Small spaces – big ideas

From the Resene decorating blog

The increasingly popular tiny house movement is making us all think differently and more creatively about how we can use colour to make the most of smaller spaces.

Creative use of pattern and colour adds energy to a small space

Creative use of pattern and colour adds energy and a sense of space to small, functional rooms.

Wall painted in Resene Half Opal with spheres in Resene Stromboli, Resene Undercover, Resene Sea Nymph, Resene Horizon and Resene Wallpaper Collection 91251. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Cabinet in Resene Sea Nymph with bench in Resene Horizon, lightshade exterior in Resene Sea Nymph, with interior in Resene Coast, large washing basket in Resene Stromboli and smaller basket in Resene Undercover. Washing machine and dryer from Bosch. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.

Small spaces have typically had the reputation of being challenging to work with when it comes to interior design. So often owners of small houses fall back on pale whites and neutrals to be confident their spaces will feel light and airy to make up for what they’re missing in size.

But attitudes are changing. The increasingly popular tiny house movement is making us all think differently and more creatively about how we can use colour to make the most of smaller spaces. Whether it’s a tiny home, a shed or study in the back garden, a bach or a campervan there are plenty of ways you can use Resene colour and smart design to make the most of the space you have and add your personal flair.

Storage, storage, storage

Making smart use of every nook and cranny is essential to live or work comfortably in a smaller space without it feeling cluttered.

Resene Colour Expert Jackie Nicholls says keeping vigilant about opportunities to create storage is key for small spaces.

“Look at ways to access any lost corners, space under stairs or how furniture can be made multi-purpose to add storage,” she says. “For instance, you could have a small chest of drawers or a low cupboard that could double as a table with a larger top added. It could be designed to fit over the cabinet and be removed when not needed.”

Another idea is to recess shelves into walls if you have enough depth in your wall cavities, she says. “They are so useful, perhaps beside a bed, or in a dining area or bathroom, and they don’t take up valuable floor space.”

For added visual impact you could paint them in a colour that’s subtly different to your wall colour. For example if you’ve opted for a neutral like Resene Half Tea, try Resene Double Tea in your cavity shelves for a stylish shadow effect.

You could also use your shelves to try a punch of a bolder colour like Resene Moroccan Spice, or Resene Racing Green. A dramatic wallpaper, like the bold floral of Resene Wallpaper Collection 2311-168-03 or the faux crocodile print of Resene Wallpaper Collection 751352 can also work well inside the shelf cavity for an instant work of art that is still practical.

If you line your cavity shelves in wood try using Resene Colorwood interior stain to make a statement of the wood grains.

Flexible furniture allows for a functional small space

Adjustable, flexible furniture options lends a small space practical storage and functionality, as well as adding flair to your design. The walls are painted in Resene Comfortably Numb. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Shade with a separate use space marked out in Resene Colorwood Greywash. Shelving colour washed in Resene Quarter Chicago, chairs in Resene Dark Shade and Resene Emerge, vases in Resene Emerge, Resene Longitude, Resene Haven and Resene Dark Slate and cork board in Resene Rising Tide. Fold out desk from iFurniture, futon couch from Nood. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.

Colour choices

There are no hard and fast rules to choosing the ‘perfect’ colour palette suited to a smaller space. What is important, Jackie says, is to put careful consideration into how you want the space to feel, and then work with colours to help you achieve that.

“Are you going for a gentle, soothing natural feel, or do you want something that feels crisper and fresher, with perhaps a contrast colour to define an area?

“For a more natural look, consider dreamy soft whites like Resene Quarter Albescent White or Resene Eighth Parchment. Team these with some plywood cupboards that will add a textural element. Resene has a beautiful range of interior stains and beachwashes that will enhance the wood, such as Resene Colorwood Becalm, a warm, beachy off-white. Or try Resene Rising Tide, a greyed blue green, which adds colour while still allowing the wood grain to show through.”

