Got a tiny room in your Chicago home? This is a typical problem for apartment dwellers and small homeowners. Fortunately, there are solutions that are easy and doable in just a few hours. Simply heed these six basic rules.
- Mirrors to the rescue
Ever been in a room that looked huge only to find out that mirrors were causing the optical illusion? You can do that too! Put multiple mirrors on your walls, and you’ll see your space expand in an instant. As a side note, small, cutesy mirrors won’t do much. Go for the big ones.
- Paint your walls in light colors
Dark walls draw out shadows and make spaces look cramped and gloomy. Lighter and brighter walls in shades like white, ivory, and pale blue or yellow will reflect the light in the room and open up your space.
- Let the walls handle it
Super small spaces in tiny Chicago apartments and wee homes need to function as actual storage for your stuff. This presents a problem that paint shades and mirrors can’t fix. To help, let your walls take the brunt of it.
Hang photographs instead of standing them on surfaces. Buy a hanging calendar instead of the stand variety. Choose sconce and clip lamps instead of table lamps. And if you have other stuff to store like magazines, exercise equipment, and toys, make sure you have some shelving handy. You can use bins and baskets to get these things out of sight.
- Frame your windows and brighten the place up
Is your space dark and broody with little light? This isn’t helping matters. The only window treatment Chicago dwellers with small apartments need are some sheer curtains and shades. Don’t go for dark, heavy curtains.
For more light, brighten the space with lamps. Depending on the room, an overhead light might work as well, but lamps provide a more cozy atmosphere. Plus, if you’ve been sure to hang lots of mirrors, the lamp light will bounce around and brighten your space even more.
- Mix storage and design
Got other stuff to store that won’t fit on the shelves and walls? Don’t leave it all out in the open! Instead, find ottomans and coffee tables that open into storage, and use end tables and dressers with lots of drawer space. These furniture items offer sleek design and great storage.
- Forget the knickknacks
Sorry, but small figurines, statues, vases, and decorative orbs have got to go. These knickknacks clutter up otherwise flat spaces like coffee and end tables, shelves, and tops of dressers. You’ll want to keep those surfaces empty. It will create the illusion of open space and make the room look bigger.
- Color code
Lots of different colors create visual chaos in any space, so pick a maximum of three colors, and try not to stray from your choices. Again, the lighter, the better. For example, the best window treatment Chicago residents need is a good pair of sheer, light curtains. The color of these curtains can be one of the two or three color choices for your room.
Additionally, avoid prints—yes, even the big bold ones. These scatter the eye and break up the space—again, making it look chaotic. Stick to solids instead.
These tips and tricks can declutter and open up any small space. Use them, and you’ll see a whole new room!
