theSun Property March 2016

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theSun ON FRIDAY

MARCH 4, 2016

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queries to: propertyqs@

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massive bungalowwith

wide open spaces across

several floors consisting of

many rooms, high ceilings

and a sprawling garden is what

comes tomind for manywhen they

think of a dreamhome.

When the definition of success

and luxury is “bigger and better”, it

is quite unlikely that a small, cosy

apartment will be one’s selection

when it comes to a dreamhome. In

fact, apartments and terraced

homes are quite unlikely the ideal

home, a dreamhome or home of

one’s choice. The reason ... the

perception – that it is cramped,

lacking in space, ugly, and

uncomfortable. However, with the

right interior design solutions,

petite homes canmake a powerful

impact, evenwith the little space it

covers.

ALTERING PERCEPTIONS

All it takes is a few tricks and a small

roomcanmask its actual size.

One such trick is to pick the righ

paint colours

for the room, such as

pastels, light neutrals and varying

shades of white. These colours can

create an open and airy feeling in

the room tomake it seem larger

than it is. If the home has multiple

adjacent rooms, set a uniform

colour palette to create a visual

flow. The consistency in the colours

will make the rooms flow together,

which avoids the feeling of crowd

and disorder, making it look even

more spacious.

If wallpapers are what you are

looking for, pick those with vertical

stripes as it gives the appearance of

elongated rooms. This choice

seemingly adds more height to the

room. The same effect can also be

recreated by using wallpapers on

ceilings, which draw attention

upwards and away from the ground.

Full-lengthmirrors

are a small

home’s ally. Usually

regarded as an accessory

of vanity, mirrors have

many purposes. As

mirrors help

bounce and

reflect light,

placing full-

lengthmirrors

in halls,

bedrooms,

and in any

roomwhere

one is expecting

guests, will not only

brighten up the rooma whole lot

more, but also create the illusion of

a bigger space.

Mirrors are also versatile

decorative pieces. By laying them

into a different frame, amirror can

fit in perfectly to any decorative

theme. For amodern finish, frame

themirrors withmetal frames or

none, while a rustic theme can be

achieved by giving themirror a

ALYSSA J OON

worn-out wood frame.

With apartments and single-

storey homes with an open plan,

home owners might want to

consider the option of

portable or

removablewalls.

Building brick

and cement walls are permanent

solutions that require a lot more

money compared to amobile

yet ornamental solution. With

removable walls, home

owners have the option of

increasing or

decreasing the size

of a roombased

on their need.

One reason to do

suchwould be to

separate the

bedroom from the

hall when hosting

a party to avoid the

feeling of being confined in a

cramped room.

Removable walls come inmany

different options to suit one’s need

and preference. Theymake a nice

“accent wall” and come in various

designs that are available in the

market. However, an alternative

would be to use curtains in a shade

that matches the colour of the room.

Curtains are frequently used in

shared rooms for added privacy.

A non-permanent andmobile

solution is to use standing panel

roomdividers, also known as

Shoji screens or panel screens.

These can be purchased from

furniture stores or specially

handcrafted andmade-to-order.

A quick search on these do-it-

yourself (DIY) roomdividers

brings up a bed headboard and

closet rolled into one for more

functionalitywith style, while

another has fabric panels with

pockets for shoe storage.

SEEING THE LIGHT

Keeping a small home well-

lighted up is important to

continue the illusion of comfort

and spaciousness.

Let the natural light in by

using window treatments that

aremade of lightweight

materials such as cotton and

linen, and avoid heavymaterials

like velvet or wool.

Window

treatments

should also don light,

neutral colours that complement

the colour of the wall paint.

In terms of length, go for

sweeping ceiling-to-floor curtains,

as the lengthwill draw attention

upwards to the ceiling, whichmakes

the roomappear more spacious. On

the other hand, woven blinds or

sheer privacy curtains are a better

option for filtering the light rather

than blocking sunlight altogether.

Artificial lighting can also be

used as a decorative element as

well. Save space by ditching

standing and table lamps. Instead,

opt for a

sconce or overhead

lighting

. For one, these are easier to

install - simply plug-in towork.

Moreover, thesemethods of

artificial lighting are alsomobile,

whichmakes it a good option for

those renting homes as most times

tenants are not allowed to carry out

renovationworks.

PLACE IT RIGHT

The types of furniture andwhere

they are placed can also have a an

effect on the comfort of a room.

Avoid getting heavy-weight

furniture

as for one, these can

greatly reduce the amount of space

in a roomandmake it more

cramped. This includes sofas and

chairs withwide arms, overstuffed

couches, tables with heavy bases,

and large over-scale light fixtures.

Instead, opt for sleek and open-

ended sofas, tables with streamlined

legs, and simple light sconces for the

same comfort, minus the amount of

space it takes up.

Keep a look out for low furniture

pieces, such as lounge chairs with

short legs or a stool. The lower a

piece is to the ground, themore

space there is above. This setting

leads people to believe that the

ceiling is higher than it actually is.

A commonmisconception

people have is the fact that a small

home should have small furniture.

This leads tomany such home

owners squeezing toomany pieces

of furniture into a small room.

The first step to decorating small

spaces is to accept the limitations of

the area and towork around it.

Instead of bringing inmultiple small

furniture pieces, keep these

average-sized and in fewer number.

The same principle applies to

art

pieces

on a wall. While the “gallery

wall” layout is popular at the

moment, it is not an advisable

choice for small homes. Instead, use

a large-scalemasterpiece as it

accentuates the width and height of

a room. Furniture pieces should also

be arranged in a way that allows

“breathing space”.

This “elbow

room” basically allows space

between furniture pieces and the

wall, which gives a sense of

roominess andmakes the furniture

and the room look “just right”.

Sowhile huge bungalows may

look good on the outside, a small

home with the right interior design

and layout “wear luxury” nicely,

without missing out on the warmth

and cosy comforts.

Packaged small,

decorated

plush

>Amodest-sized yet luxurious homewith the right techniques

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