Pro Panel: Secrets to Finding More Usable Space Without Extending
Inspired layouts, uplifting decor and practical storage make homes that are easy to use and a pleasure to live in
Clever design and storage tricks – and looking at your floor plan anew – can transform a home, say our experts. Stock-take your home’s contents and replan, rethink and reconfigure rooms to release under-utilised space for a property that works smarter and better for you. This professional advice is from Eva Byrne of Houseology, Kia Stanford of Kia Designs, and Denise O’Connor of Optimise Home.
“Just because you can’t fit a console table next to the front door doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be something in that area,” says Kia Stanford. “If you don’t have somewhere to put your post, keys and umbrellas, you’re inviting the clutter to move into the home with you.”
Stanford also points to how vertical space is often ignored or misused. “You may want a sleek look, but you’re not going to achieve it if you’ve left a 60-centimetre gap above your wardrobe and stacked a box into it,” she says.
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Stanford also points to how vertical space is often ignored or misused. “You may want a sleek look, but you’re not going to achieve it if you’ve left a 60-centimetre gap above your wardrobe and stacked a box into it,” she says.
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Double up
“A well-functioning home is one that can easily adapt to the ever-changing needs of life – and family life in particular,” says O’Connor. “Flexibility is important, whether that’s creating a space for children to do homework to free up your kitchen, or designating an area for older kids to hang out with their friends, so you can reclaim the living room.
“Having rooms that are multi-functional makes the layout of a property more flexible,” she says, “and that’s the key to making your home work well.”
Stanford recommends you stick to two functions for each room to avoid compromising on every feature. “If you want a spare bedroom that also functions as a study, that works,” she says. “But if you want a spare bedroom that’s a guest room, but also a study, gym, meditation space and secondary wardrobe, the room is only ever going to be 20-percent functional as any of those things.”
“A well-functioning home is one that can easily adapt to the ever-changing needs of life – and family life in particular,” says O’Connor. “Flexibility is important, whether that’s creating a space for children to do homework to free up your kitchen, or designating an area for older kids to hang out with their friends, so you can reclaim the living room.
“Having rooms that are multi-functional makes the layout of a property more flexible,” she says, “and that’s the key to making your home work well.”
Stanford recommends you stick to two functions for each room to avoid compromising on every feature. “If you want a spare bedroom that also functions as a study, that works,” she says. “But if you want a spare bedroom that’s a guest room, but also a study, gym, meditation space and secondary wardrobe, the room is only ever going to be 20-percent functional as any of those things.”
Be open-minded about the layout
Our experts suggest you look at where rooms are located, and adapt them to your needs, even if that means doing something different. “First floors are excellent for sitting rooms, for example,” says Byrne. “Natural light levels tend to improve the higher up a property you go.”
“Look for under-used or poorly utilised areas,” says O’Connor. “If the larger rooms in your home are the least used, you may be able to rework them to create more space elsewhere.”
Our experts suggest you look at where rooms are located, and adapt them to your needs, even if that means doing something different. “First floors are excellent for sitting rooms, for example,” says Byrne. “Natural light levels tend to improve the higher up a property you go.”
“Look for under-used or poorly utilised areas,” says O’Connor. “If the larger rooms in your home are the least used, you may be able to rework them to create more space elsewhere.”
Get creative with walls and room dividers
A clever way to extend a room is to borrow space from the adjacent one. “If your kitchen isn’t big enough, but you have a dining room, steal some space from the dining area to create a larger kitchen,” says O’Connor. “Or, if you never use the dining room, consider knocking down the wall to create an open-plan kitchen-diner.”
Byrne also suggests removing walls. “Many households crave an open-plan space where they can cook, eat and relax,” she says, “and removing the wall between a kitchen and dining room will help make this possible.”
Stanford points to how a room without walls can limit storage options, but says it’s possible to be clever about this. “Using storage to divide up sections works well,” she says. “Positioning a sideboard along the back of a sofa, for instance, creates a visual distinction between living and dining spaces without a wall, while also adding storage.”
