Tiny spaces, tiny homes

It is a modern reality that our homes are getting smaller, and many of us have the impression that it feels cramped to live in a small home. But tiny homes come with their set of pros – cleaning is a breeze, for one. On top of that, you can invest more in home décor. Here we will share some tips on how to maximise your home space.

By Yun Qing Chew

1. Experiment with light and earthy tones

When your room is small, a light palette opens it up visually. That’s not to say your home should resemble a hospital. Instead, Stephanie Tan from Stylerider recommends that you complement light tones, like cream white, with earthier neutrals like faded copper brown. You can further soften your room’s look by inviting as much natural light into your room as possible.

Interior designer: Stylerider

2. Get creative with lighting

An expert interior design company can use artificial lighting in creative ways to achieve a look that is uniquely yours. And it doesn’t take up precious space! You can deviate from the norm of using cool lighting and go for warm lighting, which has just as much décor potential. Warm lighting is the mainstay of many fine dining establishments’ décor, so it is perfect if you want a classy look. Jefferey Quek from MJS Interior recommends cove lighting for warm lighting and “adding a barcode mirror to the wall” to accentuate the effect.

Interior designer: MJS Interior

3. Keep your furniture simple

Placing elaborately designed “diva” type furniture in a small room can risk overwhelming the space. It is easier to work with furniture with simple lines, such as those of the Danish variety. With such a small space, David Kek from Imposed Design advises that “homeowners should consider having their furniture custom made for the best effect”.

Interior designer: Imposed Design

4. Tinker with a pop of colour

If you are scared that your home will look bland, there are ways to spice things up
without funky furniture. You can always introduce edgy fixtures into your home by
having the occasional striking red retro ceiling fan, or a lavender lampshade. Just
remember that it is key that they cannot be too large-sized and obstruct paths, and
only use them sparingly.

According to Andy Lim from Design Profession, an alternative is to add feature
colours to your wall. But he cautions that “you should best discuss this with an ID
because the colour to add and where to add all depends on your overall theme”.

Interior designer: Design Profession

5. Strategically positioned photographs

Do not underestimate the power of photographs. A well-coordinated set of frames, when hung strategically, can give your small room depth. Your frames are also where you can inject some creativity and colour into your room. For most homes, though, a single portrait on your wall is your safest bet. According to Henry Ong from Posh Living Interior Design, “hanging a portrait that covers at least a third of the empty wall space is more effective that hanging a few small frames”.

Interior designer: Posh Living Interior Design

6. Consider glass partitioning

Sometimes, replacing walls with glass can be an incredibly effective and stylish way to break the monotony and create the illusion of space. One of the most common spaces to do that is the wall between the kitchen and dining area. Glass partitioning is also a good way to let more light into different areas in your home. You can just replace the top half of your wall with a glass partition if you don’t want to go full on glass. Kurt Boh from 9 Creation advises, “don’t forget to take into account the number of people living in the house – it’s usually easier to hack walls and do glass partitioning when you have fewer occupants”.

Interior designer: 9 Creation

			This article was first published in the print version PropertyGuru News & Views. Download PDFs of full print issues or read more stories now!