How to Use Bold Interior Design to Enliven Small Spaces

Nothing is more appealing in a home than coming upon a small space that has been beautifully and originally designed.

The old advice about using neutral or monochromatic schemes to make small rooms seem bigger may hold true, but sometimes bold colors or unique pieces in small spaces add so much life that the spaces can actually seem bigger.

 

Decorating Ideas for a Small Room

Small rooms, gables, landings, closets, bathrooms—all these places are perfect for trying out bold ideas that you may hesitate to try in a big room.

Bold design uses color, pattern, lighting, furniture, and accessories in creativity and contrasting ways that really add energy and interest.

 

Colorful Interior Design Ideas

Photo credit: @the.nicki.odom

Color preference is such an individual thing; no rules will fit every person or every space. There are several ways to play with color:

• Choose a dominant color: For a really dramatic effect, pick one bold color to serve as the dominant color in the room. This color will be the main focus and should be used on larger surfaces such as walls, floors, and furniture. Imagine a little sitting room with peacock green walls and velvet chairs, a cream sofa for contrast and throw pillows in rich patterns incorporating that same exotic dark green.
• Complement with neutral colors: Use neutral colors like white, beige, or gray to balance out the boldness of the dominant color. In the example above, cream balances peacock. Cream could also be the main color of a rug in front of the couch. This will help prevent the space from feeling too overwhelming or cramped.
• Experiment with color shades: Using a variety of shades of the dominant color can add depth and interest to the space. For example, if you wanted the sitting room with the peacock walls to be a dark, moody little space, you could use harmonizing blues and greens in a range of shades from light to dark, instead of the contrasting cream.
• Use color accents: Add pops of a contrasting color to the room through accessories like throw pillows, curtains, or artwork. This works well if you want to keep your walls more neutral and not buy large pieces of furniture in unusual colors. That way, if you want to change a color scheme, you can swap out your accessories at lower cost.
• Use color to create depth: Using different colors can create the illusion of depth in a small space. For example, painting the back wall of a bookshelf in a bold color can make the space appear larger. Or, if you have a wall-mounted mirror, a MirrorMate frame will add dimension to the wall and tie the mirror in with metallic or color elements elsewhere in the bathroom.
• Take inspiration from nature: Look to nature for inspiration when choosing a bold color scheme. Natural colors like greens, blues, and browns can create a calming, soothing effect while still being bold.

 

Try Bold Interior Design with Patterns

Photo credit: @bentleyblonde

Not everyone wants bright color decor in a small space. Experimenting with patterns can be another way to add drama and surprise. You could choose several patterns in contrasting neutrals such as black and white, or patterns all within one color shade, such as blue or pink.

Picture a bedroom with three walls in a delicate, pale robin's egg blue, and a feature wall behind the bed with patterned wallpaper in several shades of blue. You could add a dramatic high headboard, a floral spread on the bed, and an oriental rug at the foot of the bed—all in blues. If the shades were right, all those patterns would work together for a lovely effect. Different pattern sizes keep them from competing; probably one large print pattern is all you would want.

Or picture a black and white bathroom with white marble counters and shower interior, black and white checkered tile floors, and walls painted a warm white with a Pemaquid Black Slim Frame from MirrorMate around the vanity mirror. For a touch of drama, hang a black and white mosaic replica from ancient Rome over or beside the mirror.

 

Framing a Bathroom Mirror - Ideas from MirrorMate

MirrorMate frames come in a variety of bold designs and colors—both traditional and modern bathroom mirrors—so you can choose one that best fits your personal style and the overall look of your space.

A bold frame design can add an instant pop of color and texture to an otherwise plain mirror. You can choose metallic-toned frames such as Chelsea Brushed Bronze or Broadway Brushed Chrome to match fixtures. Other small bathroom mirror ideas include buying a Paintable MirrorMate Frame and painting it the same color as textiles or other accessories.

 

Use Statement Furniture to Elevate Your Small Space

Someone with a small living room might be tempted to scale down their furniture, but imagine the drama of an elegant, low U-shaped sectional virtually filling the room. There might not be space for much else—maybe some plants in the corners, a bold rug, and a low curvy coffee table—but you've established a comfy, intimate den that can seat as many people as most larger living rooms.

Even tiny spaces, such as under a stairway, offer an appealing sense of enclosure that lends itself to a reading nook, or a little play space. A comfy, curving boucle chair next to a drum table in your favorite color, with a floor lamp curving over the chair—all you need is a stack of books and a throw blanket to be happy all afternoon!

 

Incorporate Bold Accessories and Art Pieces

What really makes a space uniquely your own are the accessories and art pieces that you add. If you have several small paintings or photos that you want in your room, grouping them on a gallery wall may have a bigger impact than spreading them around, and give the eye a focal point.

Unexpected choices can make room design more exciting, such as a colorful abstract hanging over an antique buffet, or a sculpture from far away next to the to-do basket on your desk, reminding you of a great vacation. Bold living room ideas can make gatherings of family or friends special—anything from a neon sign to a long antique tapestry hung above a mantle.

 

Elevate Your Bathroom Decor

Bathrooms are increasingly valued as spaces to relax and renew as we care for ourselves, and people are spending more time there. Design that makes our routines easier and decor that brings in beauty will make your bathroom a small space where you want to linger.

For design ideas, MirrorMate offers plenty of help, so you'll choose a frame that gives your bathroom the perfect finished look. Frames vary from narrow and streamlined to substantial and ornate—something for every space.