1. Stack books and magazines in neat piles on open shelves to give guests a taste of your personal style.

2. Keep toiletries beautiful and organized and you won’t need to hide them.

3. Add compartments to closets and drawers and group similar items together.

4. Build shelving to the ceiling to max out the storage. Tuck rarely used items at the top.

5. Use every inch of closet space, including the inside of closet doors, which are great for hanging jewellery or pinning up treasured photos (a more stylish alternative to the fridge door).

Loft Style
Steal these lofty ideas from homeowners Sarah Dinnick and Colin Webster to make your own space feel bigger and brighter.

• Use carefully placed, oversized mirrors and full-height windows to create the illusion of a bigger space.
• Keep it clean and simple. Your space will feel more open if it’s clutter free. Bonus: It’s easier to keep clean.
• If there is no room for pocket-doors, opt for exterior-mounted sliding doors. You’ll save tons of space by avoiding the door swing.
• Restrain your choices. Think quality, high-impact pieces such as one large painting.
• Select a light, mostly monochromatic colour scheme, with hits of bright colour for contrast. It’s a fail-safe, timeless look.
• Include half-height walls in your floor plan so air and light can pass between rooms.
• Use translucent accents, such as a glass coffee table or open railing.

First published in Wish September 2007