Thinking about downsizing into a park home and worried about space?

Downsizing into a park home comes with lots of benefits. The amazing community, the security and peace of mind. But one issue that can arise is the size of a park home.  The obvious benefit of living in a smaller home is that it is easier to keep clean and maintain compared to a traditional property.

However, as most moves are downsizing into a park home, size and space can be an issue. The layout of a modern park home is cleverly designed to maximise space, but this may not alay the feelings of being boxed in.

If you are feeling like this then there are some tips and tricks to help make your park home space feel bigger.

LOOKING FOR A RESIDENTIAL PARK HOME?

Paint or Wallpaper the Ceiling

It’s okay, we haven’t lost the plot. Wallpapering or painting the ceiling will draw the eye upwards. This in turn will make the room seem taller. A high ceiling automatically makes a room look bigger because it lifts the eye away from walls which are close together.

Use Light Colours

When painting your rooms, or choosing your flooring opt for lighter colours and wood or carpet. Having lighter colours on the walls opens up a small space. And lighter wood or carpets will make a small floor space seem bigger. Having light colours makes a room feel airy which will make it seem bigger.

Position Furniture Carefully

Downsizing into a park home can mean bringing a lot of furniture with you. More furniture equals a smaller space. If you want to make your space feel bigger but don’t want to get rid of your luxury corner sofa then try pulling it away from the wall. If everything is pushed against the walls it will bring the walls in and make a room feel more cramped. Even just a few inches can between a piece of furniture and the wall can make a real difference.

Make use of Multi-Functional Items

We’ve already mentioned that lots of furniture can make a room feel smaller, but what if you need the space to store things? Opt for multi-functional pieces such as desks with hidden storage, or footstools that open up to hide things in. Having items of furniture like this will help you keep your space clutter free without using too much precious space.

Clever Shelving

We’ve spoken about drawing the eye upwards in order to draw attention away from walls which are close together. There are other things you can do in order to do this. By placing shelves up near the ceiling you are also drawing the eye upwards. It also makes use of space that otherwise wouldn’t have been used – saving you room down on the ground.

Cantaloupe Rule

This is a bit of strange one but there is a rule amongst interior designers that involves cantaloupes. And no, it’s nothing to do with having the actual fruit in your house! The rule is that decorative accents which are smaller than cantaloupes actually make a room feel smaller. Instead of having lots of smaller items why not opt for slightly less items which are a bit bigger? They can make your room seem bigger, without doing anything major to it.

Stripes are a Small Room’s Best Friend

You may have heard that wearing vertical stripes can make a person look taller, or wearing horizontal stripes will make a person look wider. The same is true when decorating a room. Stripes will make a room look longer, or taller – depending on where you place them. A striped rug will make the room look longer. But if you go for vertical stripes on the wall it will make the room look taller. But be careful not to overdo it. One stripy item is more than enough. Too many stripy things will have the opposite effect.

Curtains or Blinds?

If you are downsizing into a park home from a house, it maybe you have brought a lot of curtains. However, for smaller rooms, curtains can take up a lot of space and make it feel more cramped. If you have a smaller room you can choose to forgo the curtains. But obviously, if you’re worried about privacy or want shade then you can always go for some blinds instead.

Glass and Lucite

Glass and Lucite items of furniture will make a room feel bigger because they are clear so create the illusion of more space. They are also incredibly on trend right now, so not only are they functional – but look great too!

Lights

Ceiling lights can pool all the light in one place, which can make the space look harsh. Because the light all comes down into one spot, it draws the eye into the space as a whole. If you want to make your room look bigger then have several different lamps which will draw your eye around the room instead.

Rugs

If you have an open plan space in your house, you can use rugs to make it look bigger. Although park homes are designed to be spacious sometimes having a kitchen/diner or kitchen/living room can make it feel more cramped. Use rugs to separate these areas into smaller areas. This will create the illusion of more smaller spaces instead of just one larger space.

Colour is Key!

You know all about how you should choose light colours when it comes to the walls and floors. But when you do choose a colour that you love, you should incorporate this colour all over the room. Having lots of matching colour pieces will give the room coherence and make it seem bigger overall. So having rugs, blankets, throws and cushions all of the same colour will make it seem more open.

Your park home is designed to be spacious and comfortable, without being too big for you to maintain. But if you’re struggling to get used to the smaller space, hopefully these tips will help make you feel more comfortable downsizing into a park home.

Read our article on park home security here.