HOW TO MAKE YOUR SMALL HOUSE FEEL BIGGER

Whether you’re claustrophobic or you like entertaining people, you want your home to feel comfortable. Here are some tips on how to make your small house feel like it’s bigger than it really is.

Lighting.

The number one thing anyone can do to create more space in their home is to buy light bulbs and fixtures that put out a lot of white light. It’s cheap, easy, and most brighter lights are specifically designed to last longer and use less energy than those yellow, old, off-color lights that have practically been around since Edison invented the light bulb. So, head to your nearest department store and look for some new lights! Just be sure to buy the correct wattage. Don’t know the correct wattage? Just unscrew a bulb and take it to the store with you.

Mirrors.

Using big and spacious mirror in the larger areas of your home, such as a living room, can add a lot of visual space. Used alongside the energy-efficient white light bulbs that you just purchased mirrors will add to the visual illusion that there is more space. It’s like adding a few more feet to each room because the mirror creates additional depth. Placing mirrors across from each other can also be fun. Also, consider adding mirror tiles in high traffic areas. This adds an artistic touch in addition to creating more space.

Natural lighting.

Think windows, sliding doors, skylights. Most homes have these features and it’s just a matter of letting the light flood into the rooms. Natural lighting is a great way to add space to a smaller room and gives a relaxing effect. This will add even more space to those rooms where you placed mirrors by reflecting the natural light and brightening the living areas. Updating your blinds and removing dark curtains that block light will also help in bringing more light into rooms, making them feel bigger.

Removing Items.

A bulky coffee table may be taking up so much space that it’s better to remove it and leave the space empty. Another option is replacing it with something that has the same function but is smaller and more compact. You might consider moving objects around in order to free up the center of the room. This creates more standing area and visually opens the room from ceiling to floor.

Rugs.

Another simple way to add space is by using larger rugs to either replace those items you removed or to act as an accent. Either way, large rugs will add space and make your home feel current, comfortable, and relaxing. Rugs draw the eyes down creating a ceiling to floor focus that makes rooms feel more expansive.

Remodeling.

Last but not least, adding vaulted ceilings and higher hanging lighting fixtures will add lots of space to a smaller home. It creates the idea of more headspace and breathing room. Just having higher light fixtures or lights built into the ceiling will give this effect. If you can afford, vaulted ceilings can double a room’s size.

These tips work particularly well when combined and most of them are easily done on a small budget. Try them out and you’ll soon be taking deeper breathes in your seemingly larger home.

What to do with 100 dollars. Here are 14 ideas.

1. Build a bed. Sounds crazy but all it needs are four legs under a bigger box frame and small slats across. You can build a twin bed for about 70 dollars and if you plan it right and have virtually no leftover waste.

2. Headboard. Most things are just boxes. Build a big box and place plywood over it. You can then buy some padding and fabric and before you know it, a headboard to go with that bed you just made. You can either screw the headboard to the bed or pin it between the bed frame and a wall.
3.  Make a pallet coffee table. Build a pallet or find one alongside a dumpster. All it needs is a quick sanding, some paint, and maybe coaster wheels on the bottom or a glass slab on top.
4. Don’t laugh but if you found a few pallets you can then paint, stack, and put them against a wall. Add some cushions on top or screw a plywood backing in and put cushions on that. Congratulations, you have a couch!
5. Bathroom rack. Just grab some 1×3 pieces or smaller for slats that act as shelves. Attach the slats to a three-dimensional box frame and there you have a new towel rack or shelf for your bathroom.
6. Build a garden box. This can be big or small, just make sure it’s secure enough to hold dirt. If you build them small enough you can attach them to the side of your house so they don’t clutter the ground. Also, consider drilling some holes in the bottom to allow the soil to breathe.
7. Build a floor-mat. It’s becoming more popular to have a wooden mat as your tub rug and it’s an easy DIY. Just make a box out of pieces used for trim, then add an extra piece lengthwise for extra support. Now just attach top slats. Sand and finish.
8. Make a table. This could be an end table or dinner table. Just make a box, add legs, and add a top. The top can be a solid piece of wood or slats that are pushed together. Just make sure it looks even and sits at the appropriate height before securing it in place.
9. Earring holder. This time, after you build a box frame, attach wire netting over the front or back to create a functional and vintage-like holder for smaller jewelry.
10. Bracelet holder. Just get a solid piece of wood and screw in four upright cylinders or smaller trim pieces. Now, take two empty paper towel rolls and attach them to the uprights. With a little paint, you now have a new bracelet holder.
11. A coat rack. Take a 1×3 piece and attach a few pegs. Hang in a useful spot.
12. Bottle opener and cache. Build or find a frame and attach a box to the bottom and a bottle opener to the top. Open your bottles and have the caps fall into the box. Sweet.
13. A checkerboard. Build a box frame, attach a top, tape off, and paint squares. Use some old plastic pieces, poker chips, or make your own.
14. Coasters. Use some mod podge to attach photos, newspaper squares, or ads to the top of square wooden pieces. Apply a clear finish coat and use them as coasters.