Top Trends to Try for Tiny Spaces
Tiny homes have become very trendy all on their own. These small spaces are anywhere from 200 square feet to 900 square feet. Tiny homes are inexpensive, and they reduce the overall cost of home maintenance, which allows many people to live a more financially independent lifestyle. Tiny homes are also more eco-friendly, so those who are interested in a sustainable lifestyle are drawn to these homes.
Some people live in tiny homes by necessity. In large, metropolitan areas like New York City, San Francisco and London, real estate comes at a premium. Even a small home can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Therefore, many people live in homes that are smaller than they would like.
You don’t have to sacrifice style and comfort when you are living in a tiny space. You just have to be a little more creative with your design. Here are a few top trends you might want to try for your tiny space, whether you live in a micro home or you just live in a small studio in a large urban center:
Use Convertible Furniture
When your floor space is limited, you don’t have the room for multiple pieces of furniture. Even standard furniture like a bed can take up a huge piece of real estate in your home. Instead of resigning yourself to the clutter, you can open up more room by using convertible furniture.
Perhaps the most useful piece of convertible furniture is the wall bed. The bed folds up against the wall when it is not in use, opening up the entire floor for use. Some wall beds contain other pieces of furniture. For example, some wall beds lift up to reveal a sofa and others have a desk and bookshelves. You can turn your living room into a bedroom or use a guest room as an office space.
Other useful convertible furniture includes transforming tables. You can transform a coffee table or desk into a dining room table. The table legs pull apart to reveal tracks that hold additional leaves, transforming the small table into a large dining table that seats eight to 10 people.
You can get all the functionality you need without taking up more space just by using the right convertible furniture.
Take Advantage of Vertical Space
You may not have a lot of floor space in your tiny home, but you probably have a lot of wall space that you aren’t using for much more than hanging art. You can take advantage of this vertical space to get the functionality you need while also de-cluttering the room.
One of the best ways to use vertical space is to install a loft bed. The bed is raised to eye level, and you can use the area below it for bookshelves, a sitting area, or a desk.
Other ways that people have taken advantage of vertical space in small homes is to build shelves and cabinets all the way up to the ceiling.
When evaluating your space, it is important to consider ways to use every inch of it, even it’s on the walls or the ceiling.
Convert Unlikely Spaces
You may feel like your options are limited in a tiny space, leaving you room for little more than the necessities, like a bedroom, bathroom, sitting area and kitchen. However, if you get a little creative, you can get much more out of your space.
One of the best ways to convert an unlikely space is to use your closets. Take the door off a closet you don’t need, and turn it into a mini office space. Put up some shelves, and create a desk top out of a sturdy piece of wood. You’ll have your own little nook to study and do work, and you won’t have to take up more floor space for it.
Organize your other closets to ensure you still have enough storage space eve with the loss of that one closet.
Use Hidden Storage
The area underneath your furniture is typically wasted space. You can change that by using it for hidden storage — and we don’t mean just cramming random things under your bed.
Several pieces of furniture are available that offer hidden storage. For example, storage beds have a hydraulic platform that allows you to lift the mattress and reveal a boxy area underneath in which to store your belongings. Ottomans, cabinets and some sofas also provide hidden storage. You can reduce clutter in your home without having to sacrifice your belongings.
Create the Illusion of Space
Size can often be a visual trick. For example, a room will look much bigger if you just reduce the amount of furniture and other belongings that are in it.
An easy way to create the illusion of space in a tiny home is to paint everything white. The room will appear to open up and be more inviting. You can also hang a lot of mirrors around the room, creating the illusion of even more space.
Don’t sacrifice good design and style because you live in a tiny home. Use these tips to help you create an inviting space that provides everything you need and still shows off your signature style.