do more than just one purpose,after all its all about maximizing on value.This helps with saving of space as well.

Keep color scheme to a minimal


6. Use artificial lights

One thing about small spaces is that the lighting is almost always inadequate,despite the size of the space.Invest in other artificial light sources that are movable or flexible to suite your needs.Floor lamps are a good deal as they set an ambiance and will not give you a problem when its time to move out.


7. Spruce it up with premium cushions and pillows

As always pillows and cushions take the space to a whole new level.They give you a chance to explore on color texture or the kind of vibes you want to bring into your space.Get yourself some good pillows from our store,they'll serve you a great deal.


Cushions tie the space together while allowing you to add some color without being too much.


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