Here are our top interior design tips for your new tiny home!
Tiny home living is a way for millions of us to experience financial and physical freedom. (Did you know that 68% of tiny house owners don't have a mortgage?) Tiny homes can be a creative way for you to get the house of your dreams—without spending a fortune.
Of course, your new house isn't all sunshine and Instagram likes. You need to live there, and you deserve to love it! We know how overwhelming it can feel to figure out how to fit an entire home's worth of stuff into your new, smaller space without it looking crowded. We've lived it ourselves, and we're here to help!
Here are our top interior design ideas for tiny homes.
Prioritize function by decluttering
When you're downsizing into a smaller space, you won't have room to keep every item you've accumulated over the years. Before you start thinking about decorating your new home, you'll want to clear out anything that's no longer relevant to the life you'd like to live.
If you come across something you haven't touched in the last year, it's probably time to get rid of it. (And if you didn't even realize you still had the item in question, it's definitely time to let it go). The purpose of downsizing is to simplify your life, so take only what you need into your new home.
Once you've identified your favorite belongings that will be coming with you to your tiny home, you have a few options to get rid of the rest in an environmentally friendly way:
Donate to charity
Give something you no longer need to someone who does. Local charities usually accept clothing, shoes, and other household items in good condition.
Have a yard sale
One person's trash is often another's treasure. A yard sale can be a fun way for you and your family to make some extra cash. Toys, books, kids' clothes, and furniture tend to be hits at a garage sale. A yard sale can also be a great way to show your kids that these items are going to someone who's genuinely excited to have them!
Give belongings with sentimental value to loved ones
It's hard to get rid of anything with sentimental value (even things you don't regularly use) if they hold years of memories. Whether it's a beloved dining table that won't fit in your new home or a musical instrument you haven't touched in years, these can become heirlooms passed from one family member to the next.
If you have a treasured belonging that's still in great condition, offering it to a family member or friend as a gift can make you feel more comfortable parting with it.
Create "rooms" in your open space
To make the most of minimal square footage in an open-concept space like a tiny home, you can create individuals "rooms" with rugs and furniture. Layering furniture by setting up tall bookcases or high shelves behind a couch can add essential storage space. Layered furniture is an interior design tip that provides a sense of architectural interest.
Bonus: the height from a taller bookcase draws the eye upward, creating the illusion of a larger space!
Add an accent wall
If your tiny home feels like it's missing your unique flair, you may need an accent wall. This can be particularly true for families who have just moved and want to make their new space feel welcoming and warm.
An accent wall can also help you anchor the design of your tiny home.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to get creative with an accent wall:
Add a splash of color with striking jewel-tone paint
Build an accent wall out of reclaimed wood
Use paint stencils to handcraft a striking pattern
Switch things up on the fly with peel and stick decals
Channel your inner artist with an abstract wallpaper mural
Try a chalkboard wall decal to put the "fun" in functionality
Design vertically
Remember how we said a tall bookcase can draw the eye upward? Designing vertically helps create the illusion of a larger, brighter space.
While horizontal lines from tables and countertops can give your tiny home a sense of anchored stability, vertical lines can help your home feel more open and expansive.
Vertical storage solutions can also help you maximize space and free up more area on the floor. This gives you more room to spread out (and reduces your chance of tripping over an errant toybox).
Here are a few quick tips for vertical storage:
Add shelf organizers to your cabinets
Hold makeup and other bathroom items in a wall-mounted spice rack
Consider mounted magazine racks to hold mail, coloring books, or tax information you don't want to lose
Attach a rail with cups to your wall to store pens or other small items
Add small hooks in the kitchen for potholders or other light cooking supplies to free up drawer space
Hang a pegboard to hold aesthetically pleasing supplies (or just ones you know you'll lose often!)
Let light in
Great lighting is essential to creating an inviting home—and sunlight can do wonders for your mental health.
We build our tiny homes with oversized windows so you never feel boxed in. Keeping your windows open during pleasant weather can be a great way to make your space feel larger and increase airflow. However, we live in the High Desert, so we're ready for snow and rain even in June. While you can't keep your windows open daily, you can ensure you don't block them with any furniture to maximize natural light.
You can take this a step further with mirrors. Mirrors can be placed across from windows to reflect natural light through the rest of your home, creating the illusion of a much larger space. If a standing mirror feels too bulky, you can mount one to your wall or dresser to get a similar effect.
Interior design ideas for tiny homes
Ultimately, the best way to make your new tiny house feel like home is by incorporating pieces that feel like you, whether that's a favorite piece of art, adding an accent color you love, or bringing your favorite potted plants along for the move.
What did we miss? Send us a message, and we’ll add it in!