Living in a small space can be challenging, but there are plenty of interior design trends you can incorporate into your home to make it appear larger and brighter.
One trend that will be particularly popular this year is the use of unconventional shapes. This will give any room an eye-catching flair that speaks volumes about your taste.
Art Deco
Art Deco is a glamorous design trend that many love due to its boldness and energy. But if you’re not ready for an extensive overhaul of your home decor or furniture, you can still bring the look in with small tweaks.
Art deco interiors often feature dark, saturated hues. But the luxurious style also incorporates lighter tones into its palette.
Dark shades like black and gold make for a dramatic impact, but you can also add an eye-catching splash of color with vibrant jewel tones. Soft pink or baby blue looks beautiful paired with large-scale chevron patterns, while deep purples look equally stunning.
Alex Kohut of Kohut Interiors recommends injecting your home with bold shapes and patterns through accent pieces such as mirrors, vases, and decorative items. She suggests creating an Art Deco aesthetic by using geometric motifs and curved forms in accent pieces like mirrors, vases, and decorative items.
Curves
Interior design has recently seen an inclination towards soft, rounded edges and curvy silhouettes. This effortless aesthetic appeals to our need for comfort and coziness.
This tranquil aesthetic draws inspiration from nature, leading to a return of curved shapes in furniture and lighting designs.
Sleek shapes and sinuous lines not only look visually appealing, but they can help make your space appear larger by giving the illusion of depth and movement. Round coffee and side tables, mirrors, decor items, rugs – these are all great ways to incorporate curves into your home decor.
However, be mindful that too many dramatic wavy furnishings can be confusing and even nauseating (similar to feeling seasick). Therefore, create balance with subtle undulations on one item of furniture or decor.
Alcoves
Alcoves may go unnoticed in design, but they can add a unique charm to your home. These cozy little areas can be transformed into everything from reading nooks to stylish study nooks without needing an extensive room remodel.
Instead of opting for a standard wall-mounted storage solution, why not build an elegant bookcase in your alcove? Not only will this add character to the room, but you can also incorporate built-in seating here – perfect for reading, relaxing or watching TV in!
If you want your shelving to stand out from the rest of the room, paint them a dark color such as deep navy or emerald green. This will make books really stand out and balance out other darker hues in the room.
Strategic Painting
Strategic painting is an easy way to make a small space appear larger without needing major renovations, according to Sonu Mathew, senior interior designer at Benjamin Moore. “With just the right shades,” you can enhance the color, texture and pattern of any room,” she explains.
To create a sense of space and lightness in small spaces, try mixing dark colors with lighter ones. Behr’s Calm Air neutral paint color is one such example – it will help make your small room appear larger and airier.
Design Tip: Utilizing one color to accent multiple areas of a room can be quite effective. Pittsburgh Paints’ warm red could be the ideal addition to an otherwise light and airy foyer or mudroom. You could also give smaller spaces some pizzazz by painting walls, doors, and trim in one vibrant shade.
