Four quick and easy ways to transform a small room
These styling tips can maximise the most compact spaces. picture: Joe Pepler/Pinpep/PA
If you’re eyeing up your living room, wondering how to give it a new lease of life, and are in the mood for a quick fix, a little imagination can go a long way.
The key to refreshing your decor and switching up your space for the New Year is all in the detail, according to Dara Huang, interior designer and founder of Dara Maison.
Dara has partnered with Samsung to share her top tips on how to transform your living area.
“It’s about clever adjustments that can make an area feel brand new," she says.
Adding new decorative pieces can put a fresh twist on existing colour schemes, along with space-shifting "illusions", which can breathe new life into a small room, or forgotten corner.
Here’s how to bring your home to life…
“Clever placement of mirrored furnishings is one of the easiest tricks in the book to freshen up a room — and create that all-important illusion of space,” says Huang.
Whether it’s switching up the placement of existing pieces or adding new items, she says mirrored picture frames and vases reflect both natural sunlight and indoor lights, making the whole space brighter — ideal for winter months when sunshine is fleeting.
A mirrored table or cabinet will reflect light on the surface and visually expand a space with indirect light, she suggests.
A strategically placed mirror opposite a window will reflect the outdoors, creating a fresh spin, adds Huang “giving the illusion a room is bigger than it is, by playing with light and shadows; even when space is limited.”
“A January declutter is a great time to take stock of your home decor and decide what you love, and what should go,” suggests Huang. “With small spaces, your goal should always be to aim for a clutter-free environment.”
To help keep your room tidy and items out of sight, she suggests investing in items that have a dual purpose, such as storage stools that double up as side tables, or sideboards that can display the “things you love,” and help create a more spacious living area.
“Ensure every piece of furniture has a double function with extra storage, like an ottoman with hidden compartments.”
Chances are you’ve still got heavy throws on the sofa, faux fur cushions to snuggle into and darker soft furnishings to make your place feel plush in tune with the chilly weather — but possibly petite, with the feeling of being closed in.
When the time comes and there’s the first hint of springtime, Huang says to mark the shift in seasons with lightweight fabrics — think large throws in neutral shades to help make your space look bigger: “Simple colours and textures will create that high-end look.”
As Huang points out, TV has become such an essential part of modern living, but these wall-mounted flat panels don’t always complement your artistic expression, or design aesthetic.
She says disguising one as artwork, such as the Samsung Frame TV, allows you to go from displaying a masterpiece such as Van Gogh, to “family photos or matching your interior colours or wallpaper.”
And with a vast collection of artwork up for grabs, you are sure of an eye-catching, conversational piece before showtime!
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