Mysest56 
April 2, 2022
Environmentally and economically, living in a smaller footprint only makes sense. But remodeling a little space so it feels welcoming and spacious can go terribly wrong with no basic tricks to make a sense of magnitude — or at least a navigable and usable room. Consider light, storage — litter is claustrophobic — furniture scale, and also the impact of shade in the room, and push back those walls.
Big Bedroom Ideas
Many homes have that tiny space re-purposed to your bedroom: the converted attic, the extra room salvaged in the conclusion of a wide hallway, or the alcove off the primary studio. It has to hold a bed, clothing storage, a reading lamp, mirror and maybe a desk to do assignments. That is a lot to ask from limited square footage, so get smart with easy solutions. A tall folding screen behind a minimal headboard creates a feeling of height, which adds a powerful decorative element, and conceals a hanging bar that fulfills the role of the closet. A feces tucks below a wall-mounted desktop; neat squares of chalkboard-painted plywood hung on the wall over the table catch notes, scribbles or alarms. Neat, under-bed, wheeled storage is handy and out-of-sight. A low, “undetectable” bookshelf that shows the spines of books is a dual-purpose nightstand.
Grand Hall Illusions
The parlor is petite, and you long for the sweep of a generous salon. Not happening on your crowded urban digs, but you can fake it enough to amuse business. A couple of big mirrors facing each other — decorative pier glasses work well — fool the eye into seeing endless space. In addition they bounce light around the room like additional windows. White or light paint opens up the room, but a white ceiling that extends down over the crown molding, or a edge of ceiling white along the top of a colored wall, which makes the ceiling and the room appear wider and draws the eye upwards, adding the illusion of height. Furniture scaled to the space will not conquer it — that massive sofa inherited from Aunt Sophie would likely be an elephantine hurdle in a diminutive room.
Kitchen Correction
Upper closets in a tiny kitchen should reach the ceiling. You may store seldom-used things there, and the tall cabinets give a low-ceilinged room the unearned look of greater height. Open shelves over the countertops are visually expansive, but they must be treated like galleries with spare, organized, attractive things stored entirely without litter. A row of like things — cans, bottles, pottery mugs, mason-jar storage — amplifies the impression of space. Armless chairs in the table or table at the breakfast bar keep you moving smoothly in and out of tight hallways. The magical trick of a mirrored backsplash immediately opens a claustrophobic kitchen with the addition of deceptive depth to your countertop and “erasing” the wall.
Commodious Commode
Go dark or light in a little bathroom. Pale colours or all white will not stop the eye and also will reflect every piece of light. Dark paint actually makes a wall recede — maintain everything on that wall in similar or thicker tones and utilize matte paint so that the wall does not have any reflective surface. Consider re-positioning the tub, toilet and sink at a better design in an awkward space. A deep Japanese-style soaking tub at one end of this room might work better than a long rectangular tub along one wall. A pedestal sink could squeeze into a tight corner. Cabinets over the bathroom that reach the ceiling will save a multitude of towels and grooming supplies in a tiny footprint.