16 Small House Interior Design Ideas to Improve Your Home

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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If you live in a small house it will always be a difficult thing to put all the items you own within a confined space. While it is easy to store all the items, the challenge arises when looking at how to make the house look good. Determining the best way to maximize the small space becomes one of the priority areas in the end. Finally, you should also consider adding the great side table to your interior design and styling ideas as well.

A few of the tips others suggest is simplification which majorly relates to cutting down the interior design making procedures as a way of achieving an easy, organized and stress free life in small houses.Whether the house has a small apartment type of living, or small interiors, there are a number of things that can be done to give it a larger look.

In order to improve or salvage some aspects in your particular home, it is important to develop small house interior design ideas.If you’re looking forward to getting the best results of small home interior design, reading on will help you discover some of the best Small home interior design ideas that will help make your house feel more welcoming.

1. Mirrors

Mirrors in a small house

This is one of the oldest tricks for small spaces. You probably know that mirrors havean uncanny ability to help small place look and feel much larger.Put accents of mirrors on the walls, whether they are big ones or many small ones.However, a convex one will put a personality into the room without occupying much of the space.

2. Fold Out Furniture

Fold Out Furniture table

Consider getting an extendable or foldable tablesfor your small house.For instance, this above design of drop leaf by Ercol is perfect solution for a momentary and swift change when needed for other purposes such as entertaining.Often it is used for conferences or just for some extra places where friends can sit during celebrations.It is a trend that originated from the 1950s,meaning you can easily get it as a second-hand product. 

3. Hanging Plants

Hanging Plants

If you are looking to enhance the beauty of your house then consider having plants in small areas. Hanging your favorite indoor plants on the walls is a perfect way to decorate your spaces with greenswhile saving on some ground space.The above picture shows the residence of Brisbane based photographer and a ceramicist Nicolette Johnson whose home was featured by Design Sponge.

4. Food Container Lid Organizer

Food Container Lid Organizer

Are you thinking about how to manage your lids?Well, with the modern trend of exposed shelving in small houses you need another ‘bench’ to hide your unattractive kitchen items.One of such techniques is a lid organizer, which helps to remove most of the kitchen items from the cabinet and out of eyesight.This is a good method of decluttering your home and make life much easier for you.

5. Expandable Rack For a Small Space

Expandable rack

Do you have a small space in your laundry room and want to get more out of it?The expandable rack is useful in making the most of the wall space as can be seen from figure above.If you want convenience consider installing a front loading washer and dryer under the counter. Alternatively, keep household essentials on the expandable rack and have the convenience of countertop as working area.

6. Wall Mounted Drying Rack

Wall Mounted Drying Rack

Another wonderful idea is space saving drying racks.It is a great piece for your bathroom area since you can easily fold it or extend it depending on your need.The unit can also be placed in other rooms for instance, the laundry room for ironing wet clothes or the kitchen for hanging the towels.

7. Floor-Length Sheer Curtains

Floor-Length Sheer Curtains

Small houses need a lot of light to give an illusion of space. Having regular curtains would bring in much light, that why you need sheer curtains. The sheer curtains are easier to attach to your windows, and since they are longer, they can easily reach the floor. They are also translucent in nature to provide to bring in light and the illusion that they’re taking less space.

8. Mount Your TV

Mount Your TV

Another recommended technique for decluttering your home is to simply mount your TV on the wall.This media console is one of the worst offenders when it comes to small living rooms simply because the TV stand often occupies a large area.You can hang your TV on the wall or install it above the fireplace in order to get the floor space back.

9. Wire Basket Storage Cart

Wire Basket Storage Cart

A rolling wire basket carts can be used as storage shelves in small rooms such as the bathroom, kitchen or bedroom. This is an easy to construct makeshift  pantry that you can fold and wheel into the corner when not in use. With this cart architecture idea, you will have no problem of items looking messy all the time.

10. Choose the Right Carpet

A carpet in a small house

A rug or a carpet is the one item you don’t wish to overlook particularly when it comes to sizinf.Among the most versatile home decorating tips when coming up with the right design for a small living room area is having a large rug or carpet  because a small one creates the same impression of the room being small.To achieve this you have to choose a carpet that is able to lay beneath the furniture or even one that covers the entire floor from wall to wall.

11. Reflective Surfaces

Reflective Surfaces

Besides placing the mirrors to make the size of the room seem bigger, you can also add reflective surfaces.This kitchen in Miami sized perfectly, and with stainless-steel cabinetry that was laser printed with an abstract pattern by Jean-Louis Deniot. The pattern reflects natural light while creating a sense of movement.

12. Use a Day Bed

Day Bed

In case you do not have a formal guest bed,  a day bed will prove useful in your small living room area. With some room dividers, it can double as a guest room .You also can add the day bed in your bedroom and watch your room double in size.

13. Take Advantage of Architectural Quirks

Take advantage of architectural quirks

Are you using that radiator by your window? You can install a radiato cover  and cushions  to create a magical place for relaxing. That way, you will also be able to avoid that huge sofa which consumes most of your limited space. Like Jae Joo did in the picture above you can stack the pillows and also add pendants to make the house beautiful.

14. Mobile Snack Table

Mobile Snack Table

You can also forego the dining as a study table and instead use this portable snack table. This can be the case if you live alone, and the built-in seating option cannot be successfully implemented in your small house.The bottom rack must fit the design that is beneath your sofa so that you can conviniently eat from it or even do some of your work right from the sofa.

15. Customize Storage Space

Customize Storage Space

To optimize available spaces in the house,you can install timbered bookcases,built in cupboards and pieces of furniture that meet your specific needs.There are particular areas in your homes that you don’t have important square footage. For such spaces, add a bench and more storage space under a bench.

16. Stackable Kitchen Cabinet Organizer

Stackable Kitchen Cabinet Organizer

Another way to create multiple compartments is to install an expandable or stackable organizer, especially where using a new shelf seems like a herculean task. These organizers increase your space to twice as much without the need of having to do some remodeling.

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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