Space is a big issue with a child’s room and often it seems that no room will ever be large enough? Especially when you consider all the furniture you have to fit in as well as their toys, books, drawings, photos etc. A small room need not always be a disadvantage though, often children will prefer the feeling of security that a small and compact room can instil and let’s face it, having a small room might just discourage them from filling it with clutter – well you can only hope!
Space Saving Furniture
If you can’t spread out then you can at least go up! Tall bookshelves and storage cupboards will save a lot of floor space – just make sure that you firmly fix the furniture to the wall to prevent it from toppling over.
The Phoebe Swivel Unit from Feather & Black is a clever revolving storage unit with shelves on the one side, a pinboard on the other, hooks and a full length mirror. It’s such a fantastic way to incorporate lots of useful ideas into one piece of furniture!
The Swivel Vanity Unit from GLTC on a rotating base does a similar job but at a much lower level therefore perfect for younger children. The deep shelves are great for shoes and bags and it also has 3 strong hooks and a safety mirror. Tall storage solutions are often too high for younger children to use effectively but this one is at the ideal height, enabling them to reach all the shelves and hooks with ease.
Designers often recommend the use of mirrors to reflect light and creat the illusion of a much larger room. This mirrored cupboard from GLTC is slimline and compact with a mirrored door which will do just that, whilst inside there are 4 deep shelves for clothes and a bottom shelf for shoes. The cut out handle also makes it easy to open and close the cupboard without trapping hands or fingers.
Cabin beds are a great way of combining sleeping space and storage. This white milkshake cabin bed from The Children’s Furniture Company is painted a soft white colour with small drawer handles which add to the feeling of spaciousness and light. The top drawer has a handy divider for socks and pants and the cupboards each have a shelf with plenty of storage space! The ladders now also come with flat treads which are much comfier to use. As space saving furniture goes, you just can’t beat a good cabin bed!
This white display bookcase from Chic Shack has drawers in the base with sloped sides which are less imposing than a standard form bookcase and takes up much less room. Again white painted furniture is much better suited to small rooms so that the eyes are drawn around the room rather than focusing on busy furniture pieces. This bookcase can be hung on a wall or stood on the ground and makes a charming display unit.
Under-bed Storage
If you don’t have a cabin bed then chances are that you have a lot of underbed storage going to waste. So utilise that space with these handy storage solutions that keeps bulky items out of sight and prevents the monsters from hiding under the bed!
This Coastal Stripe Storage Bag from John Lewis will keep winter clothing safe and free from clothes moths – or use it for spare bedding or winter duvets. There’s plenty of room inside and once zipped up, it just slides neatly under the bed.
These vacuum storage bags from John Lewis are an absolutely fantastic idea to store large bulky items such as bedding. You can easily compress a large item into a small package by vacuuming all the excess air out leaving an airtight storage solution that will keep materials free from dust and pests until it’s ready to be used again.
Stacking Storage
Innovative stacking storage solutions simply means, stackable storage. If you have an awkward space that won’t entertain any standard storage furniture then why not build your own customised solution? Stackable storage can be made into any shape to cover any space available.
These clear storage drawers from Heals are easily clipped together and can be stacked onto a handy base with wheels so you can move it from one place or room to another. You’ve a choice of brightly coloured rims and the transparency of the drawers means that it’s easier to locate just what you are looking for!
Lighting
Avoid table lamps which take up space and instead use wall-washers or up-lighters to bounce light from ceilings and walls. Spotlights can be employed to illuminate each corner of the room to make it appear larger and rooms with low ceilings can often benefit from vertical lighting.
Decor
Striped wallpaper will make a room with a low ceiling look higher but it can be overdone – striped wallpaper on all four walls can be counter productive and create a fenced-in feeling so it’s best just to keep it to a feature wall. Light colours will generally make a room feel more spacious – greens and blues are receding colours; red and yellow are advancing and will make a room look small. White painted furniture will blend in well and keep the eye moving around the room.
This Harlequin stripe design from John Lewis is bright and a great way of introducing strong colours without being oppressive.
Floor surfaces can also have a big impact – avoid dark colours and texture – plain light colours may not be the most practical in terms of cleaning but will make a small room feel airy and spacious.
