Utilising Your Humble Haven: Interior Design for Small Homes
Writing from experience, I love a smaller home, primarily for the comfort, cosiness and sense of security they can offer – in my case, a peaceful haven from the vibrancy and excitement of Brighton town centre. Of course, that does not mean to say that homes of a smaller footprint are without their design challenges. On the contrary, whilst there is perhaps less work involved in designing and renovating given the decreased scale, therein lies the challenge – adapting and designing a space to facilitate the demands of the occupant and their possessions.
Now three years in my humble apartment, here are my key pointers on getting the most from your small home.
Each Room Needs to Earn it’s Keep!
Particularly if you’ve only one spare room to work with, it’s important to acknowledge that it will likely need to function in several ways, varying based on the number of occupants and their routines and behaviours. For example, for an individual young professional or those in a couple, the primary bedroom will be reserved solely for this function. The remaining will need to accommodate guests should you wish to host; offer a working or study area if you’re likely to work remotely; or even provide a dedicated laundry area, removed from the primary living space.
If this is given consideration early in the process, you’re able to design with this in mind, devising solutions that benefit the functionality of the scheme and will result in a more cohesive and useful space overall.
There are many ways such a design can be achieved – notably, with the use of multi-functional furniture.
Multi-Functional Furniture
In any small home, every piece of furniture has to be considered and work hard for the occupant(s). Multi-functional furniture can be a game-changer for this reason, utilising the functionality of each room. Take our example above – a day bed is a great way to offer guest accommodation, but would not look out of place alongside a desk or workstation, offering a comfortable sofa-like seating area for some lunch-break respite from your computer screen. Alternatively, you could opt for a traditional bed, but with a fold-down wall-mounted desk that can be hidden and disguised when not in use.
Other examples might include:
Sofa beds: Perfect for guest rooms or living rooms, but be aware – it’s best to ‘try before you buy’ in this case, as many can be more style than substance and offer little in the way of comfort.
Expandable dining tables: These can be compacted when not in use, but expanded to facilitate guests for dinner parties, games nights, poker nights … your call!
Storage ottomans: A great choice for additional seating and hidden storage.
Divan beds: There are some great options on the market here, that offer either an open recess beneath the mattress, or with built-in drawers that pull-out from the base.
Storage & Custom Joinery
Of course, this goes without saying. Storage should be a key consideration in any home, but particularly those that lack footprint.
Whilst the usual advice in small homes may be to consider an open plan layout to make the space appear larger and allow the proliferation of natural light, I would argue the opposite and suggest you embrace closed plan, individual rooms, as they offer more wall space from which storage can be built
Custom joinery can be transformative in such cases, utilising every nook, cranny and awkward recesses or corners that a property has to offer. (Don’t get me wrong, an IKEA billy bookcase can be great, but they can’t be moulded to the very structure of your home, or withstand as much use).
Maximise Vertical Space
When floor space is limited, it’s best to turn to the walls!
In small homes, vertical space is often underutilised, but it’s one of the most effective ways to add storage and visual interest without sacrificing square footage or cramming in extra furniture.
Shelving units or floating shelves in kitchens and living areas can be advantageous for the storage of books, décor or utensils, whilst wardrobes and cabinetry are perfect for bedrooms and bathrooms. If you’ve high ceilings like myself, I’ve found double height (or 1 ½ height) wardrobes and cabinetry to be invaluable in easily adding storage without compromising on design or floorspace.