From apartments to starter homes to tiny homes and backyard granny pods, living in small spaces has always been on trend. The big disadvantage to these spaces? Well, lack of space for storage and to create a curated aesthetic. The secret to small room design ideas when you still have stuff you want visible: structure. In interior design, structure helps define the room by merging aesthetics and function for a unified look. Interior designers employ hierarchy to create visual structure that leads a person’s eyes and establishes a sense of order. Hierarchy is achieved by varying the sizes, colors, and textures of the furniture and décor in a room. Designers also use interior elevations to understand the spatial configurations of a space to optimize its use of space for home décor. But their best strategy—and one that’s easy for non-designers to try—may be curation. Thoughtful, intentional arrangement of décor and design elements that create a living space that is cohesive and personal.
To make it work, having a place for everything and everything in its place becomes a mantra. Clutter has less places to hide in a smaller footprint, so it’s essential to find homes for belongings so it feels intentional.
Here are five small room display ideas that will provide structure and help create curated spaces.
Key Takeaways for Small Room Display Ideas
- Structure makes small spaces feel intentional. Use hierarchy (varying size, height, texture, and color) to create order and reduce visual clutter.
- Think vertically to expand the room visually. Tall displays and upward styling draw the eye higher, making ceilings feel taller and spaces feel larger.
- Group décor with purpose. Stick to tight, odd-numbered groupings or choose one strong statement piece instead of scattering small items.
- Vary heights for a polished look. Mix low, medium, and tall elements — tiered risers help add dimension without crowding surfaces.
- Use wall-mounted displays to free up space. Lift décor off horizontal surfaces and treat wall displays like curated artwork.
- Style defined zones, not the entire room. Focus on one to two display areas and leave intentional negative space elsewhere.
- Edit ruthlessly. In small spaces, less truly is more — curated always feels bigger than cluttered.
Think Vertically to Create Visual Height
Make the most of a small space by making the most of the room’s height. This helps the room look expansive, while curated display styling keeps it inviting. Vertical displays draw the eye upward and creates the illusion of higher ceiling and more expansive space to make a room feel bigger. Tall display cases also help keep floors uncluttered to further add visual breathing room. Anchor tall elements, like vases, indoor greenery, and floor lamps, near walls or corners to keep the flow of the space open.
When selecting storage pieces for a small room, consider tall display cases, such as our Frameless Glass Display Case or a Laminate Pedestal Display Case With an Acrylic Cover, that will create presence without widening the footprint. Such vertical display styling will draw the eye upward to create the illusion of space, making the ceilings feel higher and the entire room bigger.
Group Objects Tightly—or Not at All
Controlled décor groupings also go a long way in reducing visual clutter. A single group of three to five items will keep a collection visually appealing. The asymmetry of odd-numbered groupings keep the eye moving and looks more intentional. Alternately, consider displaying one large item, such as a vase, painting, musical instrument, instead of a few smaller ones to make an intentional statement.
There are other tricks that can be used, depending on the objects to be displayed. What you want to avoid is having objects scattered across multiple surfaces. While objects add personality to the space, they should be curated so the brain doesn’t process them as clutter. To remedy, group objects within a defined zone. For example, hang a guitar on the wall, place a treasured album cover in a 16” x 20” Mounted Countertop Exhibit Case with Linen Backing on the credenza beneath it, and drape a decorative guitar strap over an acrylic riser. You’ve just created a tightly focused vignette that will be a focal point and conversation starter in your living space.
Controlled décor groupings draw attention to the collection and gives it purpose. For example, countertop display cases, such as Display Cases With Bases and Display Cases for Collectibles, create order out of a multitude of objects. Another benefit is that acrylic cases visually organize without closing in the space.
Height Variation Creates a Designer Look
A favorite trick designers use is mixing low, medium, and tall objects in one display. And to achieve that, their go-to displays are tiered risers for décor. This provides visual interest in addition to maximizing a smaller surface area. Think about it, if everything is piled or at the same level on the surface it can look cluttered and messy. Elevating one or more items on risers helps to guide the eye in a more natural way.
Taking it a step further, acrylic tiered risers, such as an Acrylic Cylinder Riser and Mirrored Cube Riser, add depth without adding visual clutter. Their compact footprint is ideal for consoles, bookshelves, desks, and vanities in small rooms.
Wall-Mounted Displays Free Up Surfaces
We can’t discuss small room storage ideas without mentioning wall-mounted display cases. These heroes help lift decorative items off horizontal surfaces, such as tables and shelves, and spotlight them at eye level. They elevate objects in two ways: physically, and in a luxurious sense that lends an air of importance to the objects contained in them. Tip: treat wall displays like framed art and be selective as to what you choose to display inside. Also, when incorporating multiple wall-mounted displays, keep space consistent between displays and other wall-mounted elements like lighting and artwork.
shopPOPdisplays has a variety of wall-mounted display cases that turn collections into vertical features. A 16” x 14” Wall Display Case with Lift Off Acrylic Top showcases and protects pottery and art pieces; a 16” x 20” Mounted Exhibit Case with Linen Backing can display paintings and photographs; and Acrylic Locking Wall Mount Display Case for Funko Pop can house those collectibles or others that may fit that footprint. Mirrored surfaces reflect light to make a room appear larger and are commonly used to visually expand space in a small room. Our Wall Mount Wooden Mirrored Counter Top Single Shelf Display Case combines mirrored surfaces with vertical storage for an expansive display solution. All of these display cases and others protect objects while keep surfaces uncluttered.
Style Fewer Zones, Not the Whole Room
Clutter can overtake a small room quickly so be intentional with your storage. Having multiple display zones per room can help with curated home décor. To employ, choose one to two zones per room and leave other areas intentionally quiet. This empty space will enhance the styled areas by reducing visual competition.
Remember, less is more. Try to avoid displaying too much, whether it’s books on a bookshelf or pillows on a couch. More of anything will make a small space appear cluttered, not curated. Just like when choosing furniture, a few larger pieces may work better that a lot of smaller pieces that can feel crowded. One exception to that rule is art. A gallery wall (including both art and textured elements) makes an impact that draws the eye away from the size of the space. It also becomes a focal point that doesn’t take up any surface space.
Conclusion: Curated Small Room Display Ideas Make it Look Larger
A carefully curated space using the above small room display ideas will allow your personality to shine through. Vertical display styling, tiered risers for décor, tall display cases, wall-mounted display cases, and curated home décor all play a role to help spaces feel bigger than they are.
Vertical displays transform small rooms by adding a sense of height to the space and preserves more open floor space to further add an expansive feeling. Curating your décor by using a controlled display strategy reads as intentional instead of accidental. Creating zones, editing your belongings, and giving them purpose all support the structure necessary to make any small room more curated.