Five years ago, my husband and I found ourselves rattling around in a home that felt too large now that the kids were grown and out on their own. Looking down the road we could foresee a time when we’d be older and slower and keeping up a larger home might start to feel like a burden. We decided on a much smaller, one story home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and congratulated ourselves on having cut our house cleaning and maintenance chores by half – well, almost!
And then, life threw a wrench into our plans. Our daughter in law died in a tragic accident and suddenly our son and our two grandchildren needed help. They moved in with us and our cozy little house was quickly bursting at its seams! Unsure of how long this arrangement might go on, we found it necessary to find new ways to organize and fit everyone and their “stuff” into place. We’ve found ways to keep things looking neat and by dividing up chores each member of the household does their share when it’s house cleaning time. We tossed and purged and de-cluttering became an art form for us until everything had a place.
But what to do about space? Even though our home was “organized”, with five people in such a small house I started to feel like the walls were slowly closing in on me. I finally came to the conclusion that the deep colors and dark woods that had previously felt “cozy” when it was just hubby and me – now felt confining and oppressive. It was time to make this house look “bigger”… I tried various tactics until I finally achieved what I was yearning for. I’d like to share with you the methods that I found most effective!
Start with the Walls and Windows
Monochromatic color schemes in beige, light blues, greens and off whites are easy on the eye and create a harmonious, visually cohesive look which helps to distract from the size of the room itself
.
Opting for no window dressing allows natural light to infuse the space and extends the visual line by bringing the outdoors inside.Just be sure to schedule regular window cleaning. Window seats and built in floor to ceiling shelving can make an efficient use of space while freeing up floor space and adding the illusion of higher ceilings.
If you prefer more privacy, try using gauzy, sheer drapes from floor to ceiling which can be closed as needed.
Ceilings
Believe it or not, a dark color on a ceiling when combined with light colored walls can create depth and an illusion of height. Try different textures and shapes to create interesting visual effects.
Furniture
Furniture with legs and transparent tables really open up the floor space to make a room appear larger.
Multi-functional Furniture like this combination coffee / dining table with storage style seating serves several purposes with a minimum use of space.
Keeping Your Small Room Looking Great
There are many ways you can approach the challenge of small rooms – but beyond color, style and function there’s one more crucial element in making and keeping your small rooms attractive and that element is cleaning!
Even the most attractive rooms will look dull, dingy and confining without general house cleaning. Now that your creativity has resulted in a home that is pleasing to the eye, consider whether you have the time (or the desire!) to perform all the mundane things like dusting, vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing bathtubs and toilets that are necessary to keep it that way. We’d love to do that for you!
We are a premier cleaning service in McKinney TX – a group of people that truly enjoy cleaning and making your home shine! Professional cleaning services are a smart investment giving you the freedom to enjoy doing the things you really love to do. Whether you need a cleaning service in Phoenix AZ or Allen TX there’s a service that’s just right for you! Call us today at (469) 617-3600 or click the Book Now feature!
