Feeling cramped at home? A top interior designer tells us how to make small spaces feel bigger
Aside from the practical challenges of living in a limited number of square feet, living in tinier spaces has never been trendier. But as designing for smaller spaces can be perplexing, we sat down with renowned British interior designer Katharine Pooley, who is known for her bespoke designs for super-rich clients in China, Kuwait, Qatar and the UK, to hear some of her top tips.
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Some five-minute fixes
Pooley advises going for a sculptural linear glass or mirror top coffee table, as it “will instantly create a spacious feel”. She emphasises the importance of mirrors, especially large mirrors, as they “will lift the interior of your living room and make it seem much bigger”.
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Switching to the world of art, she says to consider adding one large statement artwork instead of lots of smaller pieces as they “add drama without overwhelming an interior.” And if you want to freshen up your space, go for the silver or moon gold gilt tray frame for artworks. Another tip is to “repaint timber architraves, doors and skirting to be a bright white or light grey for a quick change.”
Long-term projects
Go big or go home – here are some tips on upgrading your space with some big, pricier and long-term transformations. Pooley suggested to increase the height and width of door openings and to “consider double doors rather than single doors in the living areas”. For elegance and comfort, go for armchairs or sofas with slender stiletto legs as they “lift the piece of upholstery off the floor, giving the illusion of more space”. Moving on to ceiling and walls, Pooley recommends polished plaster “as it has a soft reflective quality, which maximises natural light and makes ceilings seem higher”. Also, “a lit coffer detail with an attractive cornices will give you maximum ceiling height to the centre of the room”.
In a tiny kitchen, she suggests keeping all colours tonally similar and adding details with glass pendants or architectural ironmongery. And as for putting the beauty in beauty sleep, “a roman blind in a chic fabric is a better fit than trying to squeeze a large pair of curtains in”.
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Mistakes to avoid
Pooley gives us an insider’s peek into what mistakes to avoid when trying to make a small space appear wider. She recommends avoiding using design fads such as “oversized patterns to curtains, feature walls and bright upholstery colours” and changing “curtain poles to a light metal like polished nickel and removing all heavy pelmets or swags – clean lines are best”. She adds “plain fabrics on curtains are preferable in a small space – consider a leading-edge trim if you want a personal touch”.
As for lighting, she thinks that omitting a pendant light is a mistake, as “the right pendant will actually make a space seem larger by drawing the eye upwards”. Pooley suggests lively crystal pendants instead of down-light, and to “consider an art deco style with ribbed glass for a sleek architectural look”.
The last common mistake people make is “using different floor finishes to zone areas”, which breaks up the space and makes the room appear cramped. To fix this, she suggests running the same floor finish and to “avoid contrast thresholds and maximise the feeling of spaciousness”. One last expert tip from Pooley: she likes to install a polished marble-like Statuary Oro throughout a small flat.
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Mirrors are a must, the importance of statement art and keeping colours tonal – celebrity designer for the super-rich, Katharine Pooley, shares her secrets on making a home seem bigger