The trend for larger, open floor plans are not as popular as they have been in the past. Not only are seniors downsizing to smaller spaces, but even younger people are going with smaller homes.
Tall ceiling heights are also not as popular and it appears to me that since the pandemic of 2020, people are wanting more of a cocoon and cozy dwelling.
There are many design tricks that will help your smaller spaces feel larger and more dramatic.
One thing to consider is using larger construction materials. When selecting a floor, consider a wider wood plank if going for a hardwood. If selecting tile, be it for foyer, kitchen or bath, consider an 18 x 18 or 24 x 24 or even a 24 x 48 tile instead of a common 12 x 12.
Also, think about having the tile installed on the diagonal as opposed to a square installation.
Make sure to keep most of your floors the exact same from room to room. Use a rug large enough to ground your furniture and take your kitchen wall cabinets to the ceiling.
Consider color drenching your home office or dining room. This means paint the baseboard, walls and crown molding the same color. You might consider a dark rich color to make an impact.
Use taller doors both at the entry and from room to room and use larger windows that go lower to the floor.
When thinking of window treatments, think clean lines. Roman shades inset in the window gives a very clean look. If using drapery panels, even if you intend them to close, make sure the panels stack back on the wall when open.
Use mirror in the back of bookshelves.
Artwork should either be larger or, if small, grouped together to make a larger statement.
Your sofa should be larger scale. As a matter of fact try and keep most of your primary furniture a larger size. Your secondary pieces can be smaller.
As you can see, I recommend you add larger details in your smaller spaces. Believe it or not, this will make the space seem larger. My suggestions give a clean, bold look that will make your home feel larger. When you use more smaller selections, this becomes busy and makes the room look cluttered and smaller.
