Your home is only as spacious as it feels.
If that seems like a silly thing to say, just wait. It’s possible to create more space without building an extension–and we’re going to tell you how.
The housing market is heating up. If you’re one of the thousands of Americans enjoying a new home, it’s important you make the most of it.
Today, you’re going to learn how to do just that, by turning your new condo or townhome into a spacious paradise. Use these simple trick to create more space in your home.
What Furniture Will You Choose?
You may have chosen your new condo because it seemed spacious during a viewing. As soon as you bring your furniture into the picture, it can end up seeming a lot smaller.
Big, bulky furniture takes up a lot of space in a literal sense. But these pieces can also dominate the room as you look around, making them seem even bigger.
Choose a smaller sofa that’s raised off the floor. Being able to see underneath frees up the space in your mind, which makes the place seem larger. It’s also easier to vacuum.
In the kitchen, translucent materials for tabletops and gloss units let light in and reflect around the space. Avoid solid islands in smaller homes. It will dominate the kitchen and make it seem cramped.
Neutral Colors Help to Create More Space
Neutral colors like white and cream can create more space than darker colors.
A pale yellow can work in some spaces. But despite being a bright color, it can be oppressive if it doesn’t suit the room. This depends on the exact shade used and the amount of natural light let into the apartment.
Adding some darker accents that draw the eye up the vertical axis is a good choice. Wall-mounted bookcases can be used to do this, or other tall units in the room.
In smaller condos with a high ceiling, focusing on the vertical rather than across the horizontal reveals more space to the eye.
Match Up Your Flooring
Having different flooring from room to room creates a feeling of a jarring, mismatched space.
Using one continuous type of flooring throughout your home can help to create more space. It makes the apartment feel like one large space, rather than several disconnected and smaller spaces.
Another tip is to use big tiles. These don’t segment and split up space as much as small tiles appear to.
This is one of the more expensive suggestions on our list, as flooring jobs aren’t cheap. We also understand that you may not be keen on tearing up the floor in your brand new home, so maybe put this one on the back-burner for a while!
If you’re looking for a new home but haven’t chosen yet, use a directory to make sure you’re considering many options before settling.
Try to pick one with matching flooring so you don’t have to undertake this disruptive job yourself. If you fall in love with a place that doesn’t have this feature, that’s fine too!
Declutter
Moving home can be one of life’s most stressful events.
It’s absolutely forgivable that your new home is in a bit of disarray once you’re in.
Once you’re a bit more settled, work on decluttering. Everything should have its place–and that’s generally not on the floor, on the sofa, or on the worktop.
Simply putting things away once you’re done with them creates more space in an instant.
Think About Storage
Storage can be tricky. You don’t want to add loads of storage units in a small place, but there are clever ways to add storage without taking up space.
Using a chest as a coffee table is one of these ideas. You can store things you don’t use on every day inside it, but it also has a practical use. It adds more character to your home.
If you have any tall cupboards with only one level to put things, install some shelves. This will create more space to store little bits and pieces that would otherwise create clutter.
We’ve already mentioned that wall-mounted bookcases can be a good use of space. Wall-mounted hooks help to keep the place tidy too. They help to remove clutter like coats and hats.
Glass and Mirrors
Glass shower doors and acrylic kitchen furniture can be seen through, so there’s less to block your vision.
A wall-covering mirror can appear to double the space in your new condo, but it could be pricey. It might not be practical either, depending on the floor plan and how your furniture is laid out.
Hanging a few large mirrors on the walls is a viable way to create more space.
A Bed Mezzanine
If you have a really tall ceiling, you should look into the possibility of raising your bed space up into it.
It’s no small project, but this frees up a huge amount of space. We don’t recommend just raising the bed, as it will then be hard to make and keep clean. You need to establish some floor and storage space, too, to make it more homely up there.
It’s a bit of a grand ambition. But if you can pull it off, it’s a very cool arrangement which sections off your private space.
What’s Next?
After you’ve finished your work to create more space, take a well-deserved break to enjoy your new condo!
Are you already itching to get to work on other areas? If the exterior of your condo needs a bit of love and care, consider one of these superb remodeling projects.
And keep your condo tidy and clean for visitors with our 10 secrets for a tidy home.
Good luck with settling in, and we hope you enjoy your new home!
