Top Tips For Small Space Living
By Ana Zuravliova
Whether in small houses that have stood in our towns and cities since the Victorian era, or the post war boom in apartments, bungalows and flats – we have increasingly made our homes in compact spaces. Follow our space saving tips below.
The shift to smaller places
The United Nations predicts almost 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. As this is most likely an accurate prediction, we need to think carefully about how to best use the space available to us.
“But that’s 30 years from now, why do we need to look at this now?” Well – despite Covid-19, there was already a national trend of people working from home. This put a lot more people in the same building for much longer than usual. Coupled with the current restrictions reigning over us, we’re spending more time in our petite properties than ever before; therefore, it’s important to consider ways to make the most of the space available to us.
Ideas for room dividers in multifunctional spaces
Many homes today feature multifunctional spaces – primarily shared living rooms and kitchens. Ordinarily, these spaces would be fine as they stand, however, with many living in shared houses or one-bedroom flats with a partner, it is easy to feel a lack of private space, especially with multiple people working in the same area.
Many have tried to install temporary room dividers using open-backed shelving. While this can look great and provides a valuable storage function, it would take serious time and energy to revert the space back and enjoy its open plan nature when hosting friends or holding a little party (remember when parties were a thing?).
A more popular choice for partitioning multifunctional areas is the use of soft materials to separate the functions of an open space. A great way to achieve this is to invest in a high-quality curtain. With a wide range of materials, patterns, and colours to consider; you can’t fail to find one that will integrate well into your chosen décor. Not only will it look fantastic, but it will also help you get the most from your space.
If your space is designed around a minimalist theme, or angles are more your thing than the folds found in curtains, don’t panic. Panel blinds are an equally stylish and functional option for temporarily portioning out your space.
To help you then enjoy your managed space, consider bringing nature into your home. Potted plants and mini gardens are great ways to help us enjoy our small spaces even more. You could even enhance your windowsill garden with a floral or nature inspired window furnishing. Wooden Venetian blinds and floral Roman blinds are great places to start your deliberations.
Colour for compact living
Colour can also be used to help us better enjoy our spaces. If you have a room with dual functionality, consider a combination of colours that can work when either tone takes priority. For example, consider a combined living and dining area plus navy blue and cream colours.
Because inky dark blue is a relaxing colour, use it as the dominant tone in the living room with cream accents to enrich it. A navy blue sofa near a long indigo curtain framed by cream lampshades and cushions will help you feel connected to that space, regardless of the footage.
Then, in the dining area – which tends to be a more stimulating environment – you can flip the colour priority. Use cream as the dominant colour with dark blue in a supporting role, again consider window furnishings, cushions and lampshades to introduce these spot colours in a hassle-free way.
Sanctuary bathrooms
One space you’ll never find as part of a wider space is the bathroom – and for good reason! Electronics are never a good idea in watery areas so you’d be crackers to work in there and that means this space can be all about relaxation – a place where you can switch off mentally.
To make this space a real sanctuary, use beautifully perfumed candles to provide natural, calming light, and materials inspired by nature. Faux wooden blinds, for example, have been specially designed to bring the aesthetic benefits of wood into a space where natural wooden blinds don’t work well.
Colour, again, plays a mayor role in creating a positive, relaxing bathroom. We recently published a blog as part of our Colour of Psychology series which investigates using positive colours in the home further.
Space saving in your home doesn’t mean you can’t think big. With the right attitude, space saving tips and product selection, you can make any space the perfect environment for living in, working in, and relaxing in. All the products available at Blinds Direct are made-to-measure your exact specifications here in Yorkshire and what could be better than something from god’s own county in your home during these difficult times
Shop our panel blinds – ideal for use as room dividers:
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