How to make the most of your home spaces in 2023

Both cost of living and mortgage rates are skyrocketing. For this reason, less people are moving, and more people are staying put. That doesn’t mean abandoning your vision of a huge home. You can easily make the most out of the space you already have 💡

We had a cuppa with the founder of ufurnish.com, Deirdre McGettrick, to talk about different ways to make your space work the best for you, including rearranging your living room and smart storage solutions. 

About ufurnish.com 👋

Not familiar with ufurnish.com? ufurnish.com is the UK’s largest search and discovery platform for home furniture and furnishings. You can search and compare 110+ furniture retailers all on one platform including high street names such as John Lewis, Habitat and Dunelm as well as smaller independents such as Rockett St George, Cult Furniture and French Bedroom 🛏

With ufurnish.com you’ll save time, compare products from across the market and remove FOMO as you’ll know you’ve found the perfect product for you. Take the hassle out of discovering your perfect furniture and visit ufurnish.com here.

Trust ufurnish.com to supply your well-needed furniture and home accessories 🖼

1. Reconsider your living room layout

When it comes to making the most of your space, the living room is one of the first places we think about. The centre of the home and the location of many a great movie night, family get together and cosy afternoon, it’s important that this space works for you 🎥

One of the best ways to get the most out of your living room is to lean into the idea of open plan spaces. The use of open plan spaces continues to be hugely popular and a great way to make your home feel like an entirely new place. 

“One of the most logical and practical open plan spaces is that of a dining and living room. The use of an open plan style across these spaces helps to create flow and flexibility while opening up the space and creating the illusion of more room,” says Deirdre.

Open plan layouts also lend themselves to adding additional light to your home, so can work well for north facing rooms. With an open plan layout you also have greater freedom to rearrange the layout of furniture over time.

Becks’ living room looks cosy as ever, thanks to her styling skills 🌿

On the flip side, Deirdre admits “some of us may be craving a cosy nook for moments of solitude and escape, somewhere to snuggle up with a good book and a cup of tea. This can easily be achieved through the use of clever task lighting, a soft chair and cosy furnishings.”

When planning where to add this, look for somewhere towards the corner of your living space, shielded a little from direct light. When it comes to choosing the furniture and accessories, opt for a rug to define the space, a cosy chair, a small side table for that all-important cup of tea and some task lighting. That’ll create the perfect escape 👌

2. Smart storage solutions

When it comes to making the most out of your living space, multi functional furniture and smart storage solutions are a key consideration. 

Deirdre tells us, “one of the latest advances in furniture design are dual purpose items. For example, a bed that changes into a dining table with a quick reconfiguration works well for smaller apartment spaces, or a coffee table that rises up into a dining table for dual dining requirements.”

Check out some of these amazing pieces here. 

A multi-purpose dining set-up? Now that’s genius 🧠

Smart storage can be implemented across all areas of the home and some of our favourite ideas include a dining bench with hidden storage, a desk that folds up against your wall quickly creating a work space when needed, ottoman beds perfect for storage or to tidy up that guest bedroom and storage ottomans for your living room which make a great place to store away those toys or spare blankets and cushions 🧸

If you’re short on space, but need to keep clutter at bay, clever cabinets or drawers are your best friend. A narrow hallway could use a shoe cupboard with shallow drawers that doubles up as a console table. Top it off with a sleek edge pull, for discreet hardware that’ll provide easy access. Shelves also work well for keeping your out-the-door essentials organised, like shoes or hats 👟

With wardrobes overflowing with clothes, it’s important to optimise your wardrobe space. Why not make use out of the dead space above your wardrobes, by creating some cabinets for a built-in look? Alternatively, add more drawers inside your wardrobes, to help keep clothes neatly tucked away and easily accessible 👕

3. Make use of all wall space

One of the most logical ways to create the illusion of more space is to free up your floors from furniture where possible and make use of all that great wall space you have 🪂

Deirdre explains “the first place we can bring back some space is our living room. Look at where your TV currently resides. If you’re using a TV stand, why not consider the addition of a wall suspended TV unit? This helps to free up floor space while giving the room a nice focal point. With amazing TVs out there that double as artwork, you can really make this a feature of your space.”

