How To Maximise Space In A Small Home

February 2021

Finding that your small home isn’t working for you and looking for ways you can maximise the space you already have? There are actually plenty of ways you can make the most of your room and you may find that your home fits your needs better than you think. In this article, we share five things you could consider for maximising the space in your small home.

CREATE FLEXIBLE AREAS
One great way to really maximise the footprint you’ve been given is to create flexible areas that can easily be transformed for multiple uses. This is great when you have limited room and many need a room to be multi-functional, for example, a bedroom that can also be a home office when you need to work from home.

This can be done with clever planning and also by utilising space-saving furniture. Initially, you should determine exactly what it is you hope to use the space for, and what the space will need to contain for that to be possible. Then, you should find furniture that takes up as little space as possible unless you need it. For example, if you want to bring in a dining area, find a table that can be pushed to one side and chairs that can be stacked easily, meaning they will only take up space when they are being utilised.

INSTALL SPACE-SAVING TECHNOLOGY
Sometimes we need technology in our homes to help us live a better and more independent life. But this technology can sometimes be quite cumbersome and take up room you cannot afford to spare. However, with new space-saving designs, you might be able to find the solution to your problems and not have to compromise on floor space.

For example, our house lifts for disabled use have a modest footprint and can bring a whole new sense of independence and luxury to your home. Whether you already have a bulky stairlift installed that is getting in the way of day-to-day life or your living space is spread over multiple floors and staircases are taking up room, installing a home lift can make it a breeze travelling between the floors of your home and free-up essential space.

FIND FURNITURE WITH STORAGE BUILT IN
Something that can take up plenty of floorspace is storage. Having our possessions to hand can be useful but, with limited storage space, they can often spill out or just cause a cluttered look. An ideal method to bring more storage into your home without having to take up extra space is to look for furniture with storage built in.

A great way to do this is with ottoman-style storage. Available on a range of items but most popularly on beds and pouffe-style seating, and ottoman piece of furniture will contain a hidden storage compartment that you can access easily and is super discrete. You can also look for items that offer extra compartments instead of bulk, like a coffee table with multiple layers or even a sofa that sits far enough off the floor you can fit storage boxes underneath.

Talking about their storage ottoman, Allison at The Simple Dollar explains: “A storage ottoman is the perfect place to store books, blankets, magazines, or any other frequently used items. I typically wrap up my evenings on the couch snuggled under a comforter with a good book in my hand — and I can access all of these items, stored out of sight, by stretching my arm and popping open the top of the ottoman. They also serve as the perfect footstool, supply additional seating in a pinch, and can substitute for a coffee table.”

REPLACE OUTER WALLS WITH WINDOWS
Natural light is something that we should all bring as much of as possible into our homes. It bounces off of our surfaces and brings a whole new life to the room. And, with natural light comes windows, not only bringing the sun in to illuminate what you already have but breaking up solid walls making your rooms feel bigger and brighter.

If you are trying to give the illusion of a larger space, using this to your advantage can be a great help. Look around your home and find any solid walls that encroach on the room and make it feel smaller and consider whether a window can be added. This could be an outer wall, but, if you really want to bring the light through your home it could be an interior wall too for a statement feature piece.

This is something the team at Build Review recommend: “Another key to making the most of a small home plan is implementing windows — and lots of them. Installing windows throughout the space will bring natural light in, making it feel less like a box and more like a home. Window placement is also important. Windows at the end of corridors, or corner windows and skylights, all increase visibility.”

UTILISE YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE
One way to make your home feel larger that many don’t consider is by utilising your outdoor space more. With a set of glass opening or sliding doors, you’ll be able to give your home the feeling of extending outside even when the doors are closed. And, in the summer months, you’ll be able to treat the space you have outside to your disposal as another room in the house.

For many, this can mean bringing in garden furniture that offers a living room-style feel and new hosting area, but you can do even more with your outdoor space. You could consider adding counter space and a BBQ to give yourself an “outdoor kitchen” or even creating a canopy of some sort so that space can be used whatever the weather.

HOW TO MAXIMISE SPACE IN A SMALL HOME
Create flexible areas
Install space-saving technology
Find furniture with storage built in
Replace outer walls with windows
Utilise your outdoor space
Hopefully, these tips can help you maximise the space in your home and allow you to get the most out of the footprint you have. With some clever renovations and upgrades, your home will be able to suit all of your needs and be a place where you are happy to hang your hat.

For more tips and advice, make sure to visit our news page: https://www.cibeslift.com/gb/latest-lift-news/

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