Living Larger

As we discussed some days back, the majority of home buyers in the Sydney area are seeking apartments over homes. This makes the need to maximise the available space even more important. Fortunately, there are plenty of Sydney property stylists to make a small space look large.
Millennial home buyers are more concerned with their home’s proximity to the things that matter most in their lives. To the millennial, that means work, entertainment, food, and other enriching activities. They will appreciate a place near the CBD over anything outer suburban. In Sydney, that means small spaces and high dollar costs.

Mirrors and Reflective Surfaces
Making a small space appear larger can sometimes be a bit challenging unless you are a wizard at optical illusion. When we talk about “smoke and mirrors” we’re really just talking about mirrors, but using reflective surfaces and illusion to make a postage-stamp-sized room look larger is a handy skill to have. Larger mirrors will do it for you.

Light
Of course, reflective surfaces do their best work when there is plenty of light. Natural light is best, but artificial lighting, when used properly can also give the impression of space.
• Windows and curtains: Depending on your privacy requirements, lose the heavy draperies and let the sunshine in. You can have curtains – just don’t let them overpower the window. Hang those rods close to the ceilings and let the fabric puddle on the floor. This will make your ceilings look higher and your room appear more spacious.
• If your small apartment is short on windows, use lighting in layers. Use pendants and chandeliers in addition to table lamps to give depth to the room.

Furniture
Selecting furniture for a small room is a big deal. Big, bulky sofas and oversized chairs can soak up all your visual space instantly. Instead, choose pieces with legs and a slimmer profile. (Think mid-century minimalist.) Look for pieces that sit down low. This changes the perspective, making the ceilings appear higher and the entire room larger.
Try to use corner space – either with a conversational arrangement of two chairs or a corner couch, you can add space that would ordinarily go unused. If you’ve got a great view, or even a not-so-great view but a dandy window, use it to balance your prominent furnishing piece. Not only will it make your guests feel less closed-in, it will take advantage of the light. Staring at a blank wall is no fun. If the window space is limited or non-existent, why not use a bold piece of art and appropriate lighting to give yourself a view where none existed before?

Inviso-Fun
We’re seeing more and more clear Perspex tables and chairs in furniture showrooms today. These see-through pieces automatically expand spaces by virtue of their invisibility. Today you can find desks, coffee tables, chairs, and even shelving in the clear plastic, all of which will make your rooms look larger. Of course, glass is not new to dining room tables or occasional tables and will accomplish the same uncramped feeling.

A Word of Warning
If you hope to make your small space look larger, you must banish clutter completely. Sydney property stylists tell us that a cluttered room will always make you and your guests feel oppressed. If you have things that must remain in a room but which spoil your minimalist look, relegate them to attractive storage bins or drawers on your shelves.
Your shelving will attempt daily to gather junk. (It’s in the nature of the shelving beast to attract clutter.) You must do everything in your power to unclutter your space, including your shelving, daily. An agreement with yourself to do a quick clutter sweep daily can successfully banish the room-shrinking demons and will make you feel totally in control.

There are probably thousands of other tricks to making your small space appear much larger. You will find these gems among other valuable tricks of the Sydney property stylists trade. A consult with an established home staging or property styling firm can set you on the path to making even a tiny apartment seem ample. Call Urban Chic Property Styling today.