What Are Some Tips to Decorate a Small House?

Decorating a small house can be a challenge for even the most experienced designers. But when decorated properly, small houses can feel charming and cozy.

Here are some tips to help you make your small space truly work for you:

The first tip to decorating a small house involves your bed. While it may be easy and even tempting to go with a basic full or queen-sized bed, you may want to switch it up a bit within your small space. There are many ways that you can do this, depending on the style you’re going for and the space you’re working with.

For instance, you could choose to use a day bed rather than a traditional bed. This effectively allows you to use your bed as both a bed and a sofa. It also gives the space a cozier and more traditional feel.

On the other hand, you could choose to use a Murphy bed. This unique type of bed folds down onto the floor during use before going back up into the wall. It allows you to truly maximize your floor space and is a more modern and contemporary feature. This is a common feature in many Cottage studio ADUs.

The second tip to decorating a small house involves your couch. If a daybed isn’t your thing and you still need a sofa, you may feel that you’re limited by your small space. Getting enough seating in a small living room can be tricky, but it is still possible with the right approach.

One counterintuitive way to maximize your seating space is to downsize your couch. By using a smaller couch like a loveseat or a settee, you can incorporate other pieces like chairs, ottomans, orb pillows, etc. Not only does this effectively increase your seating space, but it also adds dimension and depth to your space at the same time.

The third tip to decorating a small house involves your tables. While it may be tempting to choose your basic dining tables and coffee tables, a small space may require a different approach to these essential pieces.

You need to look for folding or multifunctional tables within your small space. For instance, coffee tables can fold up into a full table or even a useful desk. There are also tables with leaves that can easily be expanded to provide you with more surface area when entertaining. Finally, consider tables and desks that fold up into the wall to clear your floor space and offer additional storage through hooks and shelves.

In addition to mounting foldable tables, you may also want to mount your television. This is because entertainment centers can be extremely bulky and a waste of space. Maximize your floor space by mounting your television onto the wall. Add in some fun design features like a gas fireplace, built-in bookshelves, or a gallery wall to complete the look.

If you’re not a fan of mounting your television on the wall, there are other unique storage solutions to consider. For instance, you could hide your television inside a cabinet. This cabinet can also double as a storage area for things like gaming systems, gaming accessories, DVDs, books, etc.

We’ve already mentioned built-in bookshelves, but they are worth mentioning again as they are a small space essential. These features do not take up floor space and instead take advantage of the ample wall space that is offered by small houses. Not only that, but built-in features give your house a custom and luxurious feel.

Built-in features also go beyond obvious items like bookshelves. For instance, there are built-in refrigerators that fit seamlessly within the kitchen cabinets. There are also built-in closet arrangements to provide you with a functional and organized closet space. Finally, built-in seating areas like banquettes and window seats expand seating space without taking up too much floor space.

While a little color isn’t necessarily a bad thing, when it comes to decorating small houses, it’s best to keep it relatively neutral in the tighter space. Light-colored neutrals can effectively open up the space and make it seem larger than it really is. Depending on your color scheme, you can choose to go with beige, gray, or even “greige.”

At the same time, you shouldn’t be afraid to add some color to your small spaces. You can do this through accessories like artwork, rugs, throw pillows, etc. You should also incorporate a variety of different textures into your space to add some depth and variety to spice it up.

Many people assume that they must hide all their belongings in a small space to cut down on clutter. However, it might be a good design idea to put your things on display. Open storage is all the rage these days as it adds character to a space while making your items more accessible.

One way to do this is through open shelving. However, there are also hooks and racks that you can use to house your items in the open. Just make sure to keep these areas organized and free of clutter so that they remain aesthetically appealing.

Small spaces can feel dark, drab, and dingy if you don’t decorate them properly. In order to do this, you will need to prioritize light in all forms. If possible, natural light is key. You can effectively harness natural light by incorporating things like sheer draperies and mirrors.

Unfortunately, not all spaces have enough natural light—this is where artificial lights can work wonders. Make sure that your space is well lit from a variety of different light sources, including floor lamps, table lamps, wall sconces, and recessed lights.

Now that you have light down, it’s time to talk about artwork. The right artwork can really be a small space together. This is especially true if you’re primarily working with neutral colors. Using artwork is a great way to incorporate a pop of color and personality into your small space.

While big and exciting artwork may work in some cases, it’s generally safer to go with appropriately sized art pieces that won’t overwhelm the space. Just remember to work with the scale of the room and have fun with it.

The last thing you need to decorate a small house is some greenery. Greenery is vital in any space but especially small spaces. This is because greenery can freshen up the space and provide some much-needed oxygen. Some of our favorite house plants include yucca, air plants, spider plants, and orchids.

If you’re having trouble coming up with the perfect layout and design for your small home, reach out to the design experts at Cottage! Cottage goes beyond just design and helps with feasibility, permitting, and construction of stylish, custom tiny homes and ADUs.

Check out some of our featured projects for inspiration, or reach out to us to see how we can help maximize your small space.

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