August 21, 2024

Decorating Tips for Small Spaces

About Tori Thurmond

Tori Thurmond combines her creative writing background with her marketing experience in her role as the Content Specialist at Brookdale. When she's not writing, she's probably spending time with her two cats or knitting.

hands of senior couple picking out paint color

At the end of July, we had the pleasure of hosting Rhonnika Clifton and Kim Lewis, two professional interior designers, on our Great Full Life webcast. During the session, they dove into ways to decorate a small space to make it feel personal and homey.

This blog is a high-level overview of an hour-long event. For more insight, make sure to check out the webcast recording here.

If “Downsizing” Is Intimidating, Ditch the Term

Decorating small spaces can feel difficult, especially if you’re used to living in a larger one. That’s why Brookdale host Ashley Eicher kicked things off by asking the designers for advice on downsizing. But Lewis quickly offered an alternate term: “right sizing.” She explained, “Downsizing can have a negative connotation for some people, and so I like to use the word ‘right sizing’ because it really is a shift in our mindset and more of a positive approach of [asking] ‘how do we create the space that’s the right size for us?’.” Often times, people live in a space that’s too big for them, which can sometimes create a sense of isolation or anxiety. Considering those feelings, right sizing can help some individuals to manage aspects of their financial and mental health, says Lewis.

Understand Décor vs. Design

When thinking about setting up a small space, start with your goals. Clifton pointed out that she thinks of decorating and design as two different concepts. Decorating typically involves placing items in a room, like adding pillows on a sofa and placing trinkets around your space, but design typically describes a more holistic approach to a space that centers considerations of timelessness and accessibility. Think of your space as an extension of who you are, so make sure your space does what you need it to while also bringing you joy.

Find Balance

Keep in mind that even though your space is smaller, you can still find room for the colors and patterns you love. Both designers pointed out that any space, big or small, is all about balance. You can incorporate your favorite bright or moody color or that wallpaper you’ve had your eye on for years. Just think about how you can balance your space. Instead of painting the whole room blue, could you just paint your bookshelf to highlight your books and memorabilia like Clifton does in season four of “Make it Mine”? Will using a big-patterned wallpaper actually make your space look smaller or will it add some exciting interest like Lewis achieved in her design at The Frances Modern Inn?

Solve the Puzzle

Lewis compared interior design to solving a puzzle—most of us start with the frame for structure and work our way in from there, but it is helpful to also back out further to remember what you want the ultimate image to look like, Lewis notes. When deciding what to bring into or keep in your small space, think about your daily routine to give your ideas some structure. Track your behavior. What items do you use every day and which ones do you go months without using? Don’t be afraid to make space for your favorite hobbies. For example, if you love playing games, consider a table with foldable leaves. It will take up less space daily, but when you have friends and family over to play games, you can expand the table to hold more people and fun!

Get Creative

Small spaces encourage—and sometimes demand—creativity. Below are a few ways to get creative with your home to make it functional and fabulous!

1. Consider Digitizing

A great way to create more space in a smaller home is to rethink how you store documents and photos. Today, there are services that allow you to turn your boxes of family photos into beautiful photo albums, coffee table books or digital displays that can be just as fun to look through. Similar services can create digital files of your important documents. Some even allow family members to have access to your information if needed.

Here are a few resources you may want to check out:

Artifact Uprising for physical photo album curation
Shoeboxed for receipt scanning
Trustworthy for your family’s legal document storage
Memory Forward for digitizing photos, slides, and videos

2. Let Your Closet Inspire You

As strange as it may sound, Clifton encourages clients to go into their closets and note what they love about their favorite pieces of clothing. Is there a color you’d love to incorporate into your home that you also love to wear? Are there certain patterns or textures that you gravitate towards? Let your fashion style influence your interior design choices if you’re having trouble finding inspiration for your space.

3. Reimagine Pieces You Love

Do you love a dresser that you’ve had for years, but it’s a bit too big for your new bedroom? Or do you want to hold on to an antique chair that’s been in your family for generations but it doesn’t quite fit the aesthetic of your new home? Try reimagining how these pieces can function or what they can look like. Maybe your dresser could turn into an entryway cabinet or office storage. Could you reupholster your antique chair to be a better fit for your style? Not only is reimagining old items a great way to save money and hold onto items that mean something to you, it’s also a much more sustainable way to furnish your home.

4. Green-ify Your Space

Adding plants around your house not only brings some of the beautiful outdoors inside but it can also help improve the air quality in your home! If you’re not confident in your green thumb, there are some realistic faux plants on the market that can brighten up your space just as much as the real thing.

For more inspiration on transforming small spaces, check out the newest episodes of “Make it Mine,” our YouTube design show.

_{Please note that the above is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Reference to any products, services, third parties or links to third-party websites does not constitute an endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation of such products, services, or third parties by Brookdale or its affiliates.}