Discover the amazing range of TV brackets from across the market here. 

Consider adding practical hooks around your home, including your hallway or bedroom. Hanging up coats or bags will help organise your home, all whilst keeping them within easy reach. Install rails in your kitchen and bathroom, to help declutter and free up space in your cabinets. 

Don’t have much wall space left? If you have shelves on your kitchen walls, try installing our MONROE Rail to the underside of your shelf. Now you can hang up kitchen towels, or with the addition of a few BRONTEs, display any prized mugs, chopping boards or utensils ☕

Hanging space can be both practical and aesthetic 🪁

4. Refresh the details ✨

Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference of all. The addition of new, low cost, home accessories really help to make your house feel like a home.

“Adding a cosy, homely feel and making the space feel like new. Consider swapping your cushions and throws across the seasons so every few months you have something new to look at. The addition of a rug or lamp to any area of the home can also drastically change the space.” 

There’s plenty of low cost options for updating your space. Discover ufurnish.com’s top tips for choosing your perfect home accessories here or shop home accessories from across the market here.

Tired-looking hardware can really bring down the aesthetic of your home, especially when cabinets and drawers are found in every room. An easy way to refresh your cabinetry is by replacing your old hardware with new, design-led hardware. Before you know it, your furniture will become a head-turning feature of your space. 

If you want something subtle yet elevated, opt for our FOLD Collection. Or, if you’d rather have something more loud and proud, our KING and KNIGHT Ring Pulls will do the trick 🕴

KING completely elevates Katie’s minimalist kitchen 🖤

5. Create a dedicated WFH zone

Over the last number of years, working from home has become the norm and the importance of a dedicated WFH space is clear. However, for many of us this may not seem like an easy option but fear not there are several ways to create that WFH space without losing a room 💻

“Ideally we’d all love the freedom of a separate home office, but look around your home and consider where you may be able to add a neat WFH space. That includes the guest bedroom that is only used once a year, or the empty corner of a quiet living or dining space,” explains Deirdre.

If the guest bedroom seems like an option for your WFH space, then why not consider a nifty bed come desk. With a few simple adjustments you can turn your Mon to Fri working desk into a comfortable bed for guests. Standing desks are hugely popular right now and take up less floor space while offering health benefits. 

Another option is wall-suspended desks. Simply pull down when you need your WFH space and at the end of the day, neatly fold it up against the wall – almost unnoticeable 👌 

It’s worth topping off your home office desk with finishing touches that both reflect your personality and aren’t too distracting. This way, you’ll stay inspired and productive. Opt for Matte Black hardware for a dark, sophisticated look, or if you prefer hardware that is more wise with age, browse our Antique Brass hardware. Then, style your desk with motivating framed photos and lively plants 🌿

Allie’s well-styled desk keeps her WFH productivity at a constant high 💻

Make your WFH space even more practical, with the addition of wall hooks. You know what they say – a clear work space means a clear mind. If you already have a spare knob or two, convert them into a hook with our Knob to Hook Conversion Kit. That’ll prevent waste, all whilst helping you keep your space free of clutter. You can also shop for wall hooks that best suit you. SPRATT stands proud with a double-pronged design for maximum hanging space. If you just need to hang up a plant for display, FELIX's simplistic form will work best.

That’s a wrap. Thanks to Deirdre’s help, we’ve covered how you can optimise your space, no matter what room and how little space you’re working with 💪

Hopefully you’re now inspired to rethink your home and consider introducing practical furnishings and curated accessories. For all the latest exclusive offers from across the furniture market click here, or for more inspiration visit ufurnish.com’s blog here.

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