Big ideas for small spaces

As we exit the street of "McMansion" and begin down the road of the "big enough" home concept, we need to rethink some of our interior design ideas.Whether your home is a house,condo,or apartment, if you are making do with reduced square footage,you are likely questioning how to make boxy rooms seem bigger and function better.
 After living in all sizes of dwelling, from a 120sq ft boat, to a 1000 sqft house, and just about everything in between, I've learned alot of tricks that can show you how to use colors,furniture placement special installations and other devices to create the illusion of space.
  Have a snmall kitchen or bath, try painting the walls a bright color and keep the cabinets, trim, and ceiling white to refect the light. when it comes to window treatments, the more light you have the bigger your space will seem, choose sheer fabric curtains.

Banning knick-knacks from a small space can make a room seem more spacious, but also cold and lifeless. Try to edit your collection and display them in one or two spots, not scattered all over the room. A group of similar objects, or different objects of the same color, creates a destination for the eye to focus on and avoids a sense of suffocating clutter.

Old interior design wisdom had you believe that big, bold patterns would cramp the style of a small room. However, big bold prints on the walls or a lot of patterns throughout a space can distract you from the size of a area. The secret to making it work is to vary the scale of the patterns. If the walls or draperies have a petite print, for contrast, try a rug with a large-scale print.
And as small furniture may take up less space, and gives an open feel, it usually is not as comfortable as larger pieces, so make do with fewer large pieces in the room. Built-ins are also to be considered. Murphy beds, window seats, bookshelves and shallow cabinets can save space and provide storage while adding design interest.

A few last tips……

*Furniture using clear materials like glass or Lucite give the impression of openness while delivering function.

*Lamps set at different heights brighten small rooms and make the room seem larger.

* Round tables, rugs, pillows, sofas and chairs with curves help a room feel less boxy.

*Floating shelves in place of cabinets add storage but look airy and chic.