How To Make Small Spaces Seem Bigger

It may seem inconvenient or difficult to decorate a small space in your home, but there are a variety of strategies to make that smaller area seem much bigger. Here are some ideas to help you maximize the space in smaller rooms in your home.

The first step for making your small space seem bigger is to clear out all unnecessary items in the room. It’s very hard for any space to look big when there is an assortment of unorganized things thrown around the room. You’ll also want to make sure that there are clear walkways that aren’t obstructed by any pieces of furniture.

The color scheme is very important for maximizing the space in a small room. Dark and warm hues can make a room feel closed off or intimate, so it’s important to choose soft colors for smaller rooms. Lighter colors give rooms a more airy, open feeling and this can be enhanced by choosing similar soft colors for the furniture, curtains, or other items in the room. If your room accessories match the color of the wall, the room will seem more expansive.

Let in as much light as possible. Well-lit rooms always seem larger and you can achieve this with thinner drapes or by making sure all windows are unobstructed. If your small room doesn’t have any windows, you can use mirrors to reflect light from lamps and overhead lighting and give the room a more open feeling. Another way to enhance the light is to use transparent pieces of furniture. Light will flow unobstructed when you have furniture made of glass or lucite.

Renovate Vs. Relocate

Is it worthwhile to improve your property, or is moving a better choice?

Unless you built a custom home, you probably have a long list of things you’d like to improve in your current home. Browsing online listings might get you in the mood to upgrade to a new home, or you might be thinking about renovating your current home after binging on HGTV. The answer to renovation vs. relocation depends greatly on what you’re trying to fix.

Thinking about a new kitchen?
If you’re dreaming of a chef’s kitchen with new appliances and beautiful cabinets, renovating your own kitchen gives you incredible ROI and is less costly than moving. You’ll increase the value of your own home if you ever decide to sell, and there’s a great sense of accomplishment that comes with completing a custom renovation.

Need more space?
If you’re running low on bedrooms, there may not be a lot of options. Converting an existing room to a bedroom doesn’t create any new space. If you’re in a condo, an addition is probably impossible. And additions can be expensive even if it’s a possibility. Moving is usually the best option.

If the neighborhood isn’t ideal
You may have seen some potential for your neighborhood when you first moved there, but perhaps it still isn’t welcoming the shops and restaurants you expected. If that’s the case, consider moving. There’s no sense in waiting years for the neighborhood to improve, especially if you can move to a house in the same price range in a more preferred part of the city.

Tips From Interior Design Experts

Interior design is no walk in the park. In fact, many people build their entire careers on their keen eye for making each room in a home flow beautifully. This is not to say that only professionals are capable of creating a breathtaking interior, but these tips from design experts may assist you in your next project at home.

Set Your Ground Rules: Before starting any big projects, it’s important to set some ground rules for your endeavor. You should decide how far you want to go with your project, whether that be replacing the furniture or tearing down a wall to open up a room.

Name Your Price: After you conclude how extreme your project will be, set a strict budget that will guide you through the process. Without a proper budget, you may get lost in your plans and overspend.

Find Your Inspiration: There’s no harm in consulting the opinions of others before starting a project. It may be useful to consult the prominent design blogs to see what trends are popular at the moment. Make sure to observe opposing design styles, such as minimalism and modern.

Trust Your Gut: Although it can be beneficial to learn about current trending design styles, there’s no reason to pay attention to them if they don’t appeal to you. Far too often, people adhere to design trends like it’s the law, but you should really trust your gut when it comes to design.

Move Your TV: It may not seem like a big deal, but oftentimes a TV can dominate a living room because it is placed at the center of the room. This points all the attention to the TV and away from conversation.

Three Ways To Ease Your Fears About Making A Move

With low inventory in many markets throughout the country, many homeowners are afraid to sell their homes because they’re concerned that they may not be able to find a new one.

This can be a real problem, but if you are seeking to sell, upgrade, or find a new neighborhood there are a few ways to combat the low inventory.

1. Look to buy first

In most markets it is a real mistake to put your home up for sale before you start looking for your new property.

Identify the geographic area where you are interested in buying. Even if you don’t see anything while searching, it doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t find the right home.

2. Think outside the box

Be proactive! Keep in mind that there are probably many people like you who want to make a move but are afraid as well. Have your real estate agent send a letter to the neighborhoods in the geographic areas where you want to live. The letter should be heartfelt and personal while announcing that you are ready to buy a home in that neighborhood. You could find a home to buy that may not even be currently listed or for sale.

3. Protect yourself legally

Each state varies in how the purchase process is conducted. Talk to your real estate professional about adding a clause in the purchase contract for the home you are selling that will enable you to not sell the home if you cannot find a suitable home to buy.