Do you feel like your house is too small or cramped? Maybe your kitchen feels too tiny, your living room seems tight, or you’re running out of storage. No matter how hard things get, it sometimes feels like you just need more space. The good thing is that you often don’t need to move or add on to make your house look bigger. By making the right small space renovation, you can increase your home’s value with an improved functional layout.
Here at Together Design Build, several clients have benefited from redesigning their strategic spaces into working and stylish living areas. Well, in this blog, we’ll take you through how we did exactly that for one specific recent project a tiny little ranch home that seemed so, well, small—but could be so much more.
Tip No. 01: Open Up Your Space
When our client first contacted us, she was sure she needed to remodel her small kitchen and bathroom. But when we stepped into her compact, two-story ranch, it became apparent that the home not only needed the tiny home upgrades but also the efficient apartment layout. There was a half wall in her home at the entrance of the house, making the space feel so confined.
Solution: We decided to remove that half wall, and it brought lots of changes to that surrounding area! The first step of opening up the space made the home feel larger and more inviting as we began the design process. But that was not the end of the transformation.
Tip No. 2: Do not be afraid to raise the ceiling
The problem was that after demolishing the wall, we lost support for the ceiling because it turned out to be a bearing wall. We realized that in order to protect this construction in some way, we needed to come up with a pan, which may be a space-saving design. But rather than just fixing the wall, we went further.
Solution: We vaulted the ceiling, raising it to a height of 10 feet. This not only added architectural interest but also gave the entire space a more airy, expansive feel. The result? The kitchen, living room, and dining area all suddenly felt much bigger without expanding the footprint.
Tip No. 3: Make the Most of Every Inch
With the ceiling raised, we could really think about how to best use the available space. The kitchen, for example, was tiny and lacked storage. To solve this, we added more cabinets, extended countertops, and incorporated an island that could double as both a prep area and a seating space for casual meals.
Solution: In small spaces, storage and function are key. We used the walls to add more cabinets and made sure every inch of the kitchen served a purpose. By pushing the wall back to create room for more storage, we transformed this once-cramped kitchen into a highly functional and beautiful space.
Tip No. 4: Warm Up to the Sentimental
Another big challenge that was inherent in this project was designing shelves around the fireplace. These were custom-made by our client’s uncle, and they held sentimental value. However, as we started tearing things down and doing small space renovations, it was clear that the built-ins didn’t match the new look we were creating.
Solution: Instead of tearing everything out, we decided to rework the built-ins to fit into the updated design. We salvaged the original doors her uncle had made and combined them with new shelves to create a modern but nostalgic feature in the living room. While the design was updated, it still held onto the memories and warmth of the original piece.
Tip No. 05: Turn Unused Spaces into Functional Rooms
This project was both fun and difficult, especially because we had to turn a cold, unused room into a usable space in the house. Before this room was just a place where people dumped things that I didn’t know how to use and that didn’t serve any purpose.
We installed a heating and air conditioning system in this room and turned it into a cozy breakfast area. This sunny space is great for her morning coffee, hanging out with friends and family, or practicing yoga. With the right heating and insulation, what was once a minor consideration turned into a comfortable living area.
Tip No. 6: The Power of Color and Texture in Small Spaces
In tiny spaces, using different colors and textures can have a big impact. We designed each room to look nice and work well by using colors, textures, and materials that made the area feel bigger and more connected.
We selected vertical subway tiles for the bathroom to make it feel taller and added a mix of calming blue and neutral colors to create a relaxing, spa-like feel. We used the same colors in the kitchen to make everything look uniform together. So, even though the room is small, it feels well-designed and connected.
Tip No. 7: Don’t Forget About the Little Details
Finally, we made sure that the little details—like the new windows, trim, and flooring—were updated to match the new style of the home. Our client said that she was not comfortable with the old windows, and while observing that they had an old-fashioned look, it was apparent for us to change them. To make the house look new, energy-efficient windows were fitted, while the doors and trim were changed to make the house warm and economical as well.
The Final Reveal To Our Client’s Home
Within a few weeks of work, the tiny ranch of our client looked like an entirely new house that was modern, large enough to contain lots of open space, and designed with our client in mind. Though overall the building area of the house did not alter, the general input—from knocking down walls to extending the ceiling height and transforming the kitchen—indeed expanded the house layout significantly.
Toward the end of the project, our client was very pleased with how our expertise in urban home renovation transformed her house. Her new home was fresh-looking, complete with all the amenities she required, yet had all the nostalgia of a home that was uniquely hers. After our small space remodeling to this ranch, it was no longer small.
Is it time to Change the Layout of Your Home?
Together Design Build offers excellent services in remodeling small spaces just like this one. Whether you’re looking to update a single room or completely overhaul your home, our team is here to help you design a space that’s not only functional but beautiful.
If you’re ready to make the most of your space, give us a call. We’ll help you turn your vision into a reality, just like we did for our client. Let’s make your small space feel big!
