Remodeling Ideas For Small Homes

Small or even tiny homes are all the rage. As we grow older, the appeal of having less house to clean and care for is enticing. For younger buyers, a smaller house can be an affordable way to build equity and increase home value, leading to possible additions and renovations as the monthly budget grows.

Little dwellings can feel charming, cozy, efficient, eco-friendly and downright adorable. On the flip side, they can feel cramped, cluttered, restricting and downright maddening. How does the small home buyer make sure their home sweet home fits in the former category as opposed to the latter?

With a plethora of ideas geared toward maximizing space, utility and comfort combined with a renovation plan that is high on creativity and low on cost.

So, you bought your beautiful bungalow with visions of cozy living. Now how do you make your dream come true?

It all begins with a well-thought-out plan. And with such a small space, every square foot counts. Think about how you intend to use the space, how your daily routines and habits fit into the home, and then let that crystallize into the most logical layout for your specific needs. This step is the first and most critical one, as all the tiny house ideas and tricks for space utilization in the world won't matter with flawed layout.

Don't forget to establish a budget as well. The budget-blowing nightmare we all dread when remodeling a home is certainly not as likely when you are working with less space, but still, it’s smart to have a financial plan and stick to it.

Short on cash? A home improvement personal loan might be the right route to take. Whatever you decide to do from a financial perspective, do your homework and explore your options.

Ok, now that you’ve carefully planned where the kitchen, bedrooms, living rooms and other spaces will be in your tiny house, it's time to find and carry out all those small-home life hacks to maximize your space.

Storage Wars

You’ve probably realized by now that your small house doesn't have a 2,000-square-foot basement to store all your stuff. Fear not, there are lots of ways to turn seemingly one-use features into valuable storage areas. Stairs have the potential to take up space, but creating a lid with a hinge on each step is a good way to make a built-in compartment that will keep your stuff safe and accessible as you walk over it every day.

Hidden drawers like these can be great additions to couches and beds as well, making use of the otherwise dead space between furniture and the floor. Bedroom kind of small? Consider a loft bed or Murphy bed that frees up more living space when you are not down for the night.

Transforming Rooms 

If you’ve bought a tiny house, a separate formal dining room was probably never your thing. Take that a few steps further by entertaining the idea of making every room you can multipurpose. That Murphy bed mentioned earlier is a great way to transform your living room or home office into a guest room overnight – literally! Don’t stop at beds, though, as there is a ton of fold-away furniture out there that can transform every room in your home into a multiuse marvel.

Light And Color

Home lighting and paint color selection are some of the most personal decisions you can make when turning a house into your home, so lean on your own tastes first and foremost. That said, keep in mind that lighter colors and brighter lights tend to make smaller spaces feel a little bigger than they really are.

Keep in mind that a lot of these ideas for small home remodeling can apply to an abode of any size. Open floor plans, bright color and lighting, intelligent storage and multipurpose rooms can be as appealing in a 1,000-square-foot home as they are in a 5,000-square-foot one.

Conversely, big-house remodeling trends can inspire you to apply the same home improvement ideas to your small home. Open kitchen concepts have been popular for quite some time and many of the principles apply regardless of the house size. Your butcher block island may not be the same size, but the notions of flowing from one room into the next are definitely not square-foot specific.

Ok, so now you’ve got the plan and budget laid out, the list of small home specific ideas in your head, and the drive to make your tiny home functional and fun. Time to get working and transform that cluttered cell into your cozy retreat!