Living in a backroom, and I don’t mean a ‘cottage’ in the suburbs, can be a good option for many people who are starting out in life. After all, it means minimal furniture and less rental money compared to an apartment.
When living in a backroom, storage creation can turn into your worst nightmare.For a person who has adapted to living in a single room (backroom) for a few months now, I have found that decorating a small space can be rather challenging.
When I moved in, one thing I knew for sure was that it had to look young, hip and unique, especially since this was the first place I did not have to share with anyone else - it was my opportunity to discover my taste in décor.
The first thing I had to consider was the setup. Kitchen, bedroom, living room and bathroom, all had to be squashed into this one small space.
Secondly, positioning the bed, when you have limited space to work with is quite a challenge. Deciding on which side the bed should face requires a strategy. This became my two-week project, until I found the right position for a Feng Shui home.
Do not go overboard on the accessories, one or two flower pots will do just fine.Thirdly, creating storage, as living in a backroom can turn storage creation into your worst nightmare.
The best approach was to have less cutlery/crockery and cut down on clothes. I finally decided to give most away (although they lived in my travelling bags for a while) and buy fewer groceries, a bonus for my savings.
The whole idea in achieving a functional backroom living space is to have less.
If you lived in a larger home before and now have to move into a smaller space, exchange all your large pieces of furniture for items that will fit in the space you have. Give up those large sofas for four ottoman chairs and a small coffee table that will take up less space, providing more ‘free’ breathing space. If you live alone, you may opt for a bar fridge, instead of a two-door fridge, a double bed rather than a king sized bed, and so on…
The plan is to create a comfortable living space. What I’ve also found useful in achieving an uncluttered one-room home, is to limit décor accessories.
Giving a single room multi purposes means you have to take advantage of every space, but also utilise this wisely - do not go overboard on the accessories, two flower pots will do just fine, and one large artwork will create the perfect focal point.
Add personality by introducing colour and go with a theme that will reflect who you are.Add personality by introducing colour and go with a theme that will reflect who you are. Display a family photo or any item passed on to you from your parents or include a bookshelf for your favourite books and magazines.
Do not fall into your neighbour's same backroom décor trap. You can visit them for ideas on what could work in the space you have, but don't try to design your home the same way they did.
Lastly, because you have to cook in the same room you sleep in, find ways to get rid of food smells.
Good luck in achieving your perfect all-in-one living space! - Lyndt Mavimbela
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