Let’s be honest: most of us want to live in a big home. But that’s not always possible. Smaller living spaces are cheaper to obtain and easier to maintain. So if you’re on a tight budget or you don’t have a lot of time and energy to invest in your house, a smaller home may be a better option. It may also be the only choice you have if you live in a big city like LA. However, there’s no reason to despair. Making smaller homes appear larger is not that hard: Top Rated General Contractors can redesign and remodel your space to look larger than it is so that you’re reaping the benefits of a small home while enjoying the illusion of a large one.
Construction tips for making smaller homes appear larger
Building a home of your own gives you a lot of control over your living space. You get to make decisions about the size and shape of each room, the placement of walls and windows, and more. But if your budget or property is limited, you may still need to build a smaller home than you’d hoped for. If that is the case, there are certain things you can do to build a home that appears larger than it really is.
Opt for an open floor plan
The fewer obstacles you put up, the larger a room will look. The biggest obstacles in a home are, of course, walls. So consider an open floor plan instead. If you do away with walls, you’ll get to take advantage of the entire space instead of breaking it down into smaller rooms. You’ll also be able to move around more freely. This makes the home appear bigger than it would if you split the space up between a number of small rooms.
Some people don’t like this type of design because there are no distinct areas of the house that serve different purposes – without walls, your hallway, kitchen, living room, and maybe even bedroom all become one room. But you shouldn’t worry about that! You can still use partial or temporary dividers between different areas. One of the most popular kitchen remodeling Los Angeles solutions in open floor plan houses, for example, is a kitchen island. A cleverly placed sofa can mark where your living area starts. And you can use screens in the place of walls – they provide a sense of privacy and divide the room but they don’t take up a lot of space and they can be moved around to your wish.
Make sure you’re getting a lot of natural light
Natural light is the key to making a house feel big, airy, and fresh. So don’t underestimate the importance of windows and balconies. Large and even floor-to-ceiling windows will let in a lot of light to brighten up the space and make it look bigger. Just make sure to place your windows well – East-facing windows in the bedroom, for example, can help you wake up easier in the morning, but if you’re not a morning person you may want to avoid them.
Making smaller homes appear larger with smart interior design choices
If you’ve already built or bought a home and don’t want to bother with a big remodeling project, you can focus on small changes and design choices that make your home appear bigger instead. There are interior design firms in LA that can help you if you’re not sure what you’re doing. Trust us – good interior design is worth the expense.
Go light and bright
A fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference in any room. With a few tricks, you can even paint the room to look bigger:
- use very light colors: light colors make any space look bigger and they give you a blank canvas to work with – they will match with almost any color furniture; medium shades, on the other hand, lack depth and will make rooms appear smaller because of it
- use dark shades to add depth: although dark shades are not usually recommended for small spaces, they can add depth to the room which can make it appear bigger; just make sure your furniture is not also dark
- put a glossy finish on the ceiling: it’ll reflect light and make the room appear taller and therefore bigger
- opt for patterned or textured wallpapers: if you don’t want to paint, patterned or textured wallpapers will also serve to add depth to the overall space and make it look bigger
- use sheer curtains to let light in: since light is important, you shouldn’t stop it with heavy curtains – light sheer curtains will let light in and not weigh down the room
These kinds of tricks are especially important if you’re doing a garage conversion because garages don’t typically come with a lot of windows. Since you won’t be able to rely on natural light in your ADU, how you paint the walls will be even more important for making the space feel big and bright.
Keep it minimal
Minimalist living is not for everyone. But if you have a small home, it’s a lifesaver. Get small pieces of furniture that sit close to the ground to create an illusion of a taller ceiling. Don’t overcrowd your rooms with furniture – furnish only with things you actually need. Finally, be smart with decorations. You want to personalize the home. But you should do that using large and impactful pieces. Don’t fill the room with tons of small pieces – this just makes it look crowded and small.
Good habits for making smaller homes appear larger
Unless you’re planning on expanding your home, you’ll be living in a small space for the foreseeable future. So you’ll need long-term solutions that make your home appear bigger. You can’t just make adjustments once – you need to maintain them. This requires good habits.
Declutter regularly
Too much stuff, even when it’s stuff you use, creates clutter. And clutter fills up space, making rooms feel smaller. So you want to declutter regularly to keep your home clean and free of unnecessary distractions. Not only will this make your house feel bigger, but it is also good for you. Clutter-free spaces diminish stress and make you more productive. So get in the habit of decluttering at least once every 2-3 months (when seasons are changing, for example).
Rent storage space
Making smaller homes appear larger is all about freeing up space. But if you don’t want to get rid of things, all the stuff you’re getting out of the house needs to go somewhere else. So you’ll need some extra space where you can keep your things safe. One solution to this is storage. If you rent a storage unit, you get things out of the house without throwing them away. While this will be an additional monthly expense, storage prices are not very high. And they’re worth paying if they keep your home clutter-free!