If you're a first-time homeowner, chances are the space you bought is smaller than you would like. 


We would all love some more space to move around and grow into, but that isn't always possible. 


Luckily we have some simple and effective small house renovation ideas to make your limited space feel bigger, without the need for an extension.

Brighten Up The Lighting

Smaller spaces can often feel darker, usually due to fewer windows, which limits access to natural light. 

While a lot of people's first instinct would be to add a skylight, you can take advantage of interior design elements to maximise your lighting.

Wall sconces can add a touch of light where necessary, while also being an attractive design element, and with natural daylight light bulbs, some extra lighting can help to boost your mood too.

Recess lighting is also a great option if your space is very dark, and it adds a modern feel to the room as well.

Always consult and/or hire an experienced electrician when considering adding additional lighting.

Use Lighter Tones

While knocking down walls or building an addition may be out of your budget when renovating your small home, there are plenty of things you can do with paint and <a href="https://www.ambertiles.com.au/products/tiles">tiles</a> to brighten your space and make it feel bigger.

A classic white subway tile in your kitchen rather than darker coloured tiles will give the illusion of more space and add a touch of elegance.

If you still want to add some personality and originality to your home, you could try using double-width subway tiles, like our gorgeous Opal Snow tiles, or you could try laying them vertically instead of horizontally to add some creative flair to the classic subway look.

Picking a larger, lighter floor tile will also make your small home feel larger. 

Be sure to consider natural timber look tiles like the Madera range from Amber. 

Madera's signature long format plank with a realistic timber impression can be used all over the home to achieve a realistic natural timber look and the lighter tones make it a sure crowd pleaser. 

Larger floor tiles draw your eyes across the room, lengthening it.

Lighter-toned paint also goes a long way to making your space feel larger when renovating a small house. 

You don’t have to do all white walls, but lighter neutrals on most walls with little pops of colour on feature walls will help reflect natural daylight, making the space feel much larger.

Madera timber-look floor tiles

Use Mirrors

Large mirrors, such as floor-length mirrors aren’t just for decoration. 

Adding mirrors to your interior design helps make your space feel larger, as they reflect the natural light and bounce it around the room.

The fact that they reflect the space around them also helps them give the illusion of more space.

Hanging a large mirror in your entryway and lounge room will help bounce the natural light around your small home and make the space feel much larger.

Add Storage Space

Clutter is the enemy of all small homes. 

Many people feel the need to renovate their small homes because the space feels so much smaller than it actually is when overtaken by clutter.

Adding hidden or smart storage space wherever possible is a great small house renovation idea and maximises space while avoiding a tonne of visual clutter.

For example, when renovating a bathroom be sure to add a shower niche using tiles to de clutter while making space for bathroom essentials such as shampoo and conditioner bottles. 

Getting bed frames with drawers underneath is a great solution for bedroom storage, like excess pillows, blankets, clothes, or shoes.

Another great way to add storage is to maximise the space under your stairs. 

Either adding storage units or wall shelves is a great storage solution, and it also adds space for you to display items. We’ve even seen people build custom wine racks to fit perfectly under their stairs!

Get creative and see what spaces in your home have hidden storage potential.

Use Folding Furniture

Folding furniture like murphy beds or folding desks has come a long way in recent years. They allow the user to have all of the furniture they need, while also allowing them to ‘hide’ the furniture away when it isn’t in use.

If you have a studio apartment, you can’t go wrong with a murphy bed. They usually have storage on either side of them, and when they are folded away look like a cabinet or feature piece.

Foldaway desks that are attached to a wall are also really popular small house renovation ideas, and secretaries' desks are making a comeback, especially with working from home becoming more common. 

Secretaries' desks are cabinets with a fold-out desktop attached, and when the desk is folded away it looks like any other cabinet. 

Wall-mounted fold-away desks come in many different finishes, some of them even look like a piece of art on the wall when folded away.

Multi-Purpose Rooms

If you only have two bedrooms in your home, but you work from home and need an office, try using our last tips on folding furniture to make multi-purpose rooms.

You could have a full office set up in your spare room and a cabinet with a hidden murphy bed inside for when guests come over.

If you have people staying over more than you use the space as an office, a traditional bed with a fold-away desk may be more suited to your needs.

If you don’t have a spare room at all, fold-away desks look great in the living room too!

There is no limit to the capabilities of multi-function rooms with foldaway furniture.

Use (Glass) Sliding Doors

Bring the outdoors in with glass sliding doors. Not only do these doors add natural light to your space, but they also add a sense of space to your room. With a clear, unobstructed view of the outdoors, your space will feel even bigger, especially if you have an outdoor entertainment area.

The advantage of sliding doors is that you don’t have to leave floor space available for the doors to swing open.

Wall Mount Your TV

Mounting your TV on the wall rather than using a bulky TV stand not only saves you floor space, but it makes the likelihood of your TV being knocked over and damaged less likely.

Added Bonus: you can use a thinner TV unit or console table to display decor or use it as storage, maximising your space even further.

Choose A Bigger Rug

It may sound counterintuitive, but using a larger area rug can make your space feel larger. It can act as an anchor to your space and draw your eyes along the room, making it feel longer.

Getting a large rug in a light neutral colour may also make your room feel larger. Play around with different textures and materials like burlap or a thicker pile rug to add personality to your space.

Use Larger Furnishings

Another tip that may sound like an oxymoron, but using larger statement pieces instead of lots of smaller pieces reduces visual clutter and makes your space feel larger.

A large, L-shaped couch in a light tone like beige or cream should provide ample seating for your household and guests, while the light tone will help bring an airy sense to your space.

If you are worried about staining on a light-coloured surface, try getting a marled or heathered material, stains won’t show up as easily on those, while still providing the light airy feel you’re after.

Maximise Outdoor Space

If you have an outdoor space off of your kitchen, or an open plan living situation, using the same tiles on your kitchen floors and your outdoor space (provided they are suitable for outdoor use as well, like our In Falda tiles) can make your indoor space feel larger by visually extending it.

If you can’t find outdoor tiles you would like in your home, you can try colour matching your indoor floor tiles to outdoor pavers for the same effect.

Bottom-line when renovating a small house

If you have a smaller home but don’t have the means to expand or add on to your home, there are many small house renovation ideas you can use to maximise your available space and make it feel larger. 

Paint and lighter coloured materials go a long way in making a space feel larger, and additional lighting and placing mirrors in strategic positions will also make your space feel bigger and brighter. 

For more advice on small house renovation ideas, contact us at Amber today and <a href="https://www.ambertiles.com.au/book-appointment">speak to a member of our team</a>.