By Lester Fong

Rooms with space constraints require ingenious solutions, so here's a guide to choosing furniture for small spaces.

To begin, start with modern, lightweight and visually unobtrusive furniture. The fundamental idea is simple: assuming one has limited space and wants tables and chairs, these should be as compact and as nearly invisible as possible. Furthermore, this kind of furniture works best with simple, light-colored floors and walls. Many of the best designs of this type date back to the twenties and thirties - Breuer, Gropius, Mies, Le Corbusier, and Eileen Gray are a few of the better-known early modern architects who also designed fine furniture. Some nineteenth century designs are also quite simple, such as Thonet-style chairs, Shaker tables and certain wrought-iron pieces. They as well as the products of recent designers of all nationalities, can be quite appropriate. And there is one's own original solution, especially with all the easily assembled modular systems currently in the market.

The contemporary minimal style may not be to everyone's taste. But still, if one follows the 'do without' principle, and keeps the wall, floor and other surfaces as uncluttered as possible, then one will be able to reap the benefits of added 'visual space'.

In addition, assuming a small room and its furnishings aren't busy in appearance overall, one will probably be able to include one or two ornate or complicated elements, such as elaborate framed mirror or an antique chest, without sacrificing the spacious feeling.

As an example, using visually lightweight furniture means reducing chairs, table and lamps to simple lines in space. This enhances the sense of space as one can literally see through them. Artwork and architectural details like a window recess and color accents take on a heightened presence.

Lester is a regular contributor of home interior decoration tips at GoArticles.com. He loves all things beautiful; be it people, fashion, art, literature and of course home decoration! He hopes to share his experience and passion for home décor via his website: http://www.unique-home-decor-ideas.com