If you are lucky enough to be the owner of a vacation condo, you will understand the need to optimize the space that you have. You need to maximize storage, but you will also want as much floor space as possible to keep your condo looking spacious and airy.
Setting aside the very useful space of the balcony, this article concentrates on the interior. A logical place to start is the front entrance. It is functional to keep the front entrance as roomy as possible as you may often be welcoming four people at one time.
Sometimes a narrow wall encloses the front entrance, in which case a small console is adequate space to drop your keys and bag. If you have a narrow wall, and can afford a wall to wall mirror, it really does enlarge your room! It may also reflects extra sunlight. If you do decide to go with the mirror idea, do not place a large piece of furniture right in front of it.
Uniformity with color is good for opening up areas. If the walls are all one color, for example, cream or a very pale pastel, the separate areas will not be chopped up so much. This will create a feeling of having more space than there actually is in the condo. Drapes can be the same color as the walls, so that the feeling of color continuity will continue right to the windows.
Most of us have to fit in the furnishings that we already own. But, in case you have the chance to buy new, here are some pointers to consider. A three seater sofa takes up a long space and most people only sit on each end of it, so the middle space is wasted. Wasted space is to be avoided in condos, so opt for a two seater love seat and armchairs and you will optimize your floor plan.
Even if you have had several garage sales prior to moving, we can assume that you had to bring some of your clutter with you, and you will need a place to keep it! This is where it is handy to buy end tables that actually have cupboards underneath. These can still have the look of fine furniture if you choose carefully.
Apply the same rule to the coffee table: look for a style with storage space under. Many people successfully use antique sea trunks for coffee tables and have a ton of room inside them for stashing!
Resist the urge to place an area rug on or around your coffee table. It will break up the floor space and this is something to avoid. The longer or wider the uninterrupted expanse of floor space you have, the more open your home will feel.
One way to do this is to abandon the previous idea of a coffee table with storage and to buy a coffee table with a glass top, so that the floor can still be seen. Of course, this will depend on how much you need the storage space that you will have to forgo!
If all these hints can be applied, you will really notice a difference in the spacious feel of your condo compared to the neighbor's!
