Designing the floor plan of your accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a very important step. But what about the interior design & decoration of the guest house? For those individuals that are less familiar with interior design, there are many resources online that help brighten and open a smaller space. Whether you have a tiny home, a new accessory dwelling unit, or just need an example to model your small bedroom after, these websites are the best of the best when it comes to curating a comfortable, cozy space. Read on for information and inspiration!
1. “These 32 Small Space Design Tricks Will Truly Maximize Your Area” – House Beautiful
This site offers a concise list of design tricks that will help utilize all available space in the home. The advice ranges from space-saving techniques like installing pocket doors instead of normal swinging doors, to optical illusions like using reflective materials to brighten the space and open the rooms up. House Beautiful’s site is all about beautifying your home and improving aesthetics no matter the size, shape, or location.
2. “How to Decorate Small Spaces Like a Pro” – Architectural Digest
One of the most well-known companies in the interior design space, Architectural Digest offers its expertise to the world of tiny homes and ADUs with this article. Rather than encouraging readers to invest in specific design pieces or styles, Architectural Digest provides practical ways homeowners can decorate to enlarge their space with the items they already have. For example, the first piece of advice listed on the page is folding your items to free up more floor space. While this may seem like common knowledge to some, Architectural Digest encourages individuals to note that it is small changes like this that make the biggest difference in a small space.
3. “Small Space Decorating” – Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens, another well-known and well-loved interior design magazine, has gathered all articles relevant to small space decorating on this page. Readers might scroll through the database in search of an article that might fit the style of design they are seeking in their own home. This allows the designer flexibility as they are able to find a style that fits them.
4. “50 Smart Design Ideas for Small Spaces” – HGTV
Another interior design giant, HGTV, also put together a comprehensive list of their best tips for homeowners decorating small spaces. This article sets itself apart from others as the focal point of each paragraph is the perfectly curated photos that accompany the idea. The design style varies from point to point to prove to readers that any style can work in a small space like an accessory dwelling unit. As the reader scrolls through, they are given inspiration as to how they might replicate these beautiful rooms in their own homes.
5. “The 11 Best Small-Space Design Ideas We Saw This Year” – Apartment Therapy
Apartment Therapy offers a recap of the most prominent design techniques from the past year, proving a small home can still be a beautiful one. This article is a bit more specific than the previous mentioned above, as it discusses design techniques within the confines of a specific room (like a specific headboard to have in your bedroom). This would be most useful for an individual looking for advice in a specific room, as Apartment Therapy’s ideas might be quick, attractive solutions to a number of décor dilemmas. Overall, the article serves as a helpful reminder of how people experimented in their homes and what stuck.
6. “24 Small Space Decorating Ideas for Making the Most of Any Room in Your House” – Country Living
As you might expect, Country Living’s brand is focused around one specific style. Whether it is country chic or modern farmhouse, the magazine appeals to the designer interested in classic Americana. That being said, any country-decorator that has found themselves investing in a tiny home, ADU, or other smaller space should definitely check out this article. The title gives it away, as the design ideas presented in this article touch on every area of the home and allow for a cohesive, polished look that expands across the whole space.
7. “Small Spaces” – The Spruce
This article from The Spruce is just a compilation of photos, ideas, and themes that would be applicable to a small space. You can think of it like a mood board with added resources. Titles like “7 Reasons Small Spaces are the Best Spaces” and “Decorating Small Spaces: 7 Outdated Rules You Can Break” offer readers many opportunities to learn about the benefits of a small space and what boundaries to decorate within. The Spruce curated the perfect bank for homeowners to scour as they search for inspiration in decorating and organization.
8. “12 Best Décor Schemes for Compact Spaces” – Homes & Gardens
Homes & Gardens distinguishes itself from other similar articles by discussing design concepts rather than specific furniture items or decorating styles. An excellent example is the discussion on the scaling of your furniture. Rather than buying small furniture to fit a small room, Homes & Gardens encourages interior designers to splurge on the full-size furniture, as it will enhance the room’s comfort and the resident’s satisfaction when they purchase the furniture they want rather than the furniture they think will fit. Concepts like this one fill the article and help paint a picture of how to optimize your tiny home.
9. “75 Small Home Design Ideas You’ll Love” – Houzz
Houzz’s “75 Small Home Design Ideas You’ll Love” reads more like a regulated forum of homeowners and interior designers that were allowed to share their design tips and tricks alongside a shot of the technique in real life. Almost like online shopping, the article offers a quick snapshot of a decorating theme or piece of furniture one might use in their home. Also, select any image and read more in the caption, or choose from a diverse pool of other styles to read through.
10. “5 Tips for How To Organize a Small Kitchen” – Live Uncluttered
This article provides tips for organizing a small kitchen, including getting rid of items that aren’t used regularly, maximizing storage space, and utilizing vertical space. Live Uncluttered suggests using drawer dividers, shelf risers, hanging racks to increase storage options, and thoughtful use of window treatments. The article emphasizes the importance of keeping the kitchen clean and decluttered and recommends using multi-purpose kitchen tools to save space. Overall, the tips provided are useful for anyone looking to optimize their small kitchen space.
Looking for more ADU designs? Check out our curated design packages for our ADU builds.
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