5 Expert Designer Tips for Maximizing Small Spaces

We’ve already got the lowdown on this pretty space from designer Kelly Deck… but how exactly did she make the most of this compact Mount Pleasant Condo? Here are her top tips for design in small spaces.

1. don't get ahead of yourself.

Consider the logistics before getting too far with your plans. Will your materials fit in the elevator? Through the door? Do you have enough space to build inside?

2. Add subtle shelving.

Deck incorporated shelving into the sliding door track for the bedroom closet, adding space for decorative pieces that would be on display but out of the way.

3. Consider ergonomics.

there'sno official desk space in this one-bedroom suite, so the dining room table had to serve double duty. €œIt's perfect to work at,€ says Deck, explaining that dimensions were chosen carefully for this very reason.

4. Question the rules.

€œDevelopers often miss an opportunity with floor plans,€ says Deck, who took out a door and more than half of a wall to drastically open up the space and maximize its function.

5. Harmony above all else.

€œFocal points are tricky in a small space because you rarely get back from anything more than a few feet,€ says Deck. Instead, she focused on general harmony so that everything felt unified from any angle or perspective.

This story was originally published on April 24, 2018.