Good quality and well-planned storage is essential to keep houses with limited space organized and free from clutter. The style of furniture chosen makes all the difference to your lifestyle, especially in multi-purpose spaces. As well as providing a wide variety of storage options, free-standing solutions can easily be moved around. To change the look and feel of a room, standard or custom made compact furniture will create a sleek, streamlined look, helping to maximize the available space in any room.
Usually flat packed, free-standing furniture is designed to be linked with other units from the same range, to look like it has been fitted. It provides plenty of practical storage, which makes it versatile by combining clever solutions for awkward,
limited spaces. One can make use of the wide variety of options in the market from free-standing compact wardrobes and classic armoires to shelving units which incorporate handy mirrors and chests, with hidden sections for storage. Sliding doors are perfect for small rooms as they save space along with mirrors, which provide reflection, making the room feel larger.
Simple styles and classic earthy lines work best in small spaces, giving it a timeless appeal.
Creating A Personal Oasis: BATHROOM
In designing a bathroom, restricted space need never be considered an obstacle or challenge.
There are many products and designs for compact bathrooms which will give a unique opportunity to create a personal oasis – a place to retreat after a long day, to relax and unwind, whether it’s a quick energizing shower or a long lingering candle-lit soak.
Making the most of space for that luxurious bathroom is all about creating a certain look. Good planning and design along with the incorporation of a few essential elements will result in a space that has a minimalist feel. A stylish aura of nostalgic design and technical perfection, compact fittings are ideal for bathroom settings in a small space.
Design is in the details, so it is important to incorporate elements that create space. A palette of neutral shades – whites, creams and beiges – gives the bathroom a fresh and modern feel, and immediately enlarges the space to the naked eye. Vertical lines also create a roomy ambience, along with the use of glass, which adds a contemporary look. For a minimalist feel, one needs to hide away clutter for a streamlined look, especially with the use of stainless steel and mirrored glass.
Nature To The Rescue: Natural Blinds
With all the luxuries and richness of living in the tropics comes the inevitable glare which is best kept at bay. ‘Bamboo Tats’ or pelali as they are commonly known, are used to shield windows, pavilions and verandas in the most efficient manner. They also comfortably fill the eco-friendly niche – as reflected in the growing popularity of sustainable, biodegradable material.
But bamboo tats are more than mere blinds, serving a practical function – they can also be used as a tool to enhance architectural spaces and interiors, to add form and give texture.
The local market offers tats made out of bamboo, cane or ekel, many of which are cottage industry products, supplied by individuals or small scale industries. These are made to measurement and can be made up to a maximum width of 10 feet and any height depending on the requirement. However the most practical manoeuvrable area for a single tat is 30 sq ft and up to 6 feet in width, weighed by an Arecanut bark strip at the bottom.
Bamboo tats are often used as an outdoor shielding device with the added application of a sealant. The horizontal bamboo strips bound by nylon threads need minimum maintenance and withstands 5-6 years of tropical weather: the hot sun and lashing rain. The more sleek indoor blinds are usually of ekel and cane and often more expensive than the bamboo version, but they also last longer with proper maintenance (a mere regular dusting). Roller mechanism and Roman fold systems of installation are both available with a few manufacturers, but the favourite is still the traditional form of the manual pulley.
Bamboo blinds imported from Southeast Asia are also now available in the market, through a few retailers. These blinds, although more expensive than their local counterpart, offer more options in terms of aesthetics and architectural flexibility. They are usually available in a variety of colours of treated bamboo, woven in intricate patterns with nylon threading and are found in rolls of 4 – 5 feet, up to a maximum length of 30 feet.
Roman folds or roller systems are both readily available when fixing, operated by smooth plastic rollers and cord. Tassels are generally fixed to the bottom of the cord for ease of operation. A cord lock in the mechanism helps to keep the blind at the desired height. Imported bamboo blinds are designed for exclusive indoor use and are not to be exposed to direct sunlight or moisture. If you prefer increased privacy, these blinds could be lined with a suitable fabric. Though exterior-use, local bamboo blinds are self-cleansing, interior blinds, both local and imported, need to be dusted regularly for enhanced durability.
Although of natural material, these blinds combine well with ultra modern interiors. They are found in versatile forms and placements, in offices, houses, hotels, and especially restaurants where they are also used as subtle and effective space dividers.
The beauty and mystery of light filtered through the louvres in the bamboo blinds add an unmistakable charm to any space, especially in the tropics where sunshine is in abundance.
A home is always enhanced by a beautifully designed garden.
It’s ideal for relaxing during the weekend, a blissful getaway from the hustle and bustle, as well as for outdoor entertaining. Many city homes don’t have the luxury of acres of garden or parkland, but it’s still possible to create inviting and attractive garden spaces with minimal space. Garden furniture goes a long way to help create a focal point and give character to a garden space.
When choosing garden furniture, you need to first think of the kind of outdoor space you want to create and what purpose it will serve. A successful garden is all about forward planning as well as having the perfect furniture that fits into the space that you are trying to create.
Deciding on a theme or style for your garden is important, to be able to purchase the relevant garden furniture and accessories, as it will determine the mood and ambience of the outdoor space you want to create. A decked area is great, as it won’t dominate the garden, along with quality wooden furniture, folding metal tables and other sleek outdoor furniture. If it is a small space, neat furniture with clean designs are ideal. Foldable garden tables, chairs, and benches mean that you can stash them away when not in use.
KITCHEN
Embracing accessibility and functionality is the key in making the most of space for a kitchen. Tiered cabinets, fitted furniture and pull-out drawers make the most of limited storage space. This is ideal for a compact kitchen.
With an open floor plan, ingenious storage and stainless steel appliances, design ideas for compact contemporary kitchens are both functional and fun. The use of neutral, soft colours for the cabinets, appliances, and the walls can make a tiny work area feel much larger. Also the use of narrower appliances such as a refrigerator, a stove and a dishwasher as well as a multi-tier cabinet and pull-out drawers makes the most of limited storage space, embracing accessibility and functionality.
Solid stainless steel gives any kitchen a modern, contemporary feel and also makes a design statement. Robust and perfect material for everyday kitchen use, it is stylish as well as being a favourite material for demanding product designers and kitchen planners.
Substantial info at the Architecturel Magazine; " The Architect"
