Make room for small spaces

Whether you are concerned about decorating a smaller home, or a smaller space within a home, keep in mind the philosophy of existing styling—less is more.

Before you begin space planning, consider the form and function of each area or room. All areas, including cabinets and closets, require a little attention and should be space planned in order to maximize your home effectively.

First, you need to be familiar with the two types of space—actual and visual. In the floor print of the home the actual space can easily be consumed by either large scale furniture, or too many pieces. If that three-cushion sofa is a must, keep the other furniture pieces smaller or less frequent. Scale down on tables, and table lamps, instead turn to wall-mounted electrical fixtures and floor light fixtures.

Again, this addresses both the form—clearing floor space, and function—creating a space for a cup or plate at the end of a snack.

Actual space can also be established by implementing a more relaxed approach. Oversized ottomans can serve as a comfortable, casual seat or a table when a serving tray is put on it, as seen in many stores these days.

Armless chairs can be placed in and around the room or can be brought together side by side to create a more intimate setting, like that of a two-seater or loveseat.

Another way to conserve floor space is to inject seating into your space when you are in need of it. Keep chairs of similar fabric, styles or colours in adjoining rooms, and bring them forward when required. This allows the space to be clear of these articles when they are not in use, thus creating more usable living space on the majority.

Secondly, visual space can be established in many fashions. Decorating styles and colour schemes need to be considered. Most contemporary styles are minimalistic.

Saying that, what about more traditional and country living styles? How do you create a functional space and keep spaces clear and uncluttered when you want to establish a more cozy, warm setting?

When you are selecting colours to visually enlarge a space and keep it cozy, keep the colours more toned (greyed) and not tinted (pastel). Keep in mind that cooler colours will recede and warm colours advance into the room, however, with a higher sheen or finish in the paint, such as satin finish, the colour will recede too.

Creating movement with the reflections will also stimulate the senses to the illusion of more space. Watch not to establish more than a 75 per cent ratio with shine vs matte. Decorating then with your furnishings in a similar tone to the walls, also known as a monochromatic colour scheme, will enhance an area.

Placing furnishings around a room which are parallel with the walls, does not necessarily create more space. What you save in square inches, you lose in visual space. Placing furniture on angles and placing plants, floor lamps, decorated case-goods, behind them is a much better use of space and creates a less cluttered appearance. Plus, angled furniture allows the eye to fall upon the piece on a pitch and not full front.

Then team up the furniture by having similar or same fabric selections, this also creates an illusion of more space in the room rather than the eye stopping at each change in colour or design or upholstered piece.

Then, last but certainly not least, is lighting. If you illuminate around the room evenly, this creates less shadows, therefore, creating less division between the spaces and expanding the areas visually into one another. Lighting both upwards and downwards will have more impact rather than all up or all down.

A focal point in each room is a necessity. This will create a more personable home, with panache.

Sallie Ritchey is an interior design consultant at A Decorative Touch in Westside. Reach her at 250-215-6364 or sritchey@telus.net.