Stuck for space? Here’s how to make the most of living in a small home

No matter what your living situation – living alone, sharing, as a family, or in any other configuration – space and, usually, the lack of it, is often an issue. Unless you’re blessed to live in a huge mansion – and most of us aren’t – there’s usually some measure of squaring the size of your living space with the amount of things that you have.

For those living in really small spaces, this problem can be exacerbated through no fault of their own. Limited room, insufficient storage and, of course, too much stuff all play a hand in making a small space feel even smaller. To help make the most of your small space so it will look and you can feel better, here is some expert advice.

Breaking up space

While open-plan living space was the rage for a while – and may still be – interiors consultant Niamh Mac Gowan recommends breaking up small spaces to create mystery. “Rather than open plan, which gives the game away the minute you walk into a house, create different spaces in your home using floor-to-ceiling bookcases, a sideboard, or a peninsula in the kitchen,” says Mac Gowan. Even a half-height wall that can act as a shelf and storage, letting light in but dividing up the space, can do the trick. “It’s all theatre,” Mac Gowan explains. “So, if someone enters your house and they have a journey to travel, it can give the feeling of a bigger space.”

Big or small

When it comes to size in a small space – it matters, but not in the way you may think. “Play with scale,” says Mac Gowan. “Just because you live in a small house doesn’t mean you need to have small pictures, small lamps, bitty tables, and short curtains. “You can go big scale and have nice big pieces, just maybe not as many. You could still have a floor-to-ceiling painting and hang curtains from the ceiling rather than at window height, so when your curtains are closed it gives the feeling of height.”

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Kitchen confidential

To make a small kitchen seem not so small, Mac Gowan’s tip is to use mirrors. “If you have a small kitchen and that’s what you’ve got to live with, mirrors are great for creating space and adding light,” she says. You could, she suggests, install one as a backsplash behind the sink or cooker. “Either have it fitted or find a large-scale mirror that’s quite ornate that could be used in your kitchen if you have the space. It throws light and gives the feeling of space.”

And if your budget allows, choose a drawer dishwasher over a standard-style appliance, Mac Gowan advises. “Your usual dishwasher opens up to the ground, whereas a ‘dish drawer’ opens like a drawer – it’s half the height of the dishwasher and doesn’t eat into the room as much when you open and close it.”

No matter what size your kitchen is, have lamps and paintings in it, says Mac Gowan. “Treat it and decorate it as you would another room,” she says. This will help to make it feel bigger.

Bathing in space

In a bathroom, perhaps more than any room other than the kitchen, space is at a premium, and everything in it has to earn its keep. So, for example, if you have a bath you need to be using it. “Don’t put it in because it’s better for the value of the house,” says Mac Gowan. “It’s not working for its living if it’s a beautiful bath but no one has used it for five years; it’s taking up space that’s quite valuable.” Another bathroom tip is, if you have space, an item of furniture can make it feel more like a room than a functional area and it will another layer of interest.

“It might be that the only option is to have a wall-hung piece of storage, which could be a vintage bookshelf, and can house all your paraphernalia but that will add another layer of interest rather than the bog-standard mirrored cabinet,” says Mac Gowan. “It’s another opportunity to have an ornate mirror over the sink. Wall lights can also – depending on how far you’re going – give a nicer light and can give an element of decoration.”

If you are short on wall space, Mac Gowan says wall-mounted toilets look best. Once you have allowed room for a concealed cistern and fittings a wall-hung toilet “can create an opportunity for deep shelves, which is great for storage, or for displaying a couple of nice pieces that look good rather than your bottles of shampoos”, Mac Gowan says.

Dreaming of change

In the bedroom, the first thing to consider is where your bed can go in the space and if it’s small you’re often limited. “People do have the idea that they need to have the bed in the middle of the room with the matching cabinets,” says MacGowan. “But I would say it can be nice to have a chest of drawers on one side and on the other a good-looking antique or vintage table. It’s telling more of a story as they’re pieces in their own right; they have a purpose but you’re still getting a place to put your bedside light and glass of water.

“If only one is person using the bed, you can have it alongside the window or tucked away, which can give you a lot more space in the room. And you can decamp some of your clothes to another room and have it double up as a guest room so you’re not filling your bedroom with clothes.”

If you can raise your bed up, have a joiner create a bed with storage underneath, which can be an amazing place to keep suitcases or blanket boxes with casters on them. “Have library steps up to the bed, so you can climb in,” Mac Gowan suggests. “It really gives a special look.”

Colour your home beautiful

Colour is important to consider for creating a sense of space and intrigue in your home. “If you just use one colour throughout, there’s no element of surprise,” says Mac Gowan. “You can use paint to create areas and zones so you get a different atmosphere in each room – paint can allow you to do that for the most bang for your buck.” Be courageous with your colours is MacGowan’s advice: courageousIt’s not something to hold back on because of living in a small space.”

The dreaded declutter

It’s the word we’ve been avoiding thus far – decluttering. When living in a small space everything in your home should have its place and have been chosen with care. “You do need to edit” says, Mac Gowan. “I continually do – and I could do more. Everything needs to have a function. The function might be that it’s a thing of beauty – and, in that case, it’s fine to be there. But if it’s something someone gave you and you barely know you have it, it doesn’t deserve a place in your home.”