For a crisper finish, try colour combinations with greater contrast, such as Resene Rice Cake with the herbal green of Resene Caper.

In smaller spaces like campervans and tiny homes, rooms are often multi-purpose and quite open plan. In that instance, colour can be a useful tool to define use areas within rooms, Jackie says.

An example would be adding a painted stencil pattern to the floor to define a dining area or a work zone. Apply a lighter Resene paint shade as your base colour then stencil your repeating pattern over in a darker colour. To add further definition to the space you could look at taking the darker, stencil shade over the walls or even the ceiling. “There are no rules!” Jackie says.

This stencilled tile idea works particularly well as a space divider if your base colour is used as your main shade throughout the tiny home.

Top tip: Use a natural sea sponge to create your painted stencil effect. It will give you a softer finish which can work nicely in a small space, but it’s also a very cost-effective technique.

For a cooler, sharper look, Jackie suggests using Resene Black White as a base colour with textured wallpaper in a corner or on one wall to create a separate space. Try Resene Wallpaper Collection 537635 for a textured neutral or add a textured block of colour with Resene Wallpaper Collection 537673.

“Resene has beautiful textured wallpapers that can be subtle or dramatic, whichever suits,” Jackie says. “Repeat the wallpaper colour in your furnishings to pull the look together.”

Create different areas in a space with colour blocking

Colour blocking in dramatic contrasting shades is a good way to create different areas within a small, multi-use or open plan space.

The left wall is painted in Resene Ocean Waves, with right wall in Resene Timeless. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Shelves and tabletop in Resene Invincible, table legs in Resene Poet, Resene Indian Ink and Resene Rulebreaker, chair in Resene Aviator, vase in Resene Illuminate, jug in Resene Invincible and decor pieces on the shelves in Resene Ocean Waves, Resene Timeless, Resene Illuminate, Resene Aviator, Resene Poet, Resene Indian Ink, Resene Rulebreaker and Resene Carpe Noctem. Art from endemicworld. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

Using tonal colours in a small multi-purpose space

Small multi-use spaces don’t need to be all pale neutrals. The right combination of tonal colours can leave a small space looking full of personality without seeming dark or cramped.

Wall and floating shelf painted in Resene Off Grid with triangle tile effect in Resene Contour and Resene Invincible. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Benchtop in Resene White Noise, cabinet in Resene Off The Grid, handles in Resene Invincible, black in Resene FX Blackboard Paint, light fitting in Resene Invincible and herb pots in Resene Invincible and Resene Contour. Dining set from Jardin. Project by Melle Van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

Try something different

“If you love colour but don’t want to overwhelm a small space, consider painting your favourite colours inside drawers and cupboards,” Jackie says. “It’s a great way to add surprise and interest.”

Take the idea a step further by mixing and matching a palette of colours that works well together, she says. For example, try painting the inside of each drawer in a set in a different sunset shade a set of drawers in Resene Wax Flower, Resene Glorious and Resene Rouge. For a nature-inspired colour palette try Resene Caper, Resene Norway and Resene Atomic. Contrary to popular belief you can use darker colours in small spaces, the trick lies in how you use them, Jackie says.

“Don’t be afraid to add a small area of a dark colour to provide contrast and a level of sophistication. Surprisingly, it won’t close the space in but instead, will make it feel more high-end and will create a focal point that balances the space.

“Look at colours like the warm charcoal grey of Resene Nocturnal and the inky blue-edged black of Resene Jaguar as contrast shades that are complex and dramatic,” she says.

“Remember, your surroundings reflect your personality and should make you feel good. Use your instincts and be creative with their use. It’s very uplifting.”

Top tip: Mirrors are another useful and fun way to add a sense of space and light to small areas. Try grouping different vintage mirrors together on a wall as an art installation that will also make the room feel bigger and brighter.

Tiny spaces tend to come in for more wear and tear so it’s best to use durable finishes that can be easily wiped clean, such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen on interior walls, Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel and Resene SpaceCote Flat for ceilings.