Gaining Space

Designer Louise Ellis’s Stellenbosch home is a master class in making the most of small spaces. She explains how she went about it

- Natalie Boruvka

Planning is very important when furnishing a small home,” says designer Louise Ellis of Loft I Love. Before she and her husband Charl and sons, Luke (3) and Louis (1), moved into this 270m 2 Stellenbosch house, she spent a lot of time with the floor plans making sure that the furniture, both shop bought and custom made for the house, was placed to create an easy flow. “Then I put together a scheme of contrasting neutrals to visually expand the available space.”

ESTABLISH ZONES

Open-plan layouts make small homes feel more spacious. “However, in the absence of walls, establish clearly defined zones that still read as one space,” says Louise. “Do this by carefully positioning rugs and furniture or with a different floor finish.” For practical reasons, Louise wanted a close connection between the kitchen and dining area, so she positioned them side by side. “The island and dining table anchor their respective areas, while the back of the sofa separates the living area.”

FLOORS AND WALLS