5 Architectural Design Elements which make a small house plan look and feel big

Small and narrow plots are more common than quarter or half an acre plot. So most people prefer them as it fits in well within there budget to design and build there family house. Within the limits of small plots its very interesting to design houses as the challenge of creating a large volumetric space is more fulfilling. Quite a no of times we have managed to explain to our customers that its alright to have  a small plot as the size and shape of the pot doesn't make it restrictive to design the right house, but if the customer doesn't have enough vision to explore then they can land up having a cramped up space. So here we felt the need to list down few pointers for all who want to consider them to make there house on a small plot look like a larger space.

1.  The Inner spaces should be designed such that there are very few walls to create smaller spaces, rather the idea should be to have free flowing spaces which are larger in view and access. Walls and doors divide the space into smaller units and starts making the inner volume cramped up. This is something we need to watch for.

2.  If the house is more than one floor then it is essential to have a very lean staircase  block design. It is very common for staircases to occupy lot of space within a house, so its essential to make it in proportion to the length and breadth of the house. Its is better to have a dog legged staircase with winders at the mid-landing levels rather than having a straight flight of steps. This can still be a case per case situation, but right thought has to be applied as per the overall house layout.

3. In a small house it is essential to remember that the internal space is not cluttered up with lots of house furniture. As Indians we do love a lot of furniture and also in dark wood. Both these things do add up to creating a smaller looking space and of if we are trying to avoid the same we rather have certain inbuilt furniture along with the walls or retractable ones so that the general space is larger.

4. While the house planning is under process it will be a good idea to incorporate enough amount of external windows and also skylights to add lot of light and ventilation within the house. This also lends a great sense of internal space to the family.

5. Multi purpose furniture is always a better decision when it is all about filling the inner space of a house. This also helps in keeping most of the precious floor space clear of clutter (of furniture which are static objects in a house) and giving an ambiance of openness and clean. IN another sense it does help to clean the house better as well with lesser amount of furniture around as well.