SPACE-SAVING FURNITURE FOR SMALL SPACES

There's a fine line between making a small home look packed and making it look cozy. Sensible decisions in choosing furniture can make all the difference. As studio apartment sales rise across the real estate scene, smaller spaces have more takers.     Here are a few tips to use furniture to your advantage:  Light colour scheme Never forget that lighter colours recede, creating an illusion of space. When choosing furniture, choose light Scandinavian finishes in wood rather than dark teak finishes. If you would rather steer clear of wood finishes, choose a colour that blends with the pastel shades on your walls. White can exude remarkable sophistication, but is also a difficult colour to maintain in the long run. Ivory, cream or light shades in beech are winners as far as small spaces are concerned. The key is to blend in, not stand out. Fight the flab Take a few inches off your wardrobe's side and go for a floor-to-ceiling arrangement to create a little more space. Making storage spaces look slimmer and taller creates extra space but not at the cost of looking stocky and cumbersome.  Choose convertibles A couch that slides out to create a makeshift extra bed, a cot with hidden storages spaces under, kitchen counters that slide out to create well organised storage for utensils and other kitchenware are numerous ways to pack in a lot into a little. Hide away a writing table in your book cabinet, and pull out a tie-rack from a secret corner of your wardrobe. All it takes is a little creativity and a touch of zing to create a little more space and stay well-organized at the same time.  Art to liven up When choosing art in small spaces, choose wisely. Large pieces may look a touch ornate and crowd up your living space, but a small piece of art on the wall or hanging beside your bookrack does make the space a little more colorful. Bring in some green in a careful selection of potted indoor plants if you'd like to usher in some nature, else choose functional artifacts such as a wind chime or table-top miniatures to lend a touch of class.  Minimalism is the key When in doubt, go the Zen way. Less is more may be oft repeated in minimalism, but this is absolutely essential in smaller spaces. Just keep what you need, and find another home for the rest. Make it a habit to give something away each time you bring a new piece of furniture in to keep the balance. Keep a 'VED' checklist - stick to what is vital or essential, choose a bigger home for desirable. Fold away chairs, collapsible tables, stowaway cushions. The simple formula is to put it away from sight when not in active use. Keeping your living space free of clutter goes a long way to make is visually more appealing.