Everyone needs our own big space, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have it. We all want to make room look larger, but often have to cram all our possessions into our tiny little rooms creating even smaller and cluttered spaces. Sounds familiar? Luckily, we have tips for all budgets and styles to make room look larger and use the maximum of your available space. It can help to create a light and airy feel to your bedroom or living room to make room look larger.
1. Declutter the room
A classic mistake many of us do – we try to fill up every available space. Instead, get rid of everything you have not used for over a year. Keep only those things that are essential for your comfortable living. Also, avoid copious amounts of ornaments and photos. Make sure that your eye is not overwhelmed by too many details. Without these small details the room will feel calm and soothing. Leave only 1 or 2 big pieces of furniture and artwork – it will add drama and make the room feel larger.
2. Keep it white
Did you know that white visually expands the dimensions of a room? It is also the favourite choice for wall paint colours and fabric backgrounds. However, a totally white room would be impossible to live in, wouldn’t it? Thus, you will need more than a splash of colour. For example, add a large colourful piece of artwork accompanied by a few matching-coloured accessories. Textured cushions, blankets or rugs will do nicely.
Additionally, paint the windowsill and frame in a white or light-coloured silk or gloss finish. Now to the floor. Introduce natural elements such as wooden or laminate flooring - it will make the room feel warm and welcoming. When lay the flooring, make sure that the joins run down the length of the room away from the door. If you are brave enough, paint your ceiling a different, but not dark, colour. It will draw your eye upwards, helping to create an illusion of space.
3. Make walls work for you
So, what colour curtains make a room look bigger? Opt for simple, plain colours to create open, airy space - white, cream, light grey colours. Avoid fussy, short and dark curtains. To make a room seem taller, hang long, floor-to-ceiling curtains. Regarding wallpapers, a feature wallpaper or dynamic paint colour on one wall will give a feeling of depth. Especially if the wallpaper has a horizontal pattern as it will lead the eye along the pattern, making the room look longer.
4. Coordinate the colours
Co-ordinate the colours as far as possible including your books and ornaments. It will give a coherent look, as opposed to lots of various colours and details to distract the eye. Try to colour co-ordinate your furniture with your wall colouring so that the furniture will blend in with its surroundings to widen the space, visually expanding the dimensions of the room. Choose furniture that can multitask such as a large foot stool that can also serve as a coffee table.
5. Use smart furniture
Consider furniture on legs. It will allow the light and space underneath the furniture to become part of the room. Fitting floor-to-ceiling bookshelves will add a feeling of height to the room and will make a great way to give a bit of extra storage.
Glass topped tables and transparent chairs will trick the eye into thinking that the room is larger. Also, extendable tables or nests of tables are a good idea. They make the most of the space available as they can be put away into a much smaller space when they are not needed.
As mentioned before, a few large pieces of furniture in a small room often make room look bigger, rather than lots of small bits and pieces. Place the furniture against one or two walls so you can pass through the room unhindered. But don’t make the classic mistake of pushing all the furniture back against the walls, thinking you are creating space. Instead, try placing some of it at an angle or leave it surrounded by open space.
Related: Redecorating living room ideas on a budget
6. Don't block the light
Your windows treatments play a major part in the mood and feel of the room.
Take advantage of every scrap of natural light entering the room and use lightweight voiles or sheer fabrics. They increase the sense of airiness in the room. If space is limited, chances are your room is in a built-up area. It often means that privacy may be an issue for you. Consider double curtain poles. They allow you to layer your window dressing with two pairs of curtains hanging simultaneously from the same fitting. Usually, the front pole has a thicker diameter for supporting the main set of drapes, whilst the back pole is thinner for the lighter weight fabric. This arrangement is ideal for rooms that require privacy during the day whilst also allowing the daylight to enter the room.
Also, in order to let as much daylight entering the room as possible, you can fit an extra long curtain pole. Thus, the curtains are stacked back in front of the wall during daylight hours rather than the window. If you would rather choose blinds, then choose a variety that can be stacked either side of the window such as vertical blinds or rolled away such as roller blinds during the day. Keep curtains and blinds to the same colour as the walls. Heavy fabrics would be too bulky in this kind of situation as well absorb some of the natural daylight. Also try to avoid fabrics with large or very fussy designs. Fabric with unified colours and small design detailing will visually expand the room.
Regarding curtain poles, a simple white, cream or chrome curtain poles make the ideal choice for this light, white setting.
We recommend these curtain poles for creating more space:
View All Metal Curtain Poles
7. Use mirrors make room look larger
The reflective light from a large mirror creates a feeling of space and makes a room look larger than it really. In fact, it makes a room brighter as well. Use a large mirror to create a focal point in the room or group a series of mirrors in various sizes and frame detailing. It will also make an attractive alternative to groups photos. Hang your mirror over the central point of a feature in the room such as a fireplace or on the wall behind the dining table. Alternatively, hang it opposite a large piece of artwork so it will be visible from anywhere in the room. Another popular spot for a mirror is on a wall opposite to a window. Not only it will reflect the light from the window but will also add depth as the view from the outside will add another dimension to the room.
8.Add more light with a floor or a desk lamp
Lighting can do magic and bring an imaginative feel to the most ordinary room. However, a ceiling light as the only form of lighting gives an inadequate and therefore an unflattering light. It leaves the edges of the room in shadow. You can easily rectify it by decorating the room with a statement floor lamp or designer desk lamp. Not only it creates a touch of sophistication to a small space, but it also adds to the general light levels.
Related: Scandinavian Interior Design tips
What are your ideas how to make a room look larger? Please let us know with us in the comments below! And please share this post with friends on social media!
