The only way your space is going to pay
No space? No problem! Space can be a premium, so it's all about being smart with your square foot.
Whether you're buying your first shoe-box or turning to the dark side and becoming a city dweller, we have the perfect space saving solutions. When square feet are a premium and alcoves are architectural treasures, it is important to know every trick in the book. Think white is wisdom and smart storage - it's really all about interior intelligence.
Cunning kitchen storage
The kitchen is typically the busiest room in the house and can be a strategic nightmare when trying to find space for hulking great dishwashers and fat fridge-freezers. Whilst these are pretty unavoidable, you can be smart with your storage! Build in tidy drawers and shelves for all your belongings so your cups don't have their own cupboard and your work surfaces are left uncluttered.
Half way goes a long way in the hallway
People, post and pumps galore, the hallway can be a hectic place. Whilst you want to keep the floor space clear, you also need a spot to keep keys and bits on. Invest in a half-table, a table literally cut in half, and place a large mirror on top. This will create a reflection that will make the space seem larger than it is.
Get simple with your seats
Seats, sofas, settees, these are all great and essential pieces of furniture in a lounge but be clever with your buy. If you have a small living space then try just one cosy sofa and add small seat in the corner to simultaneously save floor space whilst creating extra bottom-space.
If you are socialising, pull out a bright beanbag to create more seats.
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Bars are cool hang-outs
For those with the luxury of a dining room, that's great, however those without should invest in a bar! If you can afford the cabinet space, knock a few out and prop up a very simple table with two stools that neatly tuck under. Alternatively, foldaway tables are great and can either stand discreetly in a corner or even in a cupboard.
Brilliant white in the bedroom
Beds, wardrobes and chest-of-drawers are unavoidable in the bedroom, so other than trying to find great rooms with built-in spaces, we recommend you keep your colour scheme clean. Lacquer everything in either a stark white or a light cream to open the space up and create a cosy feel with cushions, throws and rugs which take up no space!
Bonus.
Find a treaure in your alcove cave
Computers and wires can take up a lot of space so the trick is to utilise it wisely. Accentuate that alcove by finding a desk that slots in perfectly, or mount a shelf to the wall and voilà, a desk is born. Build shelf upon shelf above your head to hold books and stationary before completing the space with a simple, discreet seat.
Bathing is a bygone
Bathing and soaking always has been a thing for aristocracy, so I‘m afraid to say you'll be slumming it in the shower. Get rid of that plastic elephant in the room and instead insert a spacious, airy shower complete with massaging head and wall jets. Go frameless so the cubicle feels even larger and complete with a light, shimmery tile. Okay, you aren't slumming it really.
Holly Walsh was Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2021-2024 but joined the brand back in 2015. With a background of studies in Interior Design, her career in interior journalism was a no-brainer and her passion for decorating homes is still as strong as it ever was, now she is a freelance interiors writer and shopping editor. While Holly has written for most of the home titles at Future, including Livingetc, Country Homes & Interiors, Homes and Gardens and Style at Home, Ideal Home has always been her ideal home, and she can still be found sharing her expertise and advice across both the printed magazine and the website, while also raising her two young children.
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