Countless home decor shows, magazines, and social media influencers have proven time and again that small spaces have vast potential. Proper organization and a few clever decor tricks can convert them into pleasant, enjoyable, and functional spaces.
Window films are one of the key tricks that you can use when you need to make a small space look bigger. However, like all decor projects, it takes some tact and creativity. So, in today's guide, we don our interior designer hats and share all the tips you need to get stunning results.
Ready? Here is our bag of tips.
Free Up Your Layout with Anti-glare Window Film
Creating a layout for your small space first allows you to explore different decor ideas and foresee various challenges. It is more time and cost-effective than figuring it out as you go.
Sun glares are one of the common challenges you may have to contend with as you develop a layout. They may dictate decisions such as where you can position your work or entertainment areas to avoid the interruptions of light glares. This can be quite limiting and frustrating.
Instead, incorporate anti-glare window film into your decor plans right from the start. It eliminates the concerns about light glares and gives you the freedom to design the space more effectively.
Trade Curtains and Blinds for Window Film
Taking a minimalist decor approach ensures that you avoid clutter or anything that may take up an unnecessary amount of space. For example, you can forego curtains and blinds and choose to use window film instead.
It is fair to argue that curtains do not take up much space. After all, they hang on rods mounted on walls, right?
However, in small spaces every inch matters. Making a small space appear bigger is sometimes also more about how the optics play out. In this case, the optical effect is that the absence of curtains makes the room look bigger because you can see it from wall to wall.
Further, not having curtains makes the room feel bigger because the windows become unobstructed and more light flows into the room. This effect is even more pronounced if you couple it with brightly colored walls that reflect the light within the room.
It is equally important to consider that there are now lots of window film varieties to choose from. Window films, additionally, offer more functional benefits compared to curtains. They include:
- UV protection- for better wellness and to protect the fabrics and other decor pieces in your home from fading and other degrading effects of UV rays.
- Thermal protection-solar window films can help keep your small space cooler by rejecting heat rays from the sun that would make your small space unbearable.
- Privacy - privacy window film provides discretion just like blinds would but they do not take up any extra space and still allow enough natural light to flow into your space.
- Decorative value- if you worry that sacrificing curtains will make your space less cozy, consider decorative window film. It is available in a wide selection of prints and colors and can be equally or more charming than curtains.
Prioritize Good Light Flow
Dark spaces look and feel smaller than well-lit spaces. An even bigger decor sin is to create a layout where furniture or any item blocks the flow of light. It makes the room instantly feel cramped because your eye only picks out and focuses on the little space in the room where there is light.
The moral of this design tip is: wherever possible prioritize and allow the flow of light into your small space. You can achieve this by:
Choosing Sliding Glass Doors
Glass doors or partitions are transparent and thus do not hinder the flow of light. This creates an optical illusion where the space looks larger than it would if the light is interrupted by an opaque wooden door or partition.
Sliding doors are ideal because they take up a lot less room than hinged doors. You only need to pull or push them from side to side to open or close them. You can use the space you save from this for other vital functions or leave it empty to create a roomy feel.
Using Privacy Window Film
Small spaces can have privacy requirements too. For instance, you may need to demarcate bathroom or bedroom areas in a guest house, pool house, or other small spaces.
Glass doors are certainly not viable for such needs. However, if you clad them with privacy window film, it becomes a whole different ball game. The privacy window film obscures the view into those spaces but still allows a good flow of light. You also get to maintain your glass door or partition decor idea if you prefer it.
Add Decorative Touches
When most people think of minimalist decor, cold sterile spaces decorated in neutral colors come to mind.
However, your minimalist room or house does not have to look like an asylum to feel spacious. Consider using a good balance of bright fabrics to make it cozy and more refreshing. Bright colors will also help to maintain the impression of more space because they reflect light quite well.
Alternatively, you can use window film for this too.
For example, if you have any clerestory windows, you can install rainbow decorative window films on them. In the night, the window film would stand out like a piece of art. In the daytime, the decorative window film adds a burst of color to all the light that flows through those windows to create an interesting visual effect.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the secret to making a small space look bigger comes down to two key elements: light flow and an effective layout. Now that you are equipped with a full bag of tricks on how to navigate both, we look forward to seeing how your small space decor projects turn out.
Not sure where to get quality window film? Worry not. We offer an extensive selection of different window film varieties and would be delighted to help you find what you need. Reach out to us for a consultation at any time.
