In my house, I’ve found that small spaces can either be extremely easy or extremely difficult to “freshen up” with a changing seasons, a change in my mood or out of necessity. In smaller rooms, the large furniture pieces remain a constant (and usually in the same spot), but I don’t let that discourage me from making changes. I’ve found that there are many creative ways to freshen up your small space without having to create big – and often expensive – changes.
Here are some of my favorite tips and ideas to freshen up small spaces in the home.
1. Add Area Rugs
The easiest way to freshen up a small space is with an area rug. When you replace an old, worn out rug for a fresh, clean one you instantly change up your colors and décor – at the same time. Placing a rug in a small space is easy to do as you can angle a rug under a bed, creatively position a rug under a couch or love seat and, my favorite, place a circle rug in the middle of a small square room, which instantly changes the feel of a room.
2. Keep It Simple
Clean lines and simple décor help to create an uncluttered look in small spaces. But for the rooms that require the need for more storage – a wooden tray on a living room ottoman creates a place to hold your book and water cup while you rest your feet and you still have the option for additional seating when you have house guests.
Another way to keep it simple is to dust off the clutter on your shelves and wall ledges to go for a simple look with one to three framed picture, vases or other design details. Decorating should be done in singles or in three’s. So if one picture is a little too simple for your liking, try pairing it with two additional items like a candle or a small stack of books. Just shy away from filling an entire shelf if the shelf’s main purpose is for decoration and not storage.
3. Pops of Color
With the addition of color, you can make the smallest and simplest room fresh in flash. Solid-colored, abstract or color blocked throw pillows on a loveseat bring warmth and character, a brightly painted chest of drawers for storage (also used to double as a bedside table) next to a guestroom bed, or something as simple as adding colorful books (both reading and cookbooks) as part of your kitchen décor.
4. Keep It Light
White walls are very “in” at the moment. But if you prefer colored walls, try to go with the lighter hues in your smaller spaces. Not only do lighter walls brighten up a room, it can help them appear larger. Another way to brighten up a small space is to add hanging mirrors on a wall adjacent to or diagonal to a window as well as hang sheer or lightweight curtain panels.
5. Utilize Wall Space
By creatively utilizing wall space, you can freshen up your room while creating practical storage solutions. A perfect example is with books. Book storage is usually the easiest storage dilemma to figure out in smaller spaces. I love the look of floating book shelves or even books strategically stacked by a bedside to act as a side table – when not being read of course. Another great idea is to take your bookshelf to the wall instead of taking up valuable floor space. Wall-mounted shelves or cubes are a perfect place for books, magazines, décor or even bathroom essentials.
6. Bring In Life
The most natural way to freshen up a space – big or small – is to add living plants and flowers. Not only do plants add color in a very simple way, they also help freshen up the air around you.
7. DIY Projects
Let’s not forget about all the amazing DIY projects you can begin once you decide it’s time to freshen up your small space. Make your own throw pillows and curtains… Refinish or paint your furniture to simplify it or to add pops of color… Even paint the pots of your new plants.
Written by:
Christina Holt, Writer/Teacher- Mommy Loves Coffee
