Making A Smaller Space Feel Big

The basic tricks to expanding the feel of a small room are color and lighting. Anything that brings natural light in and connects the room to the great outdoors will make it feel airier. To give that light room to roam and bounce around, choose accessories and furnishings that bounce light. Colors that are light and pale will keep the room from having a claustrophobic feel to it.  Think vertical instead of horizontal to bring the eye up to the ceiling instead of across to the lack of space. Remove clutter and keep things organized while available.

If you have a big picture window in the room, this will really add to the dimension of the room. Take full advantage of this by allowing the light to come in with light color drapes. If you are trying to decorate a small bathroom, you can add tube lighting or a skylight. Let that light bounce around a bit with furnishings in light colors and tables with glass tops. Wicker furniture also gives the light room to travel through its crannies. Add a big mirror on one wall to bring the outdoors in and amplify the look of the room.

Don’t set up heavy wallpapers or dark colors in a very small room. These tend to box it in. Instead opt for light color and wallpapers. Paint the trim a whiter shade than the walls to make the room appear bigger. Add touches of color with accents like throw pillows or artwork.

Think up and not down for a smaller room. Anything that pulls the eye can help the room appear much more spacious. Tall thin bookcases are a good option. Change out your electronic equipment to the thinner taller versions with flat screens and thin speakers. Layer and stagger shelving on the walls to have more storage space while widening the walls. Put down area carpets with diagonal designs to widen the space visually.

Try to get rid of any clutter in the rooms. If you don’t need an item, remove it completely. Less is more in small rooms. Accessories should be kept to a minimum with several but few good pieces. Your furniture should also be organized to keep a free flow of traffic within and around the room. If you can’t do this without making the room look tiny, push the furniture against the walls and make the center space large. Speaking of furniture, it should not be too large for the room. Try to buy furniture that is sized for a smaller room to avoid making your entire design layout look cramped. Add storage boxes where needed or take off doors to closets and add decorative boxes as storage units. This can sometimes open a room considerably while adding a touch of design flair.