The challenge of decorating a small room can be daunting, but it can also be fun and inexpensive. Here are some creative ways to keep your small room looking largely lovely.
Small Living Room
If your challenge area is a small living area, one of the best ways to decorate on a budget is to keep the furnishings small in scale. You do not want a large sofa in a small room as it will swallow the area and limit your decorating options. Instead, choose two or four (depending on the size of the room) comfortable chairs gathered around a central round ottoman or table.
This small round center area offers an opportunity for focus, so add a pretty plant or decorative object and coffee table book to the middle. Pillows on the chairs are a great way to add color and comfort. Choose a dramatic color for one wall of the room, and consider adding a mirror or two to reflect add and create visual space.
Small Kitchen
If your kitchen is small you'll want to maximize every inch of space. Use the walls as much as possible for cabinets, open shelving, or the addition of color or a decorative wall hanging in an area of central focus. If you have a windowsill, consider small colorful pots of herbs. Keep countertop clutter to a minimum, store away appliances you rarely use. Color is key in the kitchen, choose a dramatic hue and use it to coordinate linens, dishes, area rug or wall paint. Use bar stools instead of chairs since they take up less space.
Small Bedroom
If it's your bedroom that's the small area, use small bedside tables or pare down to only one bedside table. Use ceiling lighting with a dimmer instead of lamps, add a reading light to the wall over the bed if needed. Use wall space creatively- bookshelves can hold books, photos and other objects without adding the space larger tables require. Maximize closet space so clothes and shoes don't clutter the room. A trunk at the end of a bed can be a great way to store blankets and other items.
Organizing clutter in any room is the best way to make a small space seem larger. Add bookshelves, square baskets, or storage bins to keep your objects and collections from taking up floor space. Hanging plants in any room (even good quality faux plants) are a great way to maximize space in a small area.
One great website about small spaces is decoratingyoursmallspace.com.
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Mary McCarthy - Mary T. McCarthy is the blogger at pajamasandcoffee.com and Editor of Chesapeake Family magazine.
