Let's be honest, we're all coming out of this recession that hit America not too long ago. Many of us have somewhat recovered but not many of us have fully recovered. So while we love our big homes, we may not all still be living in them. Small spaces can be design challenges but so can large spaces, so don't get all upset if you have a design issue in your small space and feel like it could just be remedied with a larger home. Today, instead of focusing on all the things that we dislike about our small space, we're going to discuss some easy tools and tips to use to help fix the issues so we love our home even more!

The first thing to remember is that your space can still be awesome even if it's small. Don't feel like you have to sacrifice style or function just because it's smaller. Small spaces can be snazzy too, don't sell them short.

The balance in a small space is having all the function and keeping some space, so you do have to get creative about selections. When making color choices for a small space, it's probably best to go with lighter, more airy colors for the big things--walls, furniture-- keep them open feeling. Focus more on streamlined and sleek rather than ornate and chunky--you'll be able to fit more and have more function without the room feeling heavy and cluttered.

As always, accentuate height. Use tall art and hang window treatments high to draw the eye up and give the illusion that the space is big. If you don't have tall ceilings or high windows and still want to try to draw your eye up, try using furniture and art to accomplish this--vertical lines work well to draw the eye upward, but also consider the tops of tall pieces of furniture. Items placed up high will make people look up high! Utilize those spaces so they work to your advantage.

Hide messes. We know that there are just going to be those areas that are to store things. They don't look pretty but they're there. Hide these! We know they're necessary to have but it's not necessary to see them. Less mess makes a space feel more open. Try to contain yours.

Bring in the natural light! Light and reflection immediately brighten a space and make it feel more open. A dark space feels closed and crowded while a light bright space feels open and airy. If you only have a few windows, make the most of the light the provide and don't treat them with heavy drapery. If you don't have many windows and feel that your home seems dark even with the windows open, try hanging a mirror where it catches and reflects the natural light from the window. This doubles the light you have available to you without trying to build in a new window.

Finally, open up the center of your room. If this means that furniture needs to be pushed against the wall, that's ok. In a perfect world, it wouldn't have to be but if it's necessary, it's something we can work with!

Ultimately, we want you to love your space! It's never fun living where you don't love to be. So invest time in making your house a home.

Tips & Tools | Small Space Living