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Small Condo Design Ideas: Making Your Condo Feel Bigger

Posted by Justin Havre on Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 10:04am.

Design Tips to Maximize Space in Your Condo

In the case of small spaces that often present themselves in condos, the best laid out homes have one common factor: they make full use of their available square footage. Those who choose to invest in a condo instead of a house can maximize their space through furnishing wisely, going upwards, or using walls for storage, decorations, or perhaps a little bit of all these approaches. Keep reading to discover design ideas to help you get the most out of your condo's limited space.

Think Vertically & Take Advantage of Wall Space

Vertical space in a condo is valuable and can be taken advantage of in several ways. One of the simplest ways to go vertical is to use shelving, and floor-to-ceiling designs are the most impactful and valuable. Tall shelves draw in the eye and give rooms a focal point while making the room feel larger. Custom built-ins, mounted wall slabs, or freestanding bookcases are remarkable additions.

Another excellent idea is to use wall-mounted bars or racks to increase storage on the walls. These are handy in entryways for hanging keys, bags, and shoes. Adding a rack in the kitchen allows owners to store things that hang like cookware, linens, and utensils. Bring life to areas without live plants without taking up countertop or floor space with vertical garden planters for herbs or vining foliage.

Clever Storage Solutions Are Paramount

Fold-away furniture and pieces that offer hidden storage keep things out of sight but keep items handy. To create another solid surface, one can return to the vertical storage concept with hanging tables that drop down from the walls. Use these in kitchens for dining, meal prep, and serving meals. Drop-down installations can also quickly become a makeshift desk or crafting table in a spare room or nook.

Hollowed-out coffee tables, footrests, and armrests offer extra space for magazines, remote controls, or small items that make rooms look cluttered. Homeowners can enjoy additional storage in halls or main rooms by installing small cubbies that can hold a variety of goods, such as:

  • Shoes
  • Photos
  • Keepsakes
  • Books
  • Kitchenwares
  • Knickknacks

Many condos have a flight of stairs with a storage closet underneath the stairwell. Make the most of stairways with a relatively easy DIY stair-to-drawer conversion project.

Trick the Eyes with Paint & Mirrors

Put a Mirror on the Wall to Create an Illusion

Owners don't have to have the skills of an interior designer to use the right colours and a few cleverly placed mirrors to enhance the sense of space. Generally, it's best to stick with a palette of colours that make rooms feel larger—especially on main walls and smaller spaces.

Colour palettes in small rooms traditionally lean towards light colours like whites, neutrals, and pastels that make walls visually recede. Many owners opt to paint the floor and ceiling the same colour in pantries, pocket baths, and hallways to neutralize a cramped feeling. Liven up the paint scheme with some bold colours on trim, accent walls, and interior doors.

An easy way to brighten up a condo's lighting—especially if it's a dark room that lacks natural light—is the use of mirrors. Place large mirrors with simple frames at eye level rather than a series of small ones to give rooms the optical illusion of being double their actual size. Situate a mirror directly across from a window for a unique effect that adds dimension to the room.

Choose Furniture That Won't Appear Cluttered

Just because a living space is small, one can still use larger pieces of furniture. The goal is to minimize the use of floor space, and several small pieces are likely to require more room and make navigating rooms more challenging. Use a few statement pieces to establish a visual presence while presenting a less cluttered look.

Consider investing in a high-quality sectional sofa with a sleeper or chaise lounge instead of several chairs or a traditional couch and love seat arrangement. Make flat surfaces available without consuming space continually with a set or two nesting tables that only take up as much room as the largest piece.

Choose good quality pieces crafted from resilient materials that will last for years. These add elegance to a condo and present a nicer look than various mismatched furnishings and decorations. Speaking of decorations, putting in one of two designer rugs or oversized art installations also gives rooms a greater illusion of grandeur.

Tips for Bedrooms and Bathrooms

While all of the above strategies can be used in any room in the condo, some space-saving ideas are unique to bedrooms and bathrooms. A Murphy bed is a great option for the bedroom, as it can be folded up against the wall when not in use. Plus, they're often a part of shelving units, which means more room to store your favourite belongings. Condo owners can also use a bed that either has built-in storage or space underneath it for boxes. If there's limited closet space, try using hanging organizers or portable racks to maximize storage capacity. 

In the bathroom, it's time to return to a focus on wall space. Shelving or cabinets are vital for storing towels and other essentials, though there are other options. Try hanging towels on a hook on the back of the door, or installing a towel rack where there's room. Since bathrooms can be the smallest room in the condo, it's even more important to find a balance between using all of the available space and not making it feel cluttered and even smaller.

Design Tips for High-Rise Condos

Moving into a high-rise condo can pose additional challenges for owners to furnish or remodel the home. There are likely certain days and times when moving furniture in and out is allowed. High-rises often have freight elevators for oversized pieces, while some communities may have limited-size elevators, narrow hallways, and tight corners to move around.

Therefore, owners will want to carefully measure their unit and the access points to ensure that those bulky pieces will fit. It might be best to choose sleek, lightweight furniture that will be less taxing to move around. However, it's all about the views in a high-rise, so interior decorating should be approached a bit differently.

Opt for sheer or breezy window treatments along floor-to-ceiling windows and doors to enhance views. Those without privacy concerns might choose to go without any window treatments. Because high-rise condos often feature an open-concept floor plan, break rooms up or give spaces definition with rugs, shelving components, or statement pieces.

Making a Condo Feel Larger Is a Breeze!

Whether owners invest in a high-rise condo or a traditional row-style condominium, it doesn't have to feel cramped or cluttered. These easy tips can help occupants make the most of the space they own when buying a condo.

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