When furnishing and decorating a home, scale is an important consideration. A large room can feel small and crowded when stuffed with out-of-proportion pieces, but scale may be even more important when square footage is at a premium. To help a small room seem more spacious, wise furniture choices are key. If you’re decorating in tight quarters, focus on multifunctional furnishings with slim lines, small footprints, hidden storage, and other space-friendly features—in other words, pieces like the ones that follow.
Considering its slim size, this side table from 17 Stories offers a surprising amount of storage. The top flips open to reveal ample space to stash remote controls, books, and other trinkets, plus built-in USB ports and outlets (something many rooms lack) for charging your gadgets. Its narrow dimensions let it fit comfortably next to your couch or armchair without jutting out and disrupting the flow of the room.
Get the 17 Stories End Table With Storage at Wayfair for $98.99.
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Not everyone has the luxury of an extra room to use as an at-home office. Rather than allowing your work to dominate the living room, dining room, or bedroom, turn an unused corner of your house into your work space. The sleek Andover Mills Jair desk, which measures 39.5 inches wide by 30 inches tall by 25.75 inches deep, can transform an empty nook into a quiet corner for getting work done. Shin-level shelves and a slender drawer provide space for storage.
Get the Andover Mills Jair Corner Desk at Wayfair for $139.99.
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A skinny, industrial-style table is just the solution for a kitchen or dining room that doesn’t have the room for a full dining set. It’s also great as a secondary eating space for quick breakfasts or overflow guests. Consider purchasing matching low stools, sold separately, that can be pushed under the table when they are not in use.
Get the 17 Stories Mayton Dining Table at Wayfair for $142.99.
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Storage ottomans reign supreme when it comes to multifunctional furniture. Not only does this Threshold ottoman provide a place to rest your feet, but it’s also useful for storing blankets and hiding clutter. It’s available in a range of colors, and its light weight—just over 26 pounds—makes it easy to push to the side if you need extra floor space.
Get the Threshold Essex Double Storage Ottoman at Target for $85.
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Hanging mirrors is a sneaky trick for making any room feel bigger and brighter. A large mirror, like this modern design from Wayfair, reflects light around the room and creates the illusion of depth and height. Choose from three colors and four sizes, and then either hang it up or simply prop it against the wall to magically increase the perceived size of your room.
Get the Mercury Row Adames Modern and Contemporary Mirror at Wayfair, priced from $113.32.
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When you’re searching for more space in your house, look up—and this often means making better use of the walls. For instance, these farmhouse-style floating shelves from Etsy seller Rustic Roots Co. provide practical storage without looking clunky or taking up valuable floor space. Hang them in the dining room, kitchen, bathroom, entryway, or anywhere else where you need to stylishly display your belongings.
Get the Rustic Roots Co. Deep Farmhouse Floating Shelf at Etsy, priced from $50.40.
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Think a bar cart is an extraneous, space-hogging accessory? Think again. This small circular cart from Wayfair has a towel bar and two shelves for storing your happy hour necessities. Even better, the shelves double as removal trays, making service simple and fast. Simply stick the cart in a corner, and then roll it out when the clock strikes 5.
Get the 17 Stories Colo Bar Cart at Wayfair for $209.99.
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The entryway of your house receives constant foot traffic, and there never seems to be enough space for everything you need as you head in and out the door each day. Over time, even a spacious entry can wind up strewn with shoes, coats, and bags. Let this slim Project 62 console table help you tame the chaos and create more space. You’ll be able to set some of your gear on top, hide some in the drawers, and stow shoes, gloves, and scarves neatly in baskets below, making your formerly clogged hallway tidy and efficient.
Get the Project 62 Loring Console Table at Target for $150.
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Light, especially natural light, is vital for making a room feel airy and open. Swap heavy drapes for a breezy window covering made of sheer fabric that will let sunshine fill the room. To make the space feel even bigger, hang the curtain rod slightly above the window to create the illusion of taller ceilings.
Get the No. 918 Bethany Slub Textured Tie Top Curtain Panel at Target, priced from $9.99.
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Don’t pass on stylish accent furniture for fear that these pieces will shrink the size of the room. Instead, select pieces that help a room feel larger, like this comfy accent chair. Small dimensions keep its footprint relatively light, and its low height and exposed legs let it take up less space visually.
Get the Christopher Knight Home Cicely Tufted Accent Chair at Target, priced from $138.74.
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By seeming to disappear into the surroundings, see-through furniture can make a room feel larger. These clear acrylic end tables blend into a room with zero intrusiveness, providing a little storage without adding to the clutter. With modern flair and waterfall edges, these elegant, U-shaped tables come two to a set; the slightly smaller table nests neatly under the larger table when not in use for even greater space savings.
Get the Etta Avenue Alexzander 2-Piece Sled Nesting Tables at Wayfair for $256.99 .
Couches deep enough to serve as a taxiway have no place in a small space. Instead, look for a sofa with a shallow seat depth. Consider one with exposed legs, like this stylish offering, because being able to see the space under the couch adds to a room’s sense of openness. Handy storage pockets on the armrests hold reading material and remotes, which cuts down on clutter.
Get the Mellow Adair 73-inch Square Arm Sofa at Wayfair for $479.99.
Prices are accurate as of publication on August 10, 2022.
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