Size matters, they say. Well, of course it does, but it is not always crucially important when it comes to a home. Of course, large properties offer more space to design and let your imagination run wild. However, the little ones have an irreplaceable charm.

But as charming as they are, they might be quite a challenge when it comes to design and staging. Especially if you don't know what you're doing.

Less furniture, less flooring, less decoration - should be easier to work with, right? Yes, but no. It's much more difficult to turn a place into your dream home using less of everything. Not to mention that there is always a risk of overloading the place with more furniture or details than necessary, making it look stuffy or feeling claustrophobic.

But not when you're good at what you do, of course.

There is one basic rule to follow - make small look bigger. How to do it? That’s the tricky part. Find the perfect balance so that the space looks free and airy, but offers everything necessary to satisfy the needs of the occupants. I believe I achieved this balance in the last two properties I worked on – two gorgeous single-family homes. They are located in Mountain View and are just a small portion of the real estate treasures that the city of has to offer.

Here are the steps I took to transform these two properties into the perfect family homes, offering coziness, practicality and everything future owners would need for a comfortable living.

Get some big mirrors

Mirrors are an excellent accent that perfectly fit in any part of the home - from the entrance hall to the bedroom. In addition to defining a corner for beautification, for example, they have other, much more important qualities. If placed in the right spots, mirrors literally double the interior of the room, expanding it visually. Apart from the view they also reflect the light and open up the space.

So always opt for more windows and mirrors when designing a not so big room. I put mirrors in almost every room while working on my last two projects. It's quite obvious what a good job they did:

Creating the illusion of more space is all about creating a sense of openness and movement.

No drapes and curtains

In addition to the many mirrors, you probably noticed the many windows. Not just a lot, but big and uncovered.

The textiles around the windows blocks the view and the eye cannot perceive the landscape outside. Automatically, the living space ends where the curtains or draperies begin. If they are not there, and the windows are large, then the view from outside becomes a part of the overall picture and creates the illusion of more space in the living area. More natural light enters the room which makes it look bigger and brighter.

Furniture with legs

When the furniture is firmly on the ground and there is no air between it and the flooring, it looks bigger. The impression is of something solid that literally blocks the space.

On the other hand, if the sofa has legs, it creates the visual illusion that it takes up less space. Furniture with legs looks more elegant, elongated and, accordingly, small. Therefore, the choice of such furniture is an excellent solution for rooms with limited area. Being able to see underneath gives you the feeling that there is more.

That's exactly why I myself chose to use such in these two houses. You can see for yourself how the light sofa with legs, the two side tables and the coffee table make the atmosphere in the room more airy and the room has a more open feel.

No clutter

Small rooms - small furniture. For many of you, this probably sounds like the most logical choice. However, the opposite is true. The more and smaller the furniture, the more crowded and cluttered the room looks. Clutter is number one enemy of space.

What you need to do to make the small room cozy and comfortable to live in is to choose fewer and possibly larger pieces of furniture. Refrain from small objects and rich decoration - this will only emphasize the lack of sufficient space.If you put a vase on the coffee table, let it be large. Bet on paintings and other wall decorations with impressive dimensions. Greenery is, of course, always important - it gives freshness and cleanliness to any room. No room is too small for a little nature. But again - choose large pots with large plants in them.

So, I hope I have convinced you that modest spaces are full of unlimited design potential. Of course, if you are guided by the above-mentioned techniques and do not make drastic mistakes that will visually shrink the space. It is possible for a smaller property to be much more aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and functional than a large home. It all depends on the right layout, and, of course, good planning and decorating the space.