Tips on creating more space at home

Consider having a bunk bed if you are renting a small room. Transform the lower space into an office or entertainment aera. You get a comfy bed on top and a place to chill below. PHOTO BY Alizza Mistades

When it comes to creating more space at home, especially to condominium units often not blessed with the biggest area to move about, it’s all about the little changes that make the big difference.

After all, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to get extra legroom at home. In fact, creating more space—real or perceived—could be a playful project you can accomplish in a couple of days (perhaps even with the help of some friends).

One of the more obvious steps to take is to put up mirrors as this effectively creates the illusion of doubling the space you actually have. Another time-tested move is to use space-saving furniture.

In an informal survey conducted over Facebook, asking individuals to share practical and creative tips on how they managed to get more space at home, the response were overwhelming. Here are some of the best ones:

1. Storage is key  

The space under the bed is one of the best storage areas you can ever have, allowing you to keep things that would have otherwise eaten up space in the bedroom. It’s an equally wise move to utilize the space behind the door. One may even consider putting wall shelves and floor-to-ceiling cabinets to further maximize use of space.

2. Stick to neutral colors

Decorating in white makes the room look bigger. Neutral color palette with a pop of color does wonders. Hanging a large piece of artwork or painting might also help draw the eye to the room. Sheryl Songsong, the editor-in-chief of Space Magazine, suggests avoiding large prints on walls. Instead, individuals may go for painted stripes.

3. Use tall furniture

Tall furniture, or those furniture that have legs, are tested to provide more space, as long as they are not bulky themselves. These types of furniture also help expose the floor, which further creates the illusion of wide space.

4. Go for bigger windows, high ceiling

It’s not something that you can do without proper planning. But creating bigger windows allow for more light to enter the room while giving the impression that the immediate outside environment is part of your living quarters. A high ceiling also gives off the vibe of a bigger place.

5. Wall-mount appliances

Not all of them! But one can definitely wall-mount the television (especially if they’re flatscreen) and its accompanying surround speakers (if you have a complete entertainment system). This saves you from adding another bulky cabinet to put an entertainment system on.

6. Utilize multipurpose and/or foldable furniture

If space is a problem at home, using multipurpose furniture can be part of the solution. You know, those sofas that later turn into beds; or a cabinet that also acts as a divider or drawer. Also consider using foldable items such as desks, dining tables, and chairs. If you don’t need them, fold them up.

7. De-clutter your space

A clutter-free space is a bigger place. Consider storing or even throwing away items in your house that you haven’t used in the last six to 12 months. In storing away items, consider using translucent boxes which you can then put under your bed for a dust-free, insect-free storage system.

Special thanks go out to Sheryl Songsong, Jerome Aning, Rose de la Cruz, Bea Goza, Lionel Sanchez, Danee Liz Paredes, Anna Katrina de Quiros, Joba Aguilos Botana, JM Tuazon, David Gonzales, Gladys Pantastico, Nix Morales, Ronald de Guzman, Ayen Panganiban, and Zeny Pascua-Iglesias, and Apocalypse Alsaybar. These people shared their invaluable tips on Facebook.

*** This article was slightly edited for TWIST. The original article was published on the Philippine Daily Inquirer on May 5, 2012 with the title "More space, more fun" under the Condo Living section. ***