When you’re down to the wire and have to figure out how to make a small space look bigger, it is easy to feel intimidated by the task at hand (despite the lack of square footage!). Designing a functional, yet stylish small-sized room truly requires the designer to get creative—which is exactly why we enlisted our pro interior design contributor Gillian Segal to give us alllll her small space secrets. Let’s just say she didn’t disappoint, so keep scrolling for her tips and tricks for tackling small space design…
Designing a small space can seem overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Coming from a girl who has trouble parting with once-loved items—like that pair of skinny jeans you think one day might fit, or that horrible pair of shoes you spent a fortune on and pray come back into style—I can appreciate the stress of trying to cram a lot into a tight space. Aside from spending a weekend binge-watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and accepting a more minimalist lifestyle, there are some great design solutions that can help you make the most of any small space design.
1. Storage, storage, storage!
Custom millwork is your new best friend in any small space. It’s the perfect way to make sure there’s a home for everything which is hugely helpful when it comes to de-cluttering. Doing floor to ceiling cabinetry really maximizes your vertical space that would otherwise go unused. The one downside to custom cabinetry is the price tag, and if you are renting or on a tight budget this can get tricky. Pro Tip: IKEA cabinetry can be a great hack if you don’t want to splurge on the custom route. You can even dress up their cabinet boxes with more specialized doors from companies like Semi Handmade.
Above: Custom millwork added to this small dining room to maximize functionality.
Photo: Ema Peter Photography | Design: Gillian Segal Design
2. Double Duty
If you are tight on space, make sure everything is as functional as possible. Look for side tables that are not only cute but also have a storage component. Storage ottomans, storage beds and the like are also a great way to get a little extra something without sacrificing style. (EQ3 makes a great and reasonably priced storage bed.)
Above: Concealed TV behind millwork & custom drawer unit to house TV room essentials.
Design & Photo: Gillian Segal Design
3. Optical Illusions
Mirrors are your new best friend in a small space (next to Marie Kondo, of course!). They bounce around light and seeing the reflection of your space truly does give the illusion of the space being larger. Instead of one large mirror (which can feel overpowering in a small space) try for repetition of a few mirrors or a collection or gallery wall of smaller unique mirrors–it creates a much more interesting and thoughtful look.
Photo: Ema Peter Photography | Design: Gillian Segal Design
Above: Three mirrors on the far right wall in this dining room give the illusion of a much larger, brighter space.
Try these simple tips next time you’re working on your small space (or any space that you want to maximize) and I promise you won’t regret it!
Who knew learning how to make a room feel bigger could be so simple?
We’re certainly putting these tips in our back pocket for our next design project… To follow along with more of Gillian’s beautiful work, visit her website and follow her on Instagram.
Xx Team GM
Photos: (Header) Ema Peter Photography