Micro Condo Living: How to Make the Most Out of Your Space
“The outside world does not have a lot to offer. You have to make your own heaven in your own home” -Bette Midler.
Today, contemporary living highlights the importance of convenience and accessibility—a trend that condo developers have long capitalized on.
That said, it is inevitable for condominium units to become one of the most popular home choices among young professionals and families. For that reason, many prospective homeowners are looking for affordable condos for sale in Manila or elsewhere. Condo living has redefined modern lifestyles insomuch that new generation homeowners are foregoing massive homes in favor of compact and minimalistic living spaces. Condos are generally cheaper and more manageable. More importantly, these developments are likely found peppered around the metro, which means that many of them are located in the premier, much-coveted districts.
However, as enticing as living in a condo may sound, they do come with a unique challenge: space. Sure, many developers may now be offering spacious offerings, but the task of efficiently using every nook and cranny of the space remains. As it is, there are many condominiums that are as small as 20 sqm—which many homeowners (particularly ones with families) may consider rather small. As a result, making the most out of a tiny small space can feel like a daunting endeavor. This is especially true if you are making a move from a home to a condo. There are a myriad of things to consider—from knowing which multipurpose furniture to use to ensuring the space is spotless. With such a challenging task ahead complemented by your compelling need to ascertain you have everything you require in your condo, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
Luckily, overcoming this major challenge in urban living is not impossible. More often than not, it only takes a few organizational tips and tricks to ensure that every inch of your limited space is well utilized.
Below is a list of tips and tricks to make even the littlest of condo spaces look sophisticated and fantastic with these creative ideas:
1.) HIDDEN STORAGE
Living in tiny condos often comes with the inescapable challenge of having a shortage of space. However, small spaces can often bring out the most creative organizing ideas. One of them is to use different sets of furniture with hidden storage. One of the ways you can do this is to invest in quality coffee tables or couches that come with hidden cabinets or drawers. You may also want to have a custom-made bed that comes with extra drawers to make it the perfect place to store your extra linen,
bed sheets, pillowcases, magazines, or other valuable personal belongings.
2.) MAKE SURE TO USE EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY
In small homes, making every inch count is paramount. That said, it is imperative that you maximize your space by making use of your empty corners. Make sure that there are no idle spaces. If your condo is a loft, you may opt to convert the space under your space into a home office or computer area. Alternatively, you may also choose to build shelves under the stairs to serve as your mini-library or to hold your collection of DVDs. Also, note that there is a lot of negative space under your bed which makes it an ideal place for little drawers for your undergarments. Keep in mind that space is limited. So, make sure that every square meter should be maximized.
3.) USE MIRRORS TO HIGHLIGHT THE SPACE
One of the ingenious ways to make small areas appear bigger is to give them the illusion of space. You can do this with the placement of mirrors. However, to achieve the illusion of space, you need to place them correctly. Mirrors should always be hung or placed opposite windows to reflect windows and brighten up the room. Be sure not to place mirrors next to a window as this will create reflection problems. Whenever possible, allow sunlight to stream into your home as natural light is one of the surefire ways to make your home feel more spacious.
It is worth noting that there are condos that do not have a lot of windows in their home or may have their windows covered. If this is the case, utilizing mirrors can cause the space to appear smaller instead of larger. To address this, use candles, drapes, and textiles as these tend to absorb light instead of reflecting it and make the place look larger at night when less natural light goes through windows. However, be sure that these items have adequate space from one another so that your spaces do not seem confined or cluttered. Also, dim lighting works well if you are decorating a space that does not have any windows.
4.) MAKE USE OF FEWER AND BIGGER ITEMS THAN A BUNCH OF SMALLER ONES
Having a few pieces of large furniture presents a cleaner and less cluttered look than adding a collection of smaller ones. When you are shopping for furniture to place in a condo, keep in mind to avoid anything that is floor-model only. These items are smaller pieces of furniture that will make your space appear cramped and confined.
Stick to the higher-quality items that look like they were truly made for the space you have. Items such as custom-made closets, wardrobes, cabinets, and dressers are excellent additions. Bedroom sets can work well if you have a larger condo space, as these provide plenty of storage space. Also, it allows for a more organized and accessible appearance than a bedroom full of unique dressers, nightstands, and the like. Decorate your condo with sleek options when it comes to accessories, and choose vases, candle holders, lamps, clocks, art displays, and sculptures that look great in the place. Be sure to keep them to a minimum, as accumulating a lot of these can make the space feel smaller.
5.) CONSIDER THINKING OF THINGS VERTICALLY
As condos typically come with limited spaces, the main goal is to utilize each space cleverly so as to take up less floor space and present a cleaner look. With that said, you may want to opt to use the vertical space as it is one of the most effective and efficient ways to achieve this goal. Do this by hanging shelves or wall decals to utilize your condo’s vertical space.
Instead of having a dedicated bookshelf, you may want to opt to hang your bookcases instead, as this maximizes storage without taking up too much floor space. Wall decals also make spaces look larger as they create dimension instead of eliminating it. Smaller items such as lamps and vases tend to make smaller spaces feel even more cramped when placed on flat surfaces such as tabletops or window sills.
6.) KEEP YOUR SHELVES OPEN
Closed shelves can make limited spaces seem crowded and even smaller. Create the illusion of a bigger space by using open shelves instead of cabinets and cupboards. This is especially true in the kitchen. If you wish to showcase and display your best dinner plates and fine china, be sure to keep them in full eye view by placing them on open shelves and cabinets.
7.) CREATIVE STORAGE
If you have a lot of belongings, organizing a small space may seem even more challenging and difficult. This is especially true if you have a lot of accessories. To address this, you can use small containers such as bowls to store your jewelry sets, earrings, bangles, or other accessories. Give it a dual purpose by having it serve as an accessory to your center table.
8.) USE APPROPRIATE DIVIDERS
Condos typically come with open spaces. As the space is rather limited, homeowners may see the task of separating the living room from the dining room challenging. In lieu of building huge dividers or large furniture, you may opt to separate the space or rooms with curtains.
9.) UTILIZE LIGHT COLORS
Light colors can often create the illusion of a bigger space. That said, consider painting your walls white or in the same shade to make them appear larger. Dark walls complemented by even darker furniture can make a space feel claustrophobic and would make your small condos feel even smaller.
10.) BUNK BENDS
If you have kids, you may want to invest in quality bunk beds to save up on floor space. Bunk beds stay in only one corner and allow three to four children to share a single room. Alternatively, you may want to utilize the bottom part of the bunk bed as their dedicated study area by swapping out the bed for a desk table and chair. Bunk beds are great as it leaves more space for their toys and their playtime.
BOTTOMLINE
While the task of furnishing limited space may seem a little intimidating, know that even the smallest homes can look amazing with creative home designs and proper furniture scaling. With the tips above, you can certainly achieve that.
Just keep in mind that the key to having a fantastic condo home is to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and experiment with your spaces.