The next generation of homebuyers across the world are buying smaller and smaller houses to accommodate the increasing house prices.

With smaller houses, homebuyers are much more aware of the importance of effective interior design to maximise what little space they have.

Here are some interior design tips that make even the tiniest apartment look spacious.

4 Interior Design Tips for Small Spaces

1. Buy compact and multifunctional furniture

In smaller houses, living and dining spaces are often combined to maximise space. The living room is generally the first thing you see upon entering the home after a long day’s work. That’s why your choice of furniture is central to the overall vibe of the entire living space.

For example, anyone living in a studio apartment quickly realises that a 4-seater dining table takes up a huge amount of space. The solution? Buy a high-quality, compact multi-purpose table. If your household only consists of you and your partner, consider buying a 2-seater dining table, which will make your living space less claustrophobic.

2. Add plenty of mirrors

Have you ever wondered why some department stores feel more spacious than others? Chances are, these stores utilise mirrors effectively.

You can apply the same principle in your home. While adding a mirror doesn’t increase your floor area, it does create the illusion of more space.

A neat place to mount a wall mirror would be near your home entrance. Not only does it offer a spacious feeling the moment you enter your home, it also lets you check your appearance before you go outside.

3. Incorporate storage solutions

Unlike large homes, small spaces do not have the luxury of having a designated storage room

It is then crucial to have storage solutions for small and medium objects to free up space for larger items in the household. The storage serves two purposes: to minimise visual clutter and to organise items. Not only does it make your space look neater, but it also streamlines your daily routine as well.

Start viewing your space in three dimensions rather than a simple floor plan. Other than a closet of a cupboard, you can have wall-mounted shelves, overhead cabinets, and so on.

4. Hide your wires

While this advice is practical for both large and small households, it is more important for smaller ones. With a smaller space, visual clutter is much more prominent.

Ever wonder why high-end hotels or homestays feel more spacious than your home? This is because the hotels or photo editors know how to hide the wires well which will immediately translate to a cleaner, well organised and visually pleasing room.

A cheap way of handling wires is simple cable management using zip ties or twist ties. You can also conceal your wires with wall cord covers.

These are helpful principles to keep in mind when designing your dream home. Remember, these small details have a huge impact on the overall feel of your home!

Are you the kind of person who loves to customise your home interior design, but needs a bit of help now and then?

Call +60 16-299 1366 to learn more!

Interested to apply the principles of Feng Shui tradition? It will be difficult to memorise all the “hard rules” when it comes to designing your property to fit Feng Shui guidelines, but you can remember a few there are some key underlying principles which may prove useful.

4 Essential Feng Shui Tips for Homeowners

1. Allow air and light to flow

One of the key principles of feng shui is an understanding of how air and light flow within a property.

The goal is to maximise the flows, which means, paying attention to the placement of doors, windows, walls, and stairways.

If you find a particular corner in your house feels stiff and depressing, consider brightening up the place naturally by installing a window or skylights. Refrain from buying homes where there is a blank wall staring at you the moment you open the front door.

A home is not built to feel like a maze. Design your house so that it has wide spaces, good ventilation, and plenty of natural light. Look for these features when house hunting; you won’t regret it.

2. Face north or south

A south-facing home is supposed to bring its owner fame, wealth, and professional growth. This is possibly tied to the belief that, in China where feng shui originated, a home that faces south brings in the warm summer heat.

But this is not a hard-and-fast rule, so it is still possible to be auspicious if you follow the energy flows according to the complex theory of “bagua”.

Should you follow this tip? A practical reason to have your property facing north or south is the fact that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Living in an apartment where the main windows are facing west would translate to a warmer apartment in the evenings.

Paying attention to the sun’s direction when buying a property is important, as it will determine the brightness levels in your room. You might even consider buying a property that is not directly facing the sun to save on electricity bills, as you would not need to turn on the air-conditioning as much.

3. Avoid T-junctions

Feng shui practitioners advise buyers to avoid property with its main door or gate facing a T-junction. The theory is that spirits get lost near a T-junction and do not know which way to go.

But there are grounds for claiming that it is unwise to purchase a property facing a T-junction. If nothing else, it is difficult to enter and exit your property near a T-junction.

You would have to pay attention to traffic from three directions if you were to leave your house. If you’re driving, it is more difficult to exit your garage with headlights glaring down your rearview mirror.

Having a property on a straight lane would mean that the traffic would zoom past your house. However, having a property near a T-junction, or worse, with a traffic light, would mean that cars would have to stop near your house for a relatively longer period. This may allow strangers to observe your home without you noticing If you value your privacy and security, pay attention to this rule.

It is also not ideal to have car exhaust fumes lingering outside of your house. While these problems may be trivial to some, compounding these minor irritations daily means that you will end up with plenty of stress for years to come.

4. Get rid of clutter

Possibly the easiest tip to implement is to avoid accumulating clutter in the first place. According to feng shui principles, an uncluttered space encourages more positive and harmonious energy to flow inside your home.

Not only that, there are numerous benefits to living in a tidy and clutter-free home. Frequent organising and cleaning will remove many of the visual clutter from our day-to-day lives, encouraging a much more stress-free environment.

Many may claim that feng shui is pure pseudoscience. But it is hard to deny that a lot of its practices agree with those of superb interior design. With careful planning, you can have a home that follows the principles of feng shui.

In fact, you might be planning and designing your home according to feng shui unconsciously.

Visit Ohmyhome today to enhance your home buying or selling experience!

Call +60 16-299 1366 to learn more.