Small spaces certainly offer their own unique design dilemmas.  Not only do you have to fit your whole world into tiny rooms, but you also have to make it functional and as uncrowded as possible.  That’s no easy task!

I’ve rounded up some (frequently requested!) tips on how we are making our small home work and you can make your little space into your perfect and functional escape, too.  Enjoy!

1.  Everything should serve multiple purposes.  Our couch is a guest bed.  Our desk chairs are actually dining table chairs, so when we have guests, we can pull all of the chairs around the table for a seamless look.  When your home is small, you want to fill it with things that function in all of your everyday – and not so everyday – situations.

2.  Paint an accent wall. All but one of our walls are pale yellow, a color that really brightens our house during the dark, long days of Germany’s winters.  The wall behind our couch is a soft mocha brown.  The contrast adds depth and makes the room feel larger.  You become less aware of just how close the walls are when you add an accent wall.  The warm colors make the space feel comfortable.  Cooler colors would make the room feel distant.

3.  Pick glossier paint. Paint with a little shine makes the room glow instead of feeling dull.  Glossier paint is also easier to clean than a matt or dull color.  (Germany has two choices: gloss or no gloss.  The US typically has three: matt, eggshell, or gloss.  Pick eggshell for walls.)

4.  Go vertical. When you can’t spread out, reach up.  We can fit a lot in our little kitchen because our cabinets reach all the way to the ceiling.  Your eyes will be drawn up to the extended vertical space, which makes the space feel larger.

5.  Don’t be afraid of large art. We have two big el-cheapo paintings in our living room.  Both pictures are large views of a cityscape, so it feels like we’re looking out at a large, spacious area.  The blue of water and sky add to the sense of dimension in the space.

6.  Own an expandable dining table.  Our table is pressed against the wall, but it expands.  We can comfortably fit four people at our dining table the way it is.  When we need to, we can pull it away from the wall and add extensions to fit a lot of people.  To date, we’ve comfortably fit 10 around the Thanksgiving table.  (Though it did take our entire living room, and Martin sat on our step stool!)

7.  Don’t design for guests. Have chairs that suit your needs.  Don’t buy more.  When guests come, it’s okay to pull out a dining table chair because the truth is that you’ll spend more time at your house without guests than with them, and it’s nice to feel comfortable and uncrowded by furniture.

8.  Go digital as much as possible. We don’t have DVDs; we don’t need a DVD player.  It’s like this in so many areas of our life (here’s a whole list of how you can go digital).  As a result – less clutter!

9.  Buy because you like and want something, not because picture perfect homes have it. Love your home for what it is.  Don’t feel like you have to break your budget or cram just one more thing into your home to make it prettier.  Sometimes, having less is classier than anything else.  Create a home that you will love, not what others will.

So what do you think?  Any ideas pop to your head that I forgot to mention?  How are you cracking the case on living small?  Or do you secretly dream of finding your dream small (or big!) space?  Whatever it is, do share.  There’s nothing like a little small space sharing from the comfort of our own chairs in our own small spaces, you know..

And in case you’re looking for some serious small-space inspiration, check out this closet-turned-bright pink craft studio.  Or how about living in a little tipi?  I think this modern shepherd’s hut is entirely drool-worthy.