DFW Real Estate Articles: 2008
Small Room Blues
© by Mike Stevenson
Is there a "small room" standing in the way of your vision of the perfect house? No need to worry... it can be a blessing in disguise. With some imagination, a plan and a little bit of mad money, you can create a room so unique that all your friends will want their own "tiny room." It can be square, rectangular or "L-shaped"... the important thing is to make it into something special that fits-in well with your individual lifestyle and interests.
Some examples of this little room's "destiny" might be:
- A Home Office
- A Weight Room
- A Library
- A Home Theater
- A Collection Gallery
- A Wardrobe
- A Prayer Room
- A Hobby Room
- A Yoga Room
- A Reading Room
- A Home School
- A Coffee Room
With so many possible choices, we can't even begin to go into detail on more than one. Before we narrow our focus however, let's just let our imaginations go wild for a moment. We could have... ceiling-high bookshelves built into the walls. We could put glass display cases around the walls along with a couple of display islands in the center. We could put a huge, wafer-thin plasma TV screen on one wall... you can see where that's headed can't you? Wow... this is too much fun, don't you think? Now that we've dreamed a bit, here are some general ideas for showing-off a small room.
Color, Light and Contrast
Small rooms usually call for light-colored walls. Darker colors tend to make any room feel small -- and that's not what we need here! Even a small room can step beyond plain "white" paint as long as cool pastels are used. Light blues, grays or even greens can be used to create a comfortable mood. Try painting one wall (the far wall) with a little darker shade of a contrasting (different) color -- then hang a mirror on that wall. This gives the illusion of more "depth" in the room. Try other ways of using mirrors to reflect more light from a window or to reflect a picture that you've hung on the opposite wall. Use different sources of light... maybe an uplight on the floor or sconces on the walls in addition to overhead lighting. Finally, don't block the natural light from available windows. Go easy on the window coverings so more of the outside light gets in.
See all of that Space?
Consider using furniture that's taller than it is wide. Think about working with lighter wood tones -- they'll help a small room seem less crowded. One more thought here -- choose furniture with "bare legs"... not skirted with fabric. This will help to visually open the available floor space for a roomier feel.
My last "small tip" is... use glass. How about glazed French doors? Try working with glass topped end tables or a glass coffee table. You'll feel more freedom in a room where you can see more space. If a table is a main piece in the room, consider a round table that people can walk past without banging into the corners.
Do you still have the "small room" blues? Say it isn't so! You have a potential show-place for a dozen possible specialty uses. Let your imagination loose for a while and those "blues" will fade right into the walls.
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