How To Decorate A Small Space To Make A Big Impact

Today I am sharing a few ways to decorate a small space in order to maximize your room’s potential!

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As many of you know, I have owned my 1930’s home for over a decade now and I just love the charm and the character that comes with an older home. However, because my home is older, the house was built well before the “open concept” style took over, and has a very closed concept layout as a result. I have found myself with more than one small room to decorate, and I wanted to share how I approach decorating a small space.

While sometimes I wish my home was more open when I have guests over, I wouldn’t trade all of the unique details and accents it has, from the arched doorways and coved ceilings to the intricate pattern of the hardwood flooring. With the right decor, it is possible to make a small space feel so much larger. Whether you find yourself in a studio apartment or you just need a few small living room ideas, I hope this guide is helps you maximize your floor space.

As a stay at home mom and homemaker, it is my goal to be as frugal as possible, so my tips will always be as budget-friendly as possible! I encourage you to be intentional with your decor, either using what you may already own or checking out your local thrift store before you make any new purchases.

Please be encouraged that decorating my home has taken many years, and most of our projects have been DIY and have taken many months and years to complete. Do not feel pressure to finish your entire small apartment or home on an unrealistic timeline! Do what you can as time and budget allows.

Choose The Right Color Palette

I am partial to lighter, neutral colors in making a room feel more open. In my opinion, using lighter colors will give your space the illusion of being much more open. I have always been very drawn to a simple, neutral color palette in my home. Most of the cottage paint colors we chose are different shades of white paint colors and greige paints.

Some of my favorite colors for an open feel are Stingray by Benjamin Moore, Halo by Benjamin Moore and just a simple bright white. I have used flat white paint by True Value throughout my home, and truly feel that white is a timeless color that you can’t really go wrong with. Paint really is the best way to trick the mind into seeing a space as larger than it really is, especially when using neutrals.

Now if you absolutely love dark, moody colors, embrace them! You should always style your home the way you like! In fact, my sister’s whole home is painted a deep green color. While darker colors may give your home a smaller feel, there are other options to optimize your space to make it feel larger.

Embrace Vertical Design and Storage Solutions

Take advantage of your vertical space by installing built in shelves for extra storage and to give the illusion of taller ceilings. You will find built in shelving throughout my home, most notably in my sunroom/home office and next to my fireplace. You may also find that building your own storage may be less expensive than purchasing prefabricated pieces.

Vertical design helps to draw the eye up and the added storage space of built in shelves makes it a win win small space solution! You could also consider mounting floating shelves for extra storage, as well as taller cabinets or hutches. Keep your eye open for affordable options! Some of my favorite furniture pieces have been purchased at thrift stores, garage sales and on Facebook Marketplace. The more storage you have, the less clutter you’re likely to have.

Avoid Cluttering

When you’ve owned a home as long as I have, you can really start to accumulate a lot of decor over time. It can be really tempting to want to display all of your beautiful curated pieces, but when it comes to giving your small space a bigger feel, less is more!

The more decor you try to cram into a space, the more cluttered your space will look. Try to be very intentional with what decor or furniture pieces you are adding. Does it overwhelm the space? Does it work well with pieces you already have? Try to avoid overcrowding a space.

When it comes to decor, I like to try and stick to groupings of a minimum of two or three pieces. Three items placed together helps keep your space balanced and not overwhelmed. You will notice on my walls, I usually one have two or three pieces of artwork hanging next to each other. On my coffee table and side tables, I usually have a plant and candle with some books or other small piece of decor.

Embrace Lighting

Natural light is really the best way to make a small space feel more open, but sometimes that may not be an option! A small bathroom may not always have a lot of windows and can often times feel more like a closet. Take advantage of wall sconces, table lamps or even a pendant light to add brightness to a small, dark space.

However, if you do have the option of natural lighting, let the light in! Opt for draperies or curtains that are made of lighter materials and textures like linens and cotton. Or install some woven roller shades to easily let natural light filter through when you need a little privacy.

Personalize With Small Accents

Finally, make a small space your own with pieces you really love. Every piece of artwork in my home has been found at thrift shops and antiques stores, and I truly do love each and every one. When I walk into a room, seeing pieces that bring me joy help to open up the space and give the room a calming, relaxing feel.

From the blankets you throw on your sofa, to the rug you use in your entryway nook, use pieces intentionally to add warmth, character and charm. It can be tempting to purchase trendy items, but the best way to really love your space is to use pieces you love.

Well friends I hope these tips help you while you decorate your own small spaces. Using light colors, keeping your space free of clutter and adding lots of light will truly help to open up the smallest of spaces. How do you decorate your small space? Let me know in the comments below!

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