Newly Decorated Dining Room

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 Decorating Small Rooms - Questions and Answers

Q:  I have a long narrow bathroom with the bathtub at the end and everything else - linen closet, commode, sink and counters - on one long side. Remodeling is not an option, but I'd like to know some way of decorating this room that will help it to not feel quite so claustrophobic. It needs more than just color.  Virginia

A:  When decorating small rooms it helps to use mirrors to reflect light in the room.  A mirror placed across from a window reflects even more light into the room.  Evaluate the lighting in the room to see if it is bright enough and reaching into the corners so there aren't shadows.  Adding wall sconces or some type of track lighting or unique bar lighting will open up the room.  Also make sure you have light-colored window coverings.

Q:  i find in a small place there is so much clutter..one thing out of line and the whole apt. looks messy..i have been in a small apt now for 10 months and can't wait to move.  Donna

A:  You truly have a challenge of keeping clutter under control in a small space.  Use home accessories and furniture that really work for you in more than one way.  An example of this is, a coffee table that has shelves or a lid that opens, both of which provide storage space. 

Q:  The biggest challenge? Fitting in the things I want without making the
room too cluttered.  Susan

A:  Carefully select a few accessories for the room and rotate them with your other home decor that is in storage.  That way you can display your favorite things that are special to you and still not feel the room is crowded.  The change of home decor will freshen the room and can be geared to reflect the changing seasons.

Dividing furniture in small, intimate groupings is usually preferable to having one larger conversation area.  A room will be more attractive if the furniture is moved away from the walls.  Consider placing larger pieces of furniture, such as, beds, couches, and cabinets at an angle rather than up against the walls. 

Q:  I have experienced quite a few challenges while decorating my small house, but here are my top three:

1. How to decorate 'combined' rooms (eg, lounge with kitchenette or a bed-sitting room) to make different areas feel like different rooms.

I solved this one by using the same colour scheme throughout, but painting feature walls in different colours to separate the rooms, and using accessories and throws in the accent colours to bring the whole space together.

2. STORAGE! Small rooms and small houses are a nightmare for clutter, and storage is the biggest problem we have to deal with.

The best way to get around this is to find 2 in 1 furniture, for example I have a coffee table which is essentially a wooden box with a lid. I can use the inside for storage and with the lid on it's a table. Beds with storage drawers are also really useful, and in small rooms use the walls - have lots of shelves.This gets stuff off the floor, and if you use wicker baskets or attractive boxes on the shelves it can look really neat.

3. Planning routes through rooms. In particularly small rooms, it can be a struggle getting all the furniture you need in there, and still being able to move through the room! When we first moved into our small house we were forever climbing over things to get to another room and wedging doors open so that we didn't have to worry about things being in the way.

If you take the time to plan a comfortable route through each room, and arrange the furniture and storage around this route, you won't have this problem. Leave plenty of space around doors and windows, and try to keep the quickest route free, as walking around furniture in a hurry can result in bruises and can get rather annoying after a while!  Liz

A:  You have very competently solved your own decorating small rooms problems!  I commend you!

Q:   Biggest challenge has been fitting larger furniture pieces into smallish
rooms without making the space look cluttered. I've mitigated this by
removing ornaments, minimizing the number of art pieces on the walls,
keeping the walls all one colour, using blinds rather than drapes,
moving all photos to a gallery section over the stairs, ensuring good
colour coordination with adjoining rooms.  Elaine

A:   As mentioned before, having one conversation area with furniture moved away from the walls is very functional and attractive.  A larger piece of furniture can also be the focal point of a room--build around it and give it the attention it deserves.  Place larger pieces of furniture, such as, beds, couches, and cabinets at an angle rather than up against the walls to add interest to a room.  You have very ably solved your small room decorating challenge!

Q:  We are a Murphy Bed retailer so we have a lot of experience in space saving.

First and foremost "down-sizing" is an enormous problem in Florida.  Mom and Dad sell their big house after the kids move on and settle into a condo on the water to enjoy life.  So far so good.  But, where do you put everything that is important to you:  kids drawings, Grand mom's lighthouse collection, silver service for holidays, etc.  And most important, where do the kids and their kids sleep when they visit?  Obviously we have a wide range of solutions for storage, sleeping arrangements and the like.  But, most people are blindsided by this problem.  This is something everyone who is planning this type of move needs to anticipate.  The services of a good "redecorator" and space saving company will make it a lot easier.  Lloyd

A:  Thank you for giving us "fair warning" on down-sizing and the issues surrounding that situation.  Murphy Beds are indeed an answer to furnishing and decorating small rooms.

Q:  My biggest challenge in decoratoring a small space or room is organizing the furniture. I tend to put things up against the wall around the room. Some different ideas for the same small room would be helpful. thank-you, Linda