From The Expert: The Trendiest Interior Design Tips For Small Spaces

Big room big sofa and small room small sofa? That is what many people believe. Port Elizabeth based interior designer and furniture maker, Kirsten van Bochove helps you choose the trendiest sofa for small spaces.

When carefully planned, a small living room can be both attractive and user-friendly. When you take the time to consider your storage needs and daily lifestyle, you can create a small but smart living room that can increase the enjoyment of your home. Make sure the furniture is the appropriate style and size for your room.

One simple trick is to avoid sofas that have a skirt , rather choose something that is raised and open underneath, a sofa like this when coupled with a tall lamp will pull one’s eyes up and create the illusion of space. In some spaces a full-size sofa just won’t do. Try a slimmed-down sofa or a petite sofa instead.

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The use of one large arm chair uncannily does change the scale of the room or one can use a longer sofa with chairs that are quite delicate. That too changes the scale in the room.

A small living room, especially if it doesn’t have many windows, can feel boxed in. By creating a focal point and boosting the light you can add depth by adding wallpaper to one wall and hanging a mirror on the wallpaper. If the mirror can hang across from a window it will reflect the view outside and it will give the impression of an extra window.

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A storage ottoman as a coffee table works well. Putting a small chest of drawers against one wall will provide more storage as well as providing a surface on which to place that special ornament or photo frame.

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A floor to ceiling storage wall can be a great use of space and a great way to create space, you can incorporate a space for your TV or even a pull out desk.

When there is a wall with a window that requires seating, a backless sofa is often a great idea, it can be used from both sides and if you ever have a larger space to fill it can be used to separate two seating areas.

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Kirsten van Bochove is the owner of Tommy Upholsterers and H&T Furniture by Design who upholster and manufacture furniture for businesses and for the public. Her policy is to be open to new ideas and to manufacture or upholster furniture no matter what the design is.