The tiny home trend happened for various reasons. The millennials are one of the most prominent home buying groups, and they are leading the market toward the more sustainable construction, which includes downsizing. Also, they prefer living in urban areas over large suburban houses. Furthermore, the generation of baby boomers is making their way into retirement and replacing their family homes with two-person apartments. However, moving into a small apartment doesn’t mean you have to feel cramped and imprisoned. There are ways to make a tiny space more functional and create an illusion of spaciousness, which will open it up and make your life more comfortable.

Banish the clutter

Piles of disorganized things can make even the most enormous room feel constricted, and they can be devastating for small spaces. To get rid of the junk that is taking up your space, analyze which things are a priority for you, and which can go away. You can organize a garage sale to sell the extra stuff, or give some of them to charity. Alternatively, you can use storage baskets and bins to hide things from plain sight.

Paint it light

Dark hues tend to make space feel claustrophobic and smaller than it is which is the last thing you need. Painting the walls in light neutral shades (e.g., white, light grey, or beige) can reflect more light and thus make the room feel bigger.

Enhance the reflection

Speaking of light reflection, besides painting the walls light (and using shiny finishes instead of matte ones), you can use strategically placed mirrors to increase the amount of light in the room. The trick is to put the mirrors opposite a light source (a light bulb or a window).

Choose multipurpose

One of the trends that followed the tiny housing is multipurpose furniture. This type of furnishing helps urban dwellers achieve maximum functionality, while not disrupting the harmony of the space. It is usually introduced through storage-seating combos, like a window bench with hidden storage space, but it can also come in the form of hidden storage in coffee tables. Furthermore, the popular modular sofas allow you to reconfigure one piece of furniture into many different seating options.

Go up!

The previous tips were focused on making space seem more extensive, but you should also make it look taller, and while you’re at it, use the vertical area for additional storage. You will do that by hanging shelves close to the ceiling and stack them with accessories, books, and family photo albums. Emphasize the height with hanging curtains all the way from the ceiling, and with displaying artwork high on the walls.

Now, look down

The floor space is very relevant for making your downsized home feel spacious. Start with installing the same flooring material in all the rooms (stick with similar-looking options for high-maintenance rooms, like the bathroom and kitchen) to ensure an uninterrupted view across the entire apartment. Choose the furniture that shows off its legs so that the floor is visible underneath it.

Pull the furniture away from the walls

This might be against your natural instincts, but pulling the furniture away from the wall creates the feeling of additional space as it provides more room to walk around it. Of course, you won’t be able to do this with all the pieces (lounges might have to stay stacked against a wall), but you get the picture.

Add pops of color

Previously, we’ve mentioned that you should use light and simple color palette for your tiny home. However, that can make the place seem incurably dull. Solve this by scattering small pops of color all around the room. Don’t go too far, though. Choose one or two colors (you can use various shades of the same) and implement it through accent pieces like throw pillows, blankets, rugs, and accessories.

Create warmth

A small space doesn’t have to be sterile to look massive. Don’t be afraid to mix textures, because this trick will help you create a more livable place. While loading the room with fluffy materials will do the opposite and produce false comfort, stealing a few hints from Scandinavian interior design and mixing the textures will maximize the comfort without overwhelming the eye. The trick is in mixing smooth (e.g., glass and metallic), matte, and plush (e.g., velvet and faux fur) materials.

Take it one room at a time

The interior design style and moves largely depend on the function of the room in question. For example, one of the best tricks to make a bathroom appear spacious is installing a glass shower door. In the kitchen, you need to pay the most attention to innovative storage solutions, which can include floating shelves, under the counter storage, shelving on the backsplash, a plate rack on the wall, a pegboard for hanging utilities, etc.

Tiny living doesn’t have to equal sacrificing comfort, aesthetics, and function. These tips will help you make the most out of every square inch you have at your disposal, so get down to work right away.