Bad news,claustrophobics:UK homes are getting smaller.As the latest Ipsos Mori report found,new builds in Britain are the smallest in Europe,but it's not foldable beds or accordion-like kitchen cupboard doors those who inhabit those tiny dwellings are craving:it's practical,long-and short-term storage.
Riba and Ipsos Mori's joint report The Way We Live Now:What People Nee and Expect From Their Homes found that those in small homes were fighting a daily battle with ironing boards,winter coats and vacuum cleaners as they desperately sought space to keep their things while maintaining room enough to make a cup of tea.
"Most participants needed more short-term storage-for day-to-day access of items like food or outdoor clothing-and more long-term storage,for seasonal items and items which they stored nostalgically,"the study authors said.
However,the viability of the long-term storage available was revealed by the study authors not to be a major factor among young house hunters when choosing a home,so many are having to make do with the small amount of space available.
"Privacy of storage space was also an important consideration:many participants felt that they had things they wanted to store yet access regularly,but which they wanted to keep private from visitors,such as clothing,bed linen and food."
However,with a few canny tricks,you can make the most of a small home or flat without having to lop off any of the four major limbs,according to Stylelist's Karen Shepard.
"Whether or not neutrinos can move faster than the speed of light,there will always be complicated physics problems involved in trying to live efficiently,stylishly and comfortably in a small space,"she writes.
Make use of vertical space by using wall hangings to your advantage–a mounted row of pegs inside a wardrobe for coats,by the door for keys and in the kitchen for pans can go a long way towards maximising the space available to you.
Recessed down lights and flush chrome ceiling lights slot into the walls and ceilings to give illumination without intruding into your space,and be sure to declutter:you only need one winter coat,so either keep the rest of your bulky cold weather clothes in storage or donate to charity.
