As an adult, having your own place is a great achievement, but furnishing your new home can be overwhelming — especially if it’s on the smaller side. Before you end up splurging on furniture that doesn’t contribute in any practical way to your already small living space, take a moment to organise your creative interior design ideas and check out our 4 simple house decorating ideas!
Know your measurements and create a floorplan
Start by measuring your rooms and creating a floor plan. This will give you an idea of how much space you have to work with and make it easier to decide where to place your furniture when decorating your house. Once you have that sorted out, it’s time to start looking for your dream furniture!
When selecting your furniture, consider its shape as well. For instance, a square coffee table may be more practical than a round one because it fits better into corners. However, you shouldn’t let space constraints stop you from creating your dream home either. For example, if a full-sized dining table is not feasible with your current space situation, why not opt for an extendable dining table like the Party Extendable Dining Table or a smaller cafe-style table like the convertible Harrison Coffee Table/Dining Table, Voss x Grit Foldable Dining Table or Ceramic x Gala Dining Table instead?
Choose your style and select your foundation furniture
When choosing your style, consider factors such as whether you plan to have guests over often, and even future plans that may include moving houses or growing a family. Think of it as future-proofing your furniture. Customised, built-in furniture limits your freedom of bringing your favourite furniture pieces along when moving house, hence loose furniture pieces are the way to go, especially if you’re renting. Also, you won’t have to refurnish your new home from scratch! With that in mind, we recommend creating a mood board or dossier of your favourite interior design images and ideas so you can emulate the parts you prefer before you go furniture hunting.
If space is a concern, consider opting for a simpler, minimalist interior design to keep your home visually clean. A minimalist interior may sound challenging, but all you have to do is stick to simple and functional furnishings and you’ll have a home that’s built for practicality without having to sacrifice its beauty. Once you’ve decided on your interior design style, pick out your foundation pieces.
Foundation pieces are typically the focal points of the room such as a bed frame, sofa or dining table. Choose furniture that’s versatile, streamlined and classic as your foundation pieces, then add on the rest of your furniture to build around these focal pieces. Picking versatile pieces will give you the flexibility to change decor styles in the future if you wish. They are also easier to accessorise with when the festive seasons kick in.
Look for multifunctional furniture
Your home should be built to cater to your lifestyle, but it can get tricky navigating the furnishing process when you have little space to spare but big dreams of how you want it to look. One way to strike the right balance is by picking multifunctional furniture such as storage stools that double as a coffee table and a hidden storage solution like the Alicia Storage Stool/Coffee Table and Treasure Ottoman, or a coffee table that doubles as a bedside table like the Delilah Coffee/Bedside Table. Multifunctional storage solutions and shelving are perfect for keeping your space clean and clutter-free.
You can also consider a sofa bed as a space-saving alternative to regular sofas too. If you insist on getting a traditional sofa to complete your living room, consider saving space by getting one with only one armrest instead like the Ginette 2-Seater Sofa or armless ones such as the Ezekiel 2-Seater Sofa or Bulge 2-Seater Modular Sofa.
If you’re furnishing your study room, you can also opt to add some modern desk accessories such as the Amp Sit/Stand Desk Riser and Cable Management Duct Tray to help keep your workspace streamlined and ergonomic while helping you achieve a minimalist interior design style. However, if allocating a room as your workspace isn’t possible, you can also opt to get a multifunctional portable workstation such as the Jasmen Height Adjustable Table so you can wheel it out of sight once you’re done — bonus points, you can adjust the height too, making it a great ergonomic solution as well.
Play with textures and colours
For smaller homes, minimalist furniture is always a great option to create a visually clean space. Choose sofas with simple lines and curves to ensure your space looks more spacious. Alternatively, you can opt for furniture made from visually-interesting materials such as bouclé like our Bradley Pouf, Sterling Dining Chair, Senett Lounger or Gillian 2-Seater Sofa, and a terrazzo coffee table like the Terrazzo x Ohio Coffee Table to spice up a simple interior.
Ultimately, there’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to decorating and furnishing your own house as a single adult. While a simple interior design is the best option for a smaller house, don’t forget to add decor pieces that reflect your own personal style too. For more simple and practical interior design ideas, check out our ideas & inspirations on how to choose the right furniture for your space, decorating tips for your new house and more!
Visit Comfort Furniture’s online store or showroom today.