A clever way to extend a room is to borrow space from the adjacent one. “If your kitchen isn’t big enough, but you have a dining room, steal some space from the dining area to create a larger kitchen,” says O’Connor. “Or, if you never use the dining room, consider knocking down the wall to create an open-plan kitchen-diner.”
Byrne also suggests removing walls. “Many households crave an open-plan space where they can cook, eat and relax,” she says, “and removing the wall between a kitchen and dining room will help make this possible.”
Stanford points to how a room without walls can limit storage options, but says it’s possible to be clever about this. “Using storage to divide up sections works well,” she says. “Positioning a sideboard along the back of a sofa, for instance, creates a visual distinction between living and dining spaces without a wall, while also adding storage.”
Designate space
“Creating a zone within a room can help the whole room to function more effectively, even when the space is limited physically,” says Stanford. “This can be done with furniture or floor coverings, which help to define function, allowing the space to be used more effectively.”
“Play around with different configurations of furniture and furnishings to see what works best,” says Byrne. “For example, in a long, narrow bedroom, a chest of drawers positioned at the foot of the bed, close to wardrobes, can create an instant dressing area.”
Putting a lot of functions into one space is not always straightforward, though. “It’s important to think about how the spaces relate to each other, not just in terms of storage and distinction, but in terms of sound,” says Stanford. “If you don’t have any kind of soft furniture to absorb sound, an open-plan space can feel empty, no matter how much other furniture you put into it.”
“Creating a zone within a room can help the whole room to function more effectively, even when the space is limited physically,” says Stanford. “This can be done with furniture or floor coverings, which help to define function, allowing the space to be used more effectively.”
“Play around with different configurations of furniture and furnishings to see what works best,” says Byrne. “For example, in a long, narrow bedroom, a chest of drawers positioned at the foot of the bed, close to wardrobes, can create an instant dressing area.”
Putting a lot of functions into one space is not always straightforward, though. “It’s important to think about how the spaces relate to each other, not just in terms of storage and distinction, but in terms of sound,” says Stanford. “If you don’t have any kind of soft furniture to absorb sound, an open-plan space can feel empty, no matter how much other furniture you put into it.”
Play with levels
“Really assess your home and don’t be afraid to think outside the box a little,” says O’Connor. “The extra space you crave might be right under your nose – or over your head.
“Often, there isn’t enough headroom to convert an attic, but you could consider opening it up to create a mezzanine level over a living space for an additional seating area or den,” she says. “This works well in children’s bedrooms, too, where the beds can go on the higher level, freeing up valuable play and storage space below.”
“Make sure the space being created is well-used,” says Stanford. “This applies as much to a low mezzanine with a few steps up, where you have a bed or storage below, as it does to a more conventional mezzanine that splits a double-height room in two. Whenever we create a low mezzanine, we build in storage or a desk. Don’t waste any space.”
“Really assess your home and don’t be afraid to think outside the box a little,” says O’Connor. “The extra space you crave might be right under your nose – or over your head.
“Often, there isn’t enough headroom to convert an attic, but you could consider opening it up to create a mezzanine level over a living space for an additional seating area or den,” she says. “This works well in children’s bedrooms, too, where the beds can go on the higher level, freeing up valuable play and storage space below.”
“Make sure the space being created is well-used,” says Stanford. “This applies as much to a low mezzanine with a few steps up, where you have a bed or storage below, as it does to a more conventional mezzanine that splits a double-height room in two. Whenever we create a low mezzanine, we build in storage or a desk. Don’t waste any space.”
Look at alternatives to standard doors
“Consider sliding or pocket doors for interconnecting rooms,” says Byrne. “There are some great off-the-shelf pocket systems with aluminium frames that allow you to work with existing openings to fit hidden, streamlined doors.”
