While you might be used to conducting your day job in a huge open plan office, in recent weeks thousands across the globe have started working from their smaller homes in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.
But you needn’t have to feel trapped in your tiny apartment, and it is possible to make a small space feel bigger – with the help of a few decorating tricks.
From carefully scaling your furniture to drawing the eye up and using different textiles within the home, FEMAIL reveals the tips that can re-train your eye into making you think your living space is bigger.
Now more are working from home than ever, it’s important to try and make your small apartment feel bigger with the help of a few tricks (pictured)
1. Choose furniture in scale
The first trick is to pick the right-sized furniture and remember that smaller isn’t always better.
‘It might sound counter-intuitive when trying to gain space, but nailing the scale will do just that,’ the experts from lifestyle publication Bed Threads said.
It’s worth taking measurements of your room and finding out what will suit it, rather than just opting for the smallest rug you can find.
If you play with different sizes a bit, it can also help to make a small space feel larger.
2. Draw the eye up with plants
The second tip to making a small apartment feel like a mansion is to draw the eye up, either with plants or items hanging from the ceiling or on shelves.
‘To draw people’s eyes up naturally, get your green thump out and plant yourself up some hanging pots,’ Bed Threads said.
This is one of the most affordable ways to gain height in a studio.
3. Practise minimalism
Social distancing and self isolation can be seen as a great opportunity to get on top of clutter and Marie Kondo your space.
Hoarding in a small apartment will only make it feel even smaller, and even if you want to keep all of your old knick-knacks it might be worth putting them away into cupboards and drawers.
Try and keep things slick and minimal on surfaces, tables and shelves and your apartment will instantly feel more spacious.
4. Think big with some pieces
When it comes to pieces like art work, photos and mirrors, the Bed Threads team said bigger is always better.
‘Keeping everything tiny will only lead to you feeling like you’re living in a doll’s house, so lean towards the larger side with your artistic purchases to form a striking focal point,’ they said.
5. Float specific pieces
Like with your plants, you should also think about floating elements like shelves and hooks on the walls to ‘get furniture off the floor’ and open up the flow of the room.
The more floor space you have, the bigger the apartment will feel.
6. Consider your textiles
Paying careful attention to the different textiles and fabrics on show in your apartment is a fantastic way to elevate the look and feel of somewhere and instantly make it feel more expensive.
Choose different fabrics where possible in your cushions, sofas and bed linen – jute, linen and velvet all work well.
7. Use dividers
If you’re someone who lives in a studio apartment where the living area, kitchen space and bedroom are all in the same room, it’s important to create physical boundaries between the different spaces.
Screen dividers work well here, but if you don’t like the look of them, you could try a bookshelf or even a sheer curtain.
‘When you leave everything open and on show, you’re instantly visually overwhelmed by the fact that the unit is a bedroom, living room and kitchen all at once,’ Bed Threads said.
This, in turn, is not conducive to productive working from home.
Australia’s ‘renovation queen’ Cherie Barber (pictured) shared her tips and tricks for maximising a small space
Speaking previously to FEMAIL, renovation expert Cherie Barber shared her tips for maximising a small space – including thinking about balance and making the most of every square metre.
‘The small space under a traditional staircase is quite often dead space,’ Cherie explained – and even if it is being used, the awkward triangular shape can make things look even more awkward.
Instead, she said, it helps if you build in bookshelves, like she did with this American project.
Suddenly, you have storage and an artistic asset to the property.
Cherie also said it’s important to think about the ‘balance’ in a room as the harder elements need to be fairly balanced with the softer.
‘Make sure there is a strategic focal point in the room – or somewhere where your eyes will naturally gravitate. This is key to satisfying interior design,’ she said.
She is also a fan of repetition throughout your design, as this will help to create cohesion in your home.