Dermot Bannon's top 10 tips for successful compact living
- Aim high: The higher you can go with ceilings, the better. Susan's awe-inspiring, double-height extension gives this ordinary terraced cottage a real edge and makes it seem much larger.
- Turn on a light show: Natural light is key to giving the illusion of space, so maximise the available light and an architect will help optimise the light and manipulate the space. n Keep walls as bright and light as possible: Splashes of colour can be introduced through kitchen units and accessories; rather than relying on a central fixture, spread lots of different lamps around to create atmosphere.
- Less is more: Simplicity is key in a small space. Keep materials to a bare minimum for a streamlined effect. Have just one type of timber everywhere and be restrained about the palette. Susan's house wouldn't have worked if the rooms had been painted different colours.
- Get smart about stowaway storage: Corridors are great places for built-in storage for vacuum cleaners, coats and shoes. If you design inadequate storage, you can keep an open-plan area and small rooms uncluttered. Go for spray-painted white storage for a barely-there effect that's wallet friendly.
- Use it or lose iT: Plan a function for every space. If a spare bedroom is used only occasionally, think of turning it into an office or extending a living area into it. If you have a room over the main living space that is redundant, consider transforming it into a double-height space.
- Don't go for a top-heavy look in kitchenS: Overhead presses can make a space seem smaller and usually end up with the biscuit tin sitting on top. Instead, build appliances into tall units. Express the kitchen in shapes/blocks that don't give an overly fitted look.
- Pay attention to detaiL: Splash out on things you touch and feel, such as the worktop, taps and handles. I would rather go without a countertop for a couple of years than settle for a cheap, laminate finish. Because the surfaces you're dealing with are restricted, splurge on high-spec materials, such as a natural stone or hardwood flooring -- try iroko or walnut -- and set against white walls.
- There's no need to get into a tight spot with furniturE: Avoid big, thick arms and backs on furniture. Sofas with legs and glass-topped tables will make a room seem larger, while mirrors will double the glamour factor and sense of space.
- Blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoorS: If you've any kind of a garden, use it and open up the house to it. Even if you can just squeeze in a table and chairs or simply a few pot plants -- and even if it doesn't benefit from sunlight -- it can provide another room, no matter how space starved.
- Caroline Allen
