We dedicated our last blog post to the rewards of minimalism. This time around, let’s talk about another trend that’s gaining some serious traction: the tiny home movement. McMansions are out; tiny homes are in -- or so it seems. The movement is gaining traction, and for good reason. Environmentally, a tiny home leaves a smaller footprint (quite literally, too). Less space to heat and cool, less room to clutter up, less of a headache to maintain, simpler living, and, very often, returning to nature.
But going smaller doesn’t mean having to sacrifice quality. In fact, we’d argue that in a smaller space, you’d want to be up close and personal with quality. After all, if you’re renouncing space, you at least deserve luxury.
Quality over quantity: isn’t that the saying? Luxury doesn’t have to come at the price of efficiency. You’d want your home goods to help you use reduced living quarters in clever ways. Let's add some function with a little style.
Clearing up the valuable real estate of floor space is a good start. Try using wall space and go vertical instead! For example, a fun wall clock. Get rid of floor lamps and mount them on an otherwise unused wall. Not enough wall space? Try more compact lighting that fits on a shelf and adds a bit of flare.
And in a small home, items that serve multiple purposes come in handy, like a compact coffee table with storage space. There’s no reason a coffee table should only be good for arranging your oversized hardcover art books and old magazines. And, speaking of coffee tables, nesting tables should be in every tiny home’s design repertoire. There’s nothing so versatile and ingenious as furniture that collapses into itself when not in use but then spreads out to nearly triple its nested size.
Last but not least, clutter and small spaces don’t mix well. Which of course leads us to the importance of storage. Hopefully in a smaller home, you wouldn’t have as many possessions to begin with, but, hey, life happens: kids, pets, unexpected inheritances, perhaps. The bottom line is that messes can lead to angst, so figuring out a way to put it away can help keep your peace with your small home. Cabinets with forgiving doors and drawers help clear a room with little effort. Shelving units that accommodate baskets work just fine, too. Of course, the smaller the space, the more creative the storage solutions will need to be, but these are a good start.
All this to say that small living doesn’t have to mean cramped living. With some extra thought and care, your small home could soon feel like a luxurious haven.
