Eight Interior Design Tips to Maximise Space

Using interior design to maximise your space enhances its functionality and aesthetic appeal and helps you create a bespoke space that celebrates your life. Join us as we provide our top eight tips for maximising your space, no matter the size.

How to Use Interior Design to Maximise Space

Our top eight tips are user-friendly and flexible for any space, whether it be a small urban apartment or an expansive countryside farmhouse. Embrace using interior design to maximise space and create a truly bespoke home.

Tip 1: Floor Plans

The best first step is to measure your space and create an interior design floor plan. This will show you the basic layout of your space and indicate the relationships between rooms and how people move through them. Floor plans are crucial for designing an interior space–they turn concepts into tangible forms, allow for adjustments to be made easily, are time- and money-savers, and help you establish the ‘big picture’.

Draft a couple of versions of the space’s floor plans so that you can experiment with different design elements and identify potential flaws. Make sure to include as much information as possible in your floor plan to reap the myriad benefits it provides.

Tip 2: Versatility and Storage

The key to maximising any space is choosing flexible and adaptable furniture for different areas, which helps you organise them. Optimal furniture includes foldable tables, nesting coffee tables, storage ottomans, and sofas or beds with storage compartments.

Another storage solution to consider is vertical storage. Use the walls in your space with cabinets, quirky shelving options, and other interesting wall-mounted storage.

Tip 3: The Trick with Light

Maximising space is about making it feel expansive. To achieve this, interior designers make the most of natural light in the space or opt to mimic it with warm lighting. Open up windows to let in as much natural light as possible. Otherwise, choose warm-toned light bulbs for lamps, wall sconces, and other light fixtures. These mimic natural light and help create a romantic, cosy, and moody atmosphere.

Tip 4: Mirror Mirror On the Wall…

Mirrors are a space’s best friend! Strategically positioning mirrors optimises light reflection and creates depth. Place large mirrors adjacent to windows to maximise natural light streaming in, or opt for mirrored furniture or reflective materials, such as metals or marble. For smaller spaces, consider placing mirrors opposite one another to trick the eye into thinking that the room has more depth. We suggest playing around with the placements of different mirrors–including varying sizes, shapes and finishes–until you find the right fit for your space and style.

But don’t overdo it. Too many mirrors can cause discomfort and become overwhelming. Play around with placement, mirror size, and design until you find the best fit for your space.

Tip 5: Bright Colour Palettes

Choose a colour palette that includes soft, neutral tones for walls and furniture to create the illusion of spaciousness. Lighter colours reflect natural and artificial light and allow you to control the creation of highlights and shadows in your space, adding interest and depth. Colour profoundly affects interior design and helps set specific tones, feelings, and moods. Embrace combinations of colours for one room rather than just one.

Opt for neutral or pastel colours for your walls, built-in cupboards, large furniture pieces, wall skirtings, and door trims to make the space feel expansive while simultaneously creating flexibility for future design changes.

Tip 6: Declutter

Declutter your space to maximise the amount of light that can move in and around it, organise the flow of your space, and embrace tranquillity and simplicity. Decluttering your space, no matter your style, is beneficial in many ways. It means less to clean, less to organise, and less stress. Take your time and be thoughtful about the things you need and things you’d rather give away.

Tip 7: Creating Zones in Open-Plan Spaces

Open-plan spaces are great for smaller living spaces but can quickly become messy and disorganised. We suggest mapping out zones within open-plan spaces to help you define what needs to fit where. Create distinct zones with rugs, partitions, artwork, and furniture. Think about the areas you’d like to have in your open-plan space.

Creating reading nooks, meditation zones, and other personalised sanctuaries are great ideas for zoning your space. To learn more about creating your personalised sanctuary, read our sister company’s blog here.

Tip 8: Customise it

The best way to maximise your space is to fill it with custom pieces that perfectly suit your style and way of life. Instead of compromising your plan and relying on design specifications set by manufacturers and trends, invest in a company that customises your own pieces or makes them according to your specifications. Buy pieces that help you create dynamic spaces that can be folded away between uses, or opt for additional shelving or storage solutions in hard-to-reach areas.

Get Started with SWD

We can’t wait for you to jump into action and design the space of your dreams! However, if you’re searching for “interior design Gauteng” as a plan B, the team at Sarah Watermeyer Design is here to help. We are passionate about designing spaces that celebrate the people living in them. Whether starting from scratch or working with what’s available, the team at Sarah Watermeyer Design loves a good challenge. Centred on sustainability, we take inspiration from the environments around us and incorporate this into our creative process to create high-quality, unique and long-lasting designs for our clients.

With over two decades in the industry, we’ve designed and created a myriad of residential spaces. We are not only passionate about creating new homes but also about repurposing them for today’s lifestyle and our client’s unique needs. ​Our service offering is holistic in its approach, and we provide an extensive range of interior design, decorating, and furnishing services. We’ll take care of everything, from budget management to final installations.

Get in touch with Sarah Watermeyer Design and find out how we can customise and maximise your space today.