Dea Jolly's guide to downsizing to a smaller home

The small-house movement is growing in Australia, with people either driven out of traditional housing for economic reasons and others seeking to reduce debt and live more simply.

Housing prices have become unaffordable for many, but still people want a home that allows them to enjoy urban living or a place to get away, without the suffocating price tag.

A smaller house can be the compromise that is needed. With a beach house to escape to at weekends, my husband, Darren, and I wanted to downsize our weekday home.

We are doing this to simplify our lives, declutter, reduce debt, spend less time on cleaning and maintenance and more time together as a family. We have recently settled on a cute single-fronted Edwardian cottage, and I couldn’t be more excited about our latest project.

A smaller home has led me to a whole new world of design ideas that champion some of my favourite things.

Clear clutter

Pass on anything that hasn’t been used in the past 18 months and stick to the small-house mantra given to us by designer William Morris – have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

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Mirror mirror

Mirrors help to create light and the illusion of more space. Use mirrors on wardrobe doors and anywhere that the outdoors can be reflected.

Switch it up

Banquette seating is a stylish way of using a small space to its fullest potential.

Colour

If there is enough natural light, bold colours work well by creating depth and interest. A white or neutral palette can bring light and renew freshness in small, dark spaces.

Add interest

Different patterns in one colour add drama and distract the eye from the proportions of the space. Wallpapers, window furnishings and upholstery can work together to blur the lines of a space and create an intimate feel.

Build it in

Bespoke joinery and shelving are crucial, allowing every inch of space to be used. Wall-mounted bedside tables save space, utilise walls with built-in shelving for displaying books and decor items and as much kitchen, bathroom and laundry storage as possible so that everything can be put away in its place.

Hooks in hallways and on the back of doors are a simple, yet clever solution.