On average, UK homes are about 76 to 85 square metres large and are reportedly decreasing in size with time. With so little space, it is easy to assume that no home will ever be trendy or modern again.
However, there are a few ways to turn any traditional home into a modern one, and without consuming too much space, to boot. Here are some house additions that are both space efficient and classy.
- Shuffle and repurpose furniture
If you are finding the current arrangement of your furniture quite stale, merely shuffling and repurposing old furniture results in a lot of change and aesthetic appeal. Corner tables can be placed as a living room centrepiece, while vintage dressers can serve as a replacement for those bulky figurine shelves in the study.
One advantage that rearranging and repurposing brings is that it allows homeowners to see where they have been using space unnecessarily. It paves the way for unclogging the home and identifying things that are unused and misused, which is the most fundamental step to using space efficiently.
- Purchase items that are cost-effective
While it can be tempting to buy things that are relatively cheap, these often break easily and are not as cost-effective as furniture or products that are not just more durable but also less expensive in the long run.
An example is choosing to install a single shower head versus a steam shower. While shower heads are considerably more practical, it is a fact that the bathroom is one of the rooms most often used in the house. Having a longer lasting steam shower, which, by the way, usually comes with several other functions in just one pod, is more cost-effective, and space efficient.
- Make furniture mobile
Installing casters or wheels on specific furniture costs only a few pounds but saves a ton of space. In the case of a small kitchen, having a low work table with wheels makes packing and unpacking more comfortable, and calls for less mess.
Having mobile clothes hangers or shoe shelves is also a great way of creating more space, as these can be stored out of the way when not used.
- Add more shelves
Most people would recommend stacking shelves up to the ceiling to maximise space, but there are better ways to treat shelves. Deep set windows and the spaces above doorways are also suitable for placing shelves. When done correctly, shelves not only add more aesthetic appeal, but they also serve as great space savers.
Think outside the box
There are lots of tips on how to use space more efficiently especially for the shrinking size of UK homes. By thinking outside the box, challenging traditional functions of everyday items, or just choosing to purchase items more wisely, homeowners will be surprised to find that their houses are not short on space.