Mistakes that make homes feel small

CH_House, Studio 15 Arquitetura Studio 15 Arquitetura Study/office
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If you keep trying new styles and designs in your home but you just can't shake the feeling that nothing quite looks right, have you considered the possibility your choices might be making your home feel smaller, which is the real issue? 

We know it might seem silly, but that could be the crux of the matter and if you don't realise that what you're choosing is shrinking the space, you'll never know! 

We looked at what interior designers actively try to avoid and think we've found the main culprits in terms of home design errors that shrink a house, so scroll down and see if you have made any of these mistakes.

1. Impractical layouts

Ok, so you want a home office, but you only have a tiny box room to spare. That's no problem, as long as you don't clog the space.

By trying to get more into a room, what you actually do is make it hard to move around, which in turn makes it always feel untidy, cramped and not very pleasant.

2. Too much clutter

This could be the nicest kitchen in the world, but we'd never know or notice because of all the clutter! 

Every non-essential item closes in a space a little more so, when you start having huge collections of things on display, the room will quickly feel claustrophobic.

3. Furniture that's too big

We've all done this at least once. You get so excited about buying furniture that you don't bother measuring and just dive in with the biggest thing you see because it looks comfy. 

Oversized furniture will make an average or small room look even tinier, so be proportional!

4. Terrible lighting

Dull or dark lighting is terrible and makes a room feel so much smaller and, if we're being totally honest, a little creepy. 

Main lighting should be functional and pretty. The darker your room feels, the more potential you lose, as corners become a total no-mans land.

5. Overbearing wall designs

This example sums up what we're talking about pretty well. 

Choosing the wrong wall covering can lead to a room that feels tiny. In the case of dark, glossy tiles, you'll also manage to add outdated to the claustrophobic feel, so that's a bit of a failure home run!

6. A lack of multifunctional furniture

If you don't have multifunctional furniture, you'll simply end up buying something for every task, which will shrink your space exponentially. 

For example, you need more counter space so put a small island into your kitchen, the room will feel tiny, when you could have just installed a worktop extender!

7. Old-fashioned storage

There's a time and a place for old-fashioned storage and it's back in the 1970s! Unless you're actively trying to shrink your space?

Large, bulky and unattractive storage systems were all the rage back in the day, but they mostly just swallow up living room space and look awful.

For more small home ideas, take a look at this Ideabook: Renovating a small bathroom: a project worth copying.

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