Streamline your home
Are your rooms feeling cramped? Bring a sense of openness and order with these easy ideas
Step into an uncluttered home and the first thing you notice is the calm, tranquil atmosphere. Even if you’re not a natural minimalist, the careful choice and placement of furniture, along with a few simple decorating tricks, will help you achieve a pared-back style.
Start with a ‘less is more’ approach
Before buying anything new, assess how much you truly need, and whether it will improve your space. It’s also a good idea to plan your storage around the amount you own, rather than choosing a piece and filling it up. By giving every item a home, there will be less opportunity for clutter.
Think about spatial planning
In any new layout for a room or entire home, take a tip from architects and consider the circulation space, thinking about how you move around the room itself and from one area to the next, ensuring the size and position of furniture won’t obstruct the route. Draw a scale plan and mark on furniture to be sure it will fit. Large-scale solutions needn’t encroach. For instance, it’s possible to have a customised media and storage wall that is just 40cm deep.
Opt for hardworking furniture
The sleek, cohesive look of fitted furniture tailored to your home is great for creating a sense of space, but more flexible freestanding pieces and modular options can also be lined up for a streamlined effect. Remember, cupboards and wardrobes aren’t the only solution for clutter, as some sofas and beds have secret storage, too. ‘Integrated storage in the base of an ottoman bed provides a place for spare bedding,’ says Malcolm Walker, director of buying at Furniture Village.
Be flexible
In open-plan spaces, aim to create zones to section off areas according to how they’re used. ‘In a large living space you could move a shelving unit from the wall and use it to divide the room,’ says Malcolm. ‘The open-back style of the Content by Conran Elmari shelving allows for display without compromising the feeling of space.’ A modular sofa such as Ikea’s Vimle, which can be adapted by adding or moving sections, is ideal for this type of room. ‘You can set up zones for different activities in next to no time,’ says Clotilde Passalacqua, interior design leader at Ikea. ‘Then, when you want to be close, just push the seats together to make one massive family hangout.’
Decorating choices
Streamlining is as much about making clever decorating choices as it is about planning furniture arrangements. Concentrate on a calm colour palette for paint and wallpaper, and limit accessories to a few objects in beautiful materials as accents. ‘Make the most of the natural light available, as this will open up a space and highlight favourite pieces of furniture,’ says Dani Taylor, head of buying at Cox & Cox. Stick to simple window treatments, ensuring curtain poles are long enough that curtains can be pulled right back to maximise the light or fit neat blinds that open fully to let in daylight.