The Hindu

Space Savers in Home Decor

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With home spaces shrinking, you can make the most of it by using décor to your advantage. Using furniture, accessories and colour you can create an illusion of space in your home. Wondering how? Read on.

Pic courtesy Sternhagen
Pic courtesy Sternhagen

Big Makeovers

In re-decorating homes, the concentration is usually on the furniture and accessories. On one hand multi-purpose furniture saves space, on the other accessories such as mirrors brighten the room and helps it look larger than its actual size. “However, not many know that a ceiling can also contribute in making a space appear bigger. Also known as the fifth wall, it can be enhanced by adding colour and customized as per one’s requirement, making it into a designer ceiling. This addition can bring in a dramatic visual impact by making the room seem elegant and larger,” says Sudeep Kolte, VP – Sales & Marketing, Gyproc India. Placing a mirror strategically opposite to a window or door gives it an illusion of a bigger room. Radeesh Shetty Director PurpleTurtle avers, “mirrors can make your room look larger. Mirrors reflect light and the room feels much brighter during the day and night. Mirrors on the walls and glass tabletops will give your room a more open feel.”

Courtesy: ACDS
Courtesy: ACDS

Colour Me Right

Wall colours are rarely experimented with and often ignored. “Darker and richer tones help to add in elegance and a dash of coziness. Lighter hues on the other hand makes a room feel airy and adds in a sense of calmness,” says Ishan Thacker, Associate Director, Vector Projects (I) Pvt. Ltd. Do not opt for dark colours with ceiling. “If you want to paint your ceiling, go for white or lighter tones to make the space look bigger,” says Chirag Parekh, Chairman & Managing Director, Sternhagen. To visually enlarge a small room, allow more light to come in by painting lighter shades around the windows. Paint the floor with the darkest shade, followed by a medium tone on the wall, and the lightest shade on the ceiling. “Another smart way to enhance natural light in a room is to place a large mirror on one side of the wall to make the room feel larger. This will not only reflect light but also create the illusion of more depth in the space,” says David Teng, General Manager, Decorative Paints, South Asia Cluster, AkzoNobel India.

Courtesy: ACDS
Courtesy: ACDS

Furnish Fit

Use multi-functional furniture such as a sofa bed or bed with storage space inside it. “An expanding/folding dining table, a wall bookcase which will provide storage as well as the attractive look, sofas or chairs with open arms, a chest that can be used as a coffee table, folding tables and chairs that can be tucked away when not in use,” says Raghav Kapur, City Head – Bengaluru, SILA. A spatial arrangement can help if you are confused. “To ascertain the furniture and décor the space can absorb. Always add one element or furniture less than required, this will ensure ample transitional spaces in the room,” explains Architect Nirav Shah, ACDS. An open space that flows from room to room freely looks much larger than it is. Most people underestimate the importance of lighting in a space. “One budget-friendly hack is to pepper the space with lamps. Desk lamps for the coffee tables, floor lamps in the right places, and so on. These create islands of lit spaces complimented by the surrounding darker spaces, for a dramatic, spacious effect,” avers Himani Jain, Furniture Stylist, Space Talk Designs. The key of course is to de clutter and keep things you need and do this regularly – after all home is where the heart is.

Courtesy: ACDS
Courtesy: ACDS

Tips

  • Go vertical – bookshelves to mirrors, wall sized furniture gives a sophisticated look.
  • Build around the bedhead as that has adequate space and does not require blocking the other walls.
  • Cover all the room corners – it is the best way to utilize the space.

This story first appeared in The Hindu Property plus Chennai dated 7th September 2018 here.

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