Most decorating books and magazines consider homes that are 1500 square feet or so to be small homes. I recently went in search of some home decorating ideas. I took time to read some book reviews on some of the books I thought were potential possibilities for me to find ideas. What I discovered in the book reviews was that many people were having the same problems and experiences I'd been having.
Most of the decorating books and magazines offered good ideas but not ideas for small homes or apartments. Their idea of small usually exceeded 1500 square feet with an occasional 1200 square foot home briefly given some attention. I live in a small home, a really small home in comparison to the houses found in most decorating magazines. My two bedroom home is less than 600 square feet. Creative use of space is a necessity but that doesn't mean I have to forfeit comfort and visual appeal.
I made some decorating mistakes the first time I tried to decorate a small home. One of the most important things I learned was that filling a small home with small pieces of furniture was a mistake. The use of small items only seemed to accentuate the lack of space in the room and give it a cluttered look.
Before decorating my current 600 square foot home I spent some time thinking about what I needed from my home. My partner and I share our home with several pets so I needed the furniture to be pet friendly. We enjoy lounging together on the sofa watching television and the pets like napping there so a comfortable sofa was a must. As with most situations in life, compromise is necessary when decorating a small home. I chose to have a large comfortable sofa in the living room and use less tables. The tables I included in the room are multi purpose tables. They also serve as storage areas, not just as a place to display objects. Even the ottoman is a storage unit. I kept the window treatments simple and the addition of lamps and decorative items to a minimum. Other than the sofa the one other large piece of furniture in the living room is my computer armoire. It balances out the room and provides a great deal of storage space. The room feels comfortable, doesn't look crowded and allows for easy traffic flow. Our living room meets our needs and that is what is important.
Fortunately, the kitchen in our small home is well designed. I use glass storage containers and wire storage baskets to give the room a feeling of openness. I refrain from using small rugs in the kitchen. It seems to me that the room looks larger without small rugs dividing the floor space. Keeping the counter tops clear of clutter is also important.
The bathroom of our home has no cabinets. In order to decorate this room to meet our needs I had to purchase some shelves and come up with a storage solution for basic personal items. I chose to use stainless shelves. The reflection of light on the shiny silver makes the room look larger. I purchased a three drawer storage unit that fits beside of the sink. That provides a drawer for each of us to store personal items in and one drawer to use jointly. I have two mirrors in the small bathroom in order to make it feel larger. I kept the color scheme and use of patterns simple.
Before you begin decorating a small home take time to consider how the space will be used and what items you really need in your home A small home helps you refrain from collecting clutter. It encourages simplification and organization. Once you look at the space you want to decorate from a personal use point of view you may find that you are more creative than you first thought. If you wish, you can take some ideas from books and magazines written by people who have no idea what it's like to live in a really small home and scale them down to fit your decorating scheme.
But my suggestion is that you browse through these books and magazines and appreciate the beauty and talent that appears in the glossy photos then sit down in the middle of each room of your small home and choose the decorating scheme that best fits your needs. Go on a shopping spree and search for what appeals to you and what fits in your home. Don't forget that some of the best decorating finds can be found at consignment stores, thrift stores, and yard sales.
In case you are wondering, our home does have two small bedrooms. I would have gladly shared my decorating ideas for these two rooms with you except that they are still a work in progress.
