With urbanization, cities are getting more populated. The prices of real estate are skyrocketing with every passing day, and spaces that we live in are shrinking in size. Tiny homes are now becoming extremely popular, and have now turned into a lifestyle choice for many. Tiny homes can be efficient and beautiful, and here are some space saving ideas that can be used in tiny homes.
1. Shelving | Space saving ideas
All vertical surfaces can be used for shelving in one form or another. Different types of shelves such as floating, corner, fixed, or adjustable shelves. Shelving is a versatile option for storage and can serve the dual purpose of acting as decor for the room itself. Books, for example, can easily be propped up on these shelves. However, it is important to be aware of the weight capacity of the shelf and the vertical surface in such cases.
2. Work Desk
In a tiny home, having a dedicated workspace might seem like a luxury. However, there are many ways to incorporate such requirements even into tiny homes. A pull-out work desk can be designed to be a part of another piece of furniture, or a work desk could consist of a foldable table attached to a surface as pictured below.
3. Windows | Space saving ideas
Light is an extremely important part of interior space. Having well-lit interiors is known to increase human productivity, and also contribute significantly to a healthy lifestyle. Harvesting daylight for interior activities is also a sustainable alternative to electric lighting. Having large windows, i.e, having a high ratio of window to the wall is a sure shot way to create well-lit interiors.
4. Use of Transparent or Translucent Materials
Even with large windows on the periphery, as mentioned earlier, some spaces in the middle section of the tiny home might not have access to daylight. Translucent materials can be used to solve this problem, as well as create a feeling of lightness within the constrained space. As opposed to heavy materials such as wood for partitioning, translucent materials such as ribbed glass, fiberglass, etc, can provide adequate privacy while still letting in ample amounts of natural light.
5. Open Storage | Space saving ideas
Displaying your household essentials, such as pots and pans in the kitchen, some books, knives, etc are a good way to reduce the number of closed cabinets that are required. Open storage solutions can usually be fixed on vertical surfaces, clearing up much of the floor area required for cabinets. Keeping cabinets to a minimum is one of the most effective ways of making a house feel spacious.
6. Hidden Storage
Every residential space, no matter what it’s size, definitely requires some closed cabinets. Cabinet design is a great place to get creative while designing a tiny home. Storage drawers, pull-outs, and cabinets can be tucked away in the most unexpected places, such as treads of stairs, under fixed furniture, etc.
7. Flexible Furniture
An important tip when it comes to furniture is to avoid extremely heavy or bulky movable furniture. Opting for flexible or transformable furniture that can serve a variety of functions is ideal. Having all the furniture within the tiny home custom built is a good way to ensure that all the space requirements are met. It is also a good way to get creative and customize it specifically to include storage, workspaces, pullout desks, wardrobes, etc.
8. Multi-purpose Rooms | Space saving ideas
Creating multipurpose rooms helps minimize partitioning the space. Different areas of the same spaces can be allotted for different functions, such as workspaces, living spaces, and sleeping spaces. It is also helpful to map the occupancy of space with the time of day to understand the spatial overlap that can be worked out. For example, sleeping spaces can be transformed into workspaces during the day.
9. Collapsible or Movable Walls
Using collapsible partitions as spaces dividers are particularly effective in tiny homes. These temporary spatial divisions can be moved around or collapsed when not in use to create larger spaces when needed.
10. Sliding Doors | Space saving ideas
Wherever it is necessary to have doors, sliding doors are a space-saving alternative to the regular swing doors. Using a couple of sliding doors as a partition can also help in dividing and opening up space.
