By
Chirag Sharma
Photography:
World Wide Web
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‘Minimize constraints
and maximize functional aesthetics’ is the key to put your best foot forward
even in a small space...
It’s
all in the mind. Adapting to a small area need not be synonymous with adapting
to a cramped lifestyle! Today, small homes are being optically lifted, expanded
and their positive aspects highlighted making them appear much larger than they
actually are.
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Small
spaces are being enhanced in various ways. Right from structurally opening
space by lowering windows, spacing out dead niches, enclosing balconies and
knocking down walls, and aesthetically enhancing the essential beams and
columns through the tried and tested principle of camouflage, to a careful
balancing of furniture, fittings, soft furnishings and accessories against a
balanced palette of colour and light.
‘Less
is more’ in a small space! The idea is to create a feeling of spaciousness –
harmoniously and stylishly. The key lies in change - change in one’s style of
living, storage habits, and personal habits based purely on one’s distinct
environment and need.
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Light: While
natural light is the best option, any
use of artificial light should be in form of a sleek table lamp or an up-lighter
to create balance, scale and mood. Even small chandeliers/ wall brackets are
best avoided in a room with small proportions.
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Colour: Stick to a neutral colour
palette. Soft earthy tones and broken white open up spaces and create a perfect
backdrop for hues from furniture, furnishings and accessories. Accents in
colour and form are well focused upon with a minimal palette. Painting the
walls and ceiling in the same colour creates an uninterrupted flow giving the
room an expansive feel.
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Texture & Pattern: Small
patterns and smooth textures create interplay of design and decor elements that
complement the spatial feel. The fewer they are – the more spacious the room
feels.
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Scale & Form: Remember,
no cornices, no moldings, nothing frilly and no clutter. A false ceiling too
is best avoided. Let the simplicity of the structure per se be visible so that
the add-ons enhance its natural line and form.
Heavy furniture is an absolute “No-No”. We recommend light furniture of
a more open design say exposed sleek legs to the sofa and chairs as opposed to
the heavily upholstered variety. Fold-aways, built-in cabinetry with a two-way
option (with open-able shutters and drawers on both sides), low furniture are
other space enhancers.
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Accessories: Materials such as glass and metal, and
fabrics that are light and airy lend a feeling of openness. Few well-chosen
accessories – well placed, can work beautifully enhancing the balance and
harmony of the ambience rather than bric-a-brac selected and placed without
conscious thought. Windows could be dressed in straight lines rather than
valences. Also, a little plant on the windowsill or a tall planter tends to add
on to the aesthetics. Use mirrors – on
the wall – as a place mat under an artifact or as a tabletop. The reflections
generate an element of interest.
Above
all, one should always make sure that movement around a small room is unimpeded
and comfortable.
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