“Sliding and pocket doors create more visual space,” says Stanford. “They feel more open than a standard hinged door. They don’t necessarily give you more space, but they do help to open up a room, because you don’t need to allow for door leaves swinging out into the floor space.
“Also,” says Stanford, “with sliding or pocket doors, you can have furniture right up to a door frame [as long as you allow wall space behind for a sliding door to open] in a way that would feel too cramped with a hinged door.”
“Consider sliding or pocket doors for interconnecting rooms,” says Byrne. “There are some great off-the-shelf pocket systems with aluminium frames that allow you to work with existing openings to fit hidden, streamlined doors.”
“Sliding and pocket doors create more visual space,” says Stanford. “They feel more open than a standard hinged door. They don’t necessarily give you more space, but they do help to open up a room, because you don’t need to allow for door leaves swinging out into the floor space.
“Also,” says Stanford, “with sliding or pocket doors, you can have furniture right up to a door frame [as long as you allow wall space behind for a sliding door to open] in a way that would feel too cramped with a hinged door.”
Alternatively, try replacing some of your solid doors with glazed versions, suggests O’Connor. “This works well if you have doors opening up between rooms,” she says.
Choose furniture cleverly
“A built-in bench is a great way to extend your seating options,” says Byrne. “Correctly positioned, it can function as an extra sofa. A window seat can combine storage as well and offers a way to extend a room without any great fuss or outlay.
“Look for coffee tables that convert to dining tables – a great solution for small spaces,” she says. “Hang folding chairs on walls when they’re not being used, so you can extend your seating options without permanently taking up valuable floor space. Under-bed storage is a must for tiny homes, but bear in mind that storage drawers do get dusty.”
“Benches are a better option for dining tables than chairs,” says O’Connor, “because you can push them fully under the table and out of the way.”
Be aware that buying small pieces for your room might not help free up space. “In general, using smaller furniture can end up making a place look more cluttered,” says Stanford. “You’re better off going with [just a couple of] pieces that are proportionally correct for the room, even if they seem large. If you have bigger pieces, such as a sofa and sideboard, you’re not looking to have much more in the room. Two pieces will do, with some smaller ones to balance them out.”
Your turn
How have you gained extra space at home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need some more practical storage hacks? Discover the 8 Secrets of People With Beautifully Organised Homes
“A built-in bench is a great way to extend your seating options,” says Byrne. “Correctly positioned, it can function as an extra sofa. A window seat can combine storage as well and offers a way to extend a room without any great fuss or outlay.
“Look for coffee tables that convert to dining tables – a great solution for small spaces,” she says. “Hang folding chairs on walls when they’re not being used, so you can extend your seating options without permanently taking up valuable floor space. Under-bed storage is a must for tiny homes, but bear in mind that storage drawers do get dusty.”
“Benches are a better option for dining tables than chairs,” says O’Connor, “because you can push them fully under the table and out of the way.”
Be aware that buying small pieces for your room might not help free up space. “In general, using smaller furniture can end up making a place look more cluttered,” says Stanford. “You’re better off going with [just a couple of] pieces that are proportionally correct for the room, even if they seem large. If you have bigger pieces, such as a sofa and sideboard, you’re not looking to have much more in the room. Two pieces will do, with some smaller ones to balance them out.”
Your turn
How have you gained extra space at home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need some more practical storage hacks? Discover the 8 Secrets of People With Beautifully Organised Homes
There are probably a few areas of your home that could be used for storage, say our experts.
“Assess whether the storage you have is functioning well,” says Denise O’Connor. “If you’re renovating, look for clever ways to incorporate more.” She suggests creating alcoves or recessed shelving in non-structural walls, and fitting a cubbyhole cabinet at the end of your bath.
“The area under the stairs is often poorly utilised and there are some good companies that provide excellent bespoke solutions for maximising this space,” says O’Connor.
“Ideally, every centimetre of a home should be put to use,” says Eva Byrne. “An unused dark corner could make for a very useful storage space, perhaps with a full-height, built-in cupboard.”