9 of the Best Design Tips for Making a Tiny House Seem BigEUGENE CHRINIAN

9 of the Best Design Tips for Making a Tiny House Seem Big

As housing prices rise, more families are electing to downsize and participate in the “tiny house” movement. However, tiny houses offer extremely minimal living space. While the typical American home has almost 2,100 square feet, most tiny houses have a floorplan of between 100 and 400 square feet.

This limited amount of room poses a unique challenge for tiny home owners. It is easy for such a small space to appear cluttered and cramped, but there are a number of design tips that owners can follow to make these houses seem big. From careful organization to clever use of color, these techniques can be used to make even an average-sized house’s small rooms more open. Read on for 11 of the best design tips that can make a tiny house look spacious.

Use mirrors to your advantage

One of the best ways to create the illusion of a larger space is to use mirrors. A highly versatile addition to your tiny house, mirrors can help visually lengthen and open your space in numerous ways. You should, however, creatively place them in certain locations around your home if you want to maximize their effect. Place them on the faces of cabinets, or create a layered mirror design. However you do it, make sure to install at least one full-length mirror, which will help elongate the interior of your home.

Image courtesy Ken Dow| Flickr

Fold up your furniture

Perhaps the most common design element of a tiny home is the use of fold-down furniture. Typically, tiny home owners employ this technique to conceal furniture, from small computer desks to full dining tables. Using this DIY solution, you can easily create a folding surface that disappears into the wall when not in use. The only components you will need are the tabletop surface, a locking device, and hinges.

Keep the space open

Partitions in a tiny house will only serve to make the space seem even smaller than it already is. As such, your house should only include walls that shelter you from the outside elements and maintain your privacy in the bathroom. You should avoid sectioning your house off by room type and instead make your kitchen, living room, and bedroom into one combined, open space.

Image courtesy Tomas Quinones | Flickr

Create double purpose spaces

The double-purpose living space is a prevalent feature in many tiny homes. Sometimes referred to as having “stacking functions,” these areas help you bring all the features of a standard home into your small space. There are numerous ways in which you can achieve this effect. For example, you can turn your seating area into an office by using fold-down furniture. Another common technique is to fold your dining table into a wall and convert the space into your bedroom at night. With enough creativity, the potential for these transformative living spaces is endless.

Use outside space

You can decrease the cramped feeling inside your tiny home by opening it to the outdoors. One way in which you can accomplish this is by installing sliding walls or doors. Alternatively, you can allot a minimal amount of the square footage in your home to creating an outside deck. This will not only open your space more naturally, but it will add an extra “room” on the exterior of your home.

Image courtesy Inhabitat | Flickr

Install loft beds

Loft beds can help make your tiny home seem less crowded than a traditional bed would. Particularly useful in homes set atop trailers, loft bedding makes use of oft-underused vertical space and also creates the illusion of a second story. At the same time, it will still provide you with ample room for comfortable sleep.

Use windows strategically

Windows can drastically open the space inside your tiny house. Not only do they let in ample natural light, but they also help visually extend the space of your home. You can amplify this effect by selecting multiple large windows and strategically installing them in different locations around your house. In addition to their space-opening effects, windows will help bring in the beauty of outside.

Image courtesy Tammy Strobel | Flickr

Paint with plenty of light colors

Dark colors tend to make interiors appear smaller than they actually are, which means that you should always opt for brighter colors when painting your tiny house. This does not mean that you must adhere to only a white color scheme, however. You can make bolder choices, but you should always stick to hues that are cool and light in hue. Painting the walls in vertical stripes can also lengthen the interior of your home and make it seem taller.

Minimize clutter from the waist up

Whenever possible, you should make sure to keep all “clutter” below waist level. This means that all bulky cabinets, shelving, and furniture should be as low to the ground as possible. This will ensure that they do not occupy too much of your already minimal living space. You should also remain wary of general clutter such as kitchen materials. Having clutter on various surfaces also makes a space seem smaller, so you should utilize storage whenever possible.