Any housewife dreams of having a place of her own, her own house, her own kingdom. And yes, I do dream of living in our own house. Hopefully sooner and not later. When it comes to dreaming my own house, there is one thing that I want. OK not one thing but I can say that this is the priority on my list aside from having a big kitchen is having windows everywhere.

You know windows has a very big influence on the environment of the house. It affects the temperature of the house, the ventilation as well as lighting. It can even influence the amount of electricity you consume. I am quite lucky with the house we are renting now, though it does not have big windows, it does have a good ventilation. There are times that we don’t need to turn on the fans. And that is what I want for my future house, windows, windows and more windows.

Aside from the environmental influence it has on a house, windows also influence the aesthetic value of a house. That is why other people opt for new replacement windows to give their house a better look. Windows give the house its identity, specially when it comes to architecture. Of course when choosing what kind of window I will get for my future house, I’d go for something that is pretty to look at and gives me the ventilation I need.

Small, pokey bedrooms can be a problem – it’s hard to relax properly when you feel cramped, and your storage options can feel restricted in a small room. However, by following a few tips you can make what little space you have go a lot further – you’ll be surprised at the difference you can make!

1.       Maximise floor space

This means de-cluttering the room as much as possible – get rid of any unnecessary furniture and area rugs, as unbroken floor space makes the room appear bigger. If you’re redesigning the room, consider using wood or laminate flooring instead of carpet, which reflects light and makes the room appear bigger.

2.       Make use of storage

Wall shelving helps to move items away from the floor area and makes good use of the vertical space you have in the room. A laundry basket stops clothes piling up on the floor. One off the best and most efficient solutions is to get a storage bed – these have space underneath the mattress where you can keep all sorts of things, from foldable clothes to suitcases and even books!

3.       Scale furniture to the room’s size

A sure-fire way to make a room feel cramped is to fill it with bulky furniture. You can still have a writing desk, bedside tables and chests of drawers, but make sure they’re slimline and compact if they’re destined for a small room. This goes for your bed too – consider dropping down from a king to a double if your bed is hogging all the floorspace.

4.       Redecorate!

Patterns may look pretty, but they also make a room look smaller. Repaint the walls in a simple white, cream or icy blues and do the same with your bedroom furniture – or leave it as plain wood which gives a similar light and airy effect. Try to favour light colours when redecorating, or at least brighten the place up with light bed linen.

5.       Use natural lighting

If you have large windows in a small room, make the most of them to make the room feel bigger – by letting more sunlight flow into the room, you will really open up the interior. Use sheer window coverings and avoid bulky curtains: simple roller blinds are better for controlling light without compromising on space. Wall mirrors can also make the room appear larger.