There’s a myth in the building community that small spaces allow for less innovation, less creativity… just less.
But we believe the opposite is true. Small space renovation is one of the most interesting parts of our job, because a home renovation gets more complex and interesting the less square footage you have. In other words, projects like these invite a ton of imagination to the party, allowing us to really stretch as renovators.
If you’re staring down a small space and dreading the renovation, whether it’s a part of your home or the entire home itself, it’s time to get excited. Because there is so much great work we can do to make that space usable for you.
But you only see this result when the small space renovation is done well. To that end, here’s what we would recommend when maximising a home renovation with a small footprint.
Much like any other home renovation, one of the best places to start with a small space renovation is to check out what those have done before. People put a ton of time and energy into revolutionising their spaces, so forums for tiny homes, small space living, and even Pinterest can be incredibly valuable when building your initial set of ideas.
Now, small space inspiration is not a step to be skipped. Even if you discard almost every idea you come across, there will inevitably be one or two gems in there that you just can’t wait to implement.
Constraints are one of the best ways to hone a vision for a home renovation; otherwise, you may end up going all over the place with your ideas and struggle to narrow them down. In this case, your main constraint will be space, and that can be a good thing.
Limited space forces you to get clear on what you want in a space vs. what you need for the space to truly serve its daily function.
For example, you might want a built-in island for your small kitchen, but what you need most is a flexible space that accommodates daily cooking and entertaining. So the best solution might be an island on wheels that can roll in and out of the space to double as a dining room table when needed.
When in doubt, make a clear list of everything you’d like for your small space renovation to accomplish. Then, grab a highlighter and get ruthless. Assign wants and needs to their respective columns, and you’re away. This will quickly clarify your vision for your home renovation.
Space is at a premium in spots like laundry rooms, small bathrooms, or other niche spots in your home. These are the rooms where leaning into multi-functional furniture is a must, because you need to add a whole lot of two things: storage and functionality.
For example, substituting drawers of various sizes for open shelving can add a ton of storage to a laundry, bathroom, or kitchen while hiding accumulated clutter from curious eyes.
Multi-functional furniture like benches that double as storage boxes or fold-away hampers that tuck into countertops are both excellent examples of ways to get a little creative with the necessities of your given space.
These techniques are the bedrock of small space renovation. Even small details, like the direction your door is hung, can dictate how much floor space you’re working with in the room. Sliding doors can eliminate the space taken up by a door entirely.
Finally, once you have some clear sources of inspiration, a wants vs. needs list, and some ideas for multi-functional installations, you will be prepared to chat with your home renovation team. This step is vital because they are the ones who will be on the ground and getting the work done.
Sharing your sources of inspiration and needs will help your team execute at its best. They can offer alternative suggestions to manage space, cost, and other factors if your initial suggestion doesn’t align with your core vision. More importantly, they can make each micro-decision throughout the day with your end goal in mind.
So, to summarise: look for small space renovation inspiration, get your wants and needs clear, seek out multi-functional solutions, and lean into communication with your home renovation team. If you tick these steps off, there is no doubt that you’ll end up with a maximised small space (that might just become your new favourite spot in your home).
With 300+ projects under our belt and a speciality in home renovation, we’ve got your back no matter the project. If you’re curious about what we can do or you’re just ready to jump in, get in touch with our team today.
