Furnishing small rooms: tips for creative interior design

Furnishing small rooms so that they feel cosy is not as difficult as you might think. With a few tricks, the right accessories and good furniture and rugs, you can create a comfortable home even in a small space.

It starts with colour. Make a dark room look brighter and you will feel that you have more space.

Shimmering, glossy surfaces and good lighting reflected by mirrors bring in light, visually enlarge the room and make it feel friendly. Fairy lights as an accessory or battery-powered candles create an atmospheric mood.

Light, floor-length curtains visually stretch the room upwards. Multifunctional furniture saves space by combining several uses in one piece. That way your home keeps its character, which it would lose if the furniture were banished almost entirely. A sofa, for example, can become a comfortable place to sleep in the evening.

Keep everything you do not need every day in the cellar, the loft or perhaps the garage. If too many things have to be stored, you lose valuable space and freedom of movement.

The same applies when you choose furniture. Bulky leather armchairs or heavy antique cupboards overwhelm a room. Go for a pretty sofa rather than a sprawling corner suite. A rug that is small and matches in colour creates a harmonious look.

Choose slim cupboards that do not crowd the room, and add wall shelves if needed for your favourite books or pretty accessories. You will find storage space for blankets or bags, for example, under your bed or under the sofa.

Your home is easier to keep clean, though, if you can vacuum or wipe easily under the bed and under your cupboards.

Anything that makes the room look brighter and bigger is allowed. Light is everything. If the hall is dark and has no windows, give it a glass door to your living room. White makes any room look bigger. You can also use bright yellow or a pale grey. Every colour has its own associations. If blue is more your colour, choose a light shade. To help the room look larger and brighter, keep the wall colours understated so that the furnishings take the lead. To set a strong colour accent, you could, for example, choose turquoise rugs for the room.

The right rug becomes an eye-catcher. For example, choose an oval rug in a matching colour for your hall or your seating area. It does not try to dominate, and its texture adapts to the room and the furniture. You can choose dark colours for the floor or for your rug: if the walls are light, the room still gains visual space.

Cosy rugs in your bedroom make getting up easier every morning. Your feet sink into a warm, soft cloud, and getting going becomes much more pleasant straight away.

Rugs should become your favourite pieces, and then you may overlook their practical side now and then. Beige tones in front of a window full of plants do not close the space in; they become a stylish base and your favourite spot.

First and foremost, rugs of any shape or colour make a soft surface underfoot. The style of your home decides which rug suits you and your rooms best. To look its best, your rug should be the right size.

Round rugs need more space, whereas rectangular rugs fit almost anywhere.

Set deliberate highlights. That might mean choosing tone-on-tone, or placing a splash of colour like an exclamation mark. Either way, rugs let you create a small oasis with a warm, sensuous atmosphere.

Do you love walking on clouds? Then natural products in fur or wool with a high pile are just right for you.

They do need a little more care than low-pile rugs, though. With low-pile or leather rugs you have the advantage that a stain or a small mishap is quickly wiped away and forgotten. Vacuum once a week and you have a pleasant sense of cleanliness.

Beautiful velour rugs cope well with underfloor heating too. Very densely woven, a velour rug brings a touch of exclusivity even to small rooms, and it is easy to clean with a vacuum cleaner. Available in many colours, these rugs suit your living room and your bedroom, and your hallway. 

Turn your little realm – whether a studio or a two-room flat, a modern apartment or a stylish period building – into a feel-good space.

The right colours and minimalist, slim furniture help you do it. Lighting effects with wall lights or fairy lights have a big influence on how your home looks, how large it feels and its style.

And not to forget the right rug: it is the finishing touch. Its effect should not be underestimated when it comes to creating a feel-good space and a harmonious whole.