Whether it's due to an uptight landlord, a small budget, or a lack of inspiration, making a small space beautiful – or even comfortable – can be a challenge.
As we get ready to host families and friends this help, or look ahead to a January clearout and fresh start, we asked three highly-rated Airbnb hosts — Tiree, Jonathan, and Alexis — how they make modest rooms look spacious.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.Through their experiences hosting a home in Cartmel, the oddly-shaped "Jack Sparrow House" in Cornwall, and an apartment in Edinburgh respectively, the hosts have learned a lot about decorating to please.
Here are their top tips for making your petite place look like a palace. Their surnames are not given on Airbnb for privacy reasons.
1. Keep clutter to a minimum.
“If you have anything on display, then make sure it really does add value and fits in with the look and feel of your whole scheme,” said Tiree, who hosts a home the Lake District town of Cartmel.
He recommends choosing decorative items that also have a functional value, such as bright vintage coat pegs, a framed map of the local area, or coloured books.
“Plants also give a room life and make the space feel more open and welcoming,” Alexis in Edinburgh said.
A textured item like a shaggy wool rug or a snuggly throw can serve the same purpose. She added that choosing bigger pieces is better than filling your space with smaller accessories.
"It’s much better to draw the eye to one lovely, big vase on a shelf than a row of little vases that confuse the eye and create no real focal point," Alexis added.
"Don’t think that because your space is small that you have to fill it with small furniture,” Alexis said.
"Often one big statement piece of furniture can trick the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is (just make sure it will fit through the doors!)." She also suggests pulling furniture away from the walls to give the illusion of space.
2. Be smart with storage.
The right storage solutions keep your space looking calm. "Try things like an old wicker laundry chest which doubles up as a coffee table, an old wooden drawer pushed under the bed, and extra built-in storage to hide away suitcases," Tiree said.
Jonathan also suggests putting most of the necessary items, like cooking equipment, in hidden storage space. Here is his place in Cornwall.
3. Choose the right colours.
Pale, neutral colours with a matte finish tend to make a space look bigger, according to Tiree.
Alexis, whose kitchen is pictured, said that choosing a main colour for the walls gives you a blank canvas, and a shade that you can then use everywhere else in your space.
"It doesn’t have to be white, but a lighter colour will make it more versatile," she said. "Try to avoid anything too beige as it can really drag a room down and never, ever use magnolia."
She said that a secondary colour can then be used "in splashes around the room with accessories."
“We like to keep walls as bare as possible rather than adding too many pictures and mirrors," Tiree said.
As far as lighting goes, he said: "In a small space recessed spotlights tend to work better than large light fittings, saving the focal point for something else."
Jonathan said a small space can also become a feature rather than a disadvantage.
“We have used red floors, which give a warm feeling,” he said.
4. Let the light in.
Make your space as bright as possible before you even consider lighting.
"Get as much light in there as you possibly can, and if light is limited, fake it by using mirrors and reflective surfaces to pull more light in," Alexis said. She added that something sparkly, like a chandelier, gives a space an instant lift.
5. Invest in a few key pieces.
"The old English proverb says 'necessity is the mother of invention,' and this is never more true than when working to a tight budget," Alexis said.
"Work out the things you need to spend the big money on and get creative with the rest."
Tiree and Alexis both agreed that a good quality mattress is a must, while Alexis added that showers and taps are necessary investments.
Tiree added that spending on well designed built-in storage, as well as a radiator/heating system that is also aesthetically pleasing, can make a big difference.
6. Reduce and re-use.
While renovating a small space can be expensive, you don’t need to spend on style. Tiree suggested opting for quickly, upcycled items rather than shopping for new "to help give the property a unique sense of history and anecdote."
Alexis added that she designs with the old and the new in mind.
"My apartments sit in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle so we are surrounded by incredible history and architecture, but as with any city location there are also new exciting buildings popping up," she said.
"Never be scared to mix old with new. One of our apartments has a chair dated from the 1660’s sitting next to a modernist chair from the 1950’s. Contrast like that can create real interest in a room."
For the rest, Alexis suggests checking out local boot sales, flea markets and charity shops for "high-quality furniture and accessories that just need a bit of love and elbow grease."
"I find the tighter the budget the more personality the space has in the end,” she said.
Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Airbnb.
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