How to make a small room look bigger? 10 easy tips

1. USE LIGHT PAINT COLOURS

Light paint colours make a room feel lighter and brighter. Psychologically spaces with more light appear to have more space. Focus on using whites, off-whites or muted tones of your favourite colour for painting your walls.

2. USE A MONOCHROMATIC COLOUR SCHEME

Monochro-whaaattt? A monochromatic colour scheme is one that uses one colour only. However, it allows tints and shades of that colour to be integrated into the design for more interest. Using this method provides variety without too much contrast. Avoiding contrast is ideal when trying to make a small room look bigger because contrast defines space and therefore, will create the illusion of less space.

3. AVOID BOLD PATTERNS

Bold patterns and colours create visual clutter by creating more contrast. If you absolutely must include a bold colour or pattern in your design, do it with something small rather than in something that takes up a lot of space such as a rug as seen below or a wallpaper, etc. Instead, use a bold patterned throw pillow or a bold coloured picture frame to satisfy your desires.

4. ANALYZE WHAT YOU WANT IN A WINDOW COVERING If you can get away with it and you’re comfortable with it, leave your windows bare. This will let the most light into your space. However, this may not be ideal if you value privacy. If that’s the case, opt for minimalist type window coverings such as roller shades, blinds or shutters. If you’re a fan of drapes (I know I am), then choose a colour that is the same as, or as close as possible to your wall colour so that they don’t create contrast on such a large surface area. Whenever possible you should apply this principle to your shades, blinds and shutters as well or opt for white.

5. USE LIGHTWEIGHT FABRICS While we’re on the topic of windows, cotton and linen are great options for window coverings because they diffuse light, but don’t block it. Heavy or dark coloured fabrics absorb light, making your room feel darker. Remember, it’s best to keep the space as light and bright as possible to make a small room look bigger.

6. INCORPORATE MIRRORS Mirrors are great for a couple of reasons. First, they trick the eye and give the impression of more space by mirroring imagery back at us. A carefully placed mirror can make a hallway feel longer, make it seem that there is more seating or make it look like there are additional windows in a space. Mirrors also reflect light, and as I already mentioned, more light translates into more space.

7. CHOOSE SMALL SCALE FURNITURE

These days there are a lot more options for apartment/condo sized furniture. Use them! Even if you live in a small house rather than an apartment, chances are that these smaller furniture pieces will work better to make your small room look bigger by taking up less space and leaving more room to roam.

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8. LOVE LONG LEGS – I MEAN WHO DOESN’T?

Choose furniture with exposed legs, rather than furniture that sits right on the floor. Sofas and chairs with longer legs reveal the space that’s beneath them. While there isn’t actually any more physical space, this trick fools the mind into thinking that there is.

9. INTEGRATE REFLECTIVE FURNITURE

Use glass table tops, Lucite chairs, desks, consoles, etc. to expose the area beneath them. You get the function of the furniture added with the illusion of more space – a double win! And, as a bonus, glass and Lucite are reflective so they also help to transmit light around the room. Mirrored furniture will provide the same effect. Consider mirrored dressers, side tables or console tables to make a small room look bigger.

10. USE MULTIPURPOSE & FOLDAWAY FURNITURE

Pretty obvious here, but the fewer pieces of furniture you use in your design, the more space you will appear to have. You don’t need to sacrifice function though. Try using an ottoman with reversible tray to use for seating or side tables. Use a roll-away island in the kitchen or dinette. And there’s always the classic futon if you’re living in super tight quarters and need your sofa to double as a bed.