Five Ways to Make a Small Space Seem Larger

A design issue that I am addressing today is one many folks ask as they are decorating - how do I make a small room feel larger and more spacious? There are several ways to achieve this, all you need a bit of planning and a few tricks that help fool the eye.

1. Choosing a Paint Color

Light and/or bright paint colors reflect light in a room. Dark colors absorb the light making the space seem smaller. This theory applies to furniture and cabinetry too. A light, white kitchen with white cabinets appears more spacious than a kitchen filled with heavy and dark stained cabinetry.

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2. Think Vertically

 

Taking advantage of any vertical space you have, draws the eye upward making a space feel larger. For example replacing a long buffet style television cabinet with a tall armoire will give you the storage you need while taking up less floor space.

 

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3. Furniture and Flooring Options

When decorating a small space one must consider scale. Choosing sofas with tailored arms as opposed to overstuffed, bulky ones and/or exposed legs on furniture to create the impression of airiness. While you are at it, make your furniture work double duty for you. A trunk can be used as a coffee table and a great place for storage. Nesting tables are a great option for side tables, or use skirted tables that you can store small items out of sight and out of the way. Do you have a large area rug in the room? The more floor that is exposed the larger the space feels, so get rid of the over sized area rug in lieu of a smaller rug or none at all.

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4. Mirrors, Glass and Natural Light

Mirrors and glass reflect any light in a room be it artificial light from lamps or natural light from windows, therefore creating the illusion of a larger space. By placing a mirror near a window to reflect the outdoors or even adding mirror or glass to a few of your kitchen cabinet doors are very effective ways to create the illusion of a larger space. Use light or sheer window coverings that you can pull back on both sides of the window to maximise any natural light your space has.

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5. Organized, Clean and Clutter Free

An often overlooked way we make a space feel smaller is by having lots of clutter and knickknacks everywhere. Keep similar things displayed together in one area. It provides more impact and appears less cluttered. The more organized, neat and clutter free a space is, the more spacious it feels.

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Do you have any tips or tricks you use to make your space feel larger? It is a long weekend here so we are headed to the lake for a few days. I can't wait to close up shop here and get out in the fresh air! How are you spending your weekend?