10 Simple Tips to Make a Small Room Look Larger

When it comes to small rooms it’s hard to avoid creating a cramped and cluttered space. By the time all of the furniture is moved in and the décor is hung, it might feel as though you’ve cut the space in half. Fortunately, there are a few tricks to make a small room look (and feel) much larger than it is. With a few simple steps and clever usage of what you have at your disposal, a small room can feel just as open and welcoming as the largest room in the house.

Types of Rooms To Make Bigger

There are all sorts of reasons you might want to make any number of rooms feel bigger than they are. Whether it’s a small bathroom, a guest room, a basement, a home office, or a living room carved out of extra space in the house, the key is to plan and choose the best way of expanding the space for that room specifically. That means that you may not need all of these methods, though combining them may maximize the effect.

Light (natural light)

Flood the room with natural light. If there are good sized windows in the room, choose sheer curtains, or flank the curtains to let the natural light in. Natural light always gives an open and airy impression that allows a room to breathe. It’s a bit of a mind trick, but it works! This will also eliminate the need for extra lamps so you don’t have to worry about crowding the space with table lamps or floor lamps.

Draw Eyes Upwards 

There are a few ways to do this. Long curtains that stretch from above the window frame down to the floor can achieve this look. Another option would be to paint or wallpaper the ceiling, immediately drawing guest’s eyes upwards, install crown molding, install vertical art, or incorporate vertical lines in everything.

Tall and Vertical

Along the same lines of drawing the eye upwards, tall and vertical should be the goal. Pair shorter elements like sofas, beds, dressers, and coffee tables with tall bookshelves, tall floor lamps, and vertical lines when it comes to patterns.

Streamlined

Cut out the extra. Pair down what you are putting in the room to ensure that everything has a place and purpose. Big, heavy furniture may not be the best option when streamlining, so go for simple shapes, clean lines, and minimal detail. Simpler pieces with simple silhouettes will maximize the space, but also create a sense of uncluttered clarity.

Clean Lines

Part of streamlining is clean lines. Clean lines open the door for the introduction of patterns and textures, but they also ensure that the room isn’t crowded with too much busy-ness. Pair tall and vertical with clean lines to create a space that seems to float upwards and has an overall lightweight look.

Slim Profile

Smaller pieces with slim profiles won’t crowd each other out. You’ll also feel more like you have space to move about. A slim profile is usually achieved with lighter materials, wire frames for table legs, linens and cottons, wood or glass surfaces, simple shapes, and smaller pieces overall.

Sliding Doors

If you can have them, sliding doors will save you so much room! When traditional doors are open, they can take up a lot of space in the room and create odd angles and unusable space. A sliding door, or even a pocket door, will glide against the wall taking up only a few inches of space. Plus, they are unbelievably charming!

Multi-Purpose Furniture 

This usually brings to mind murphy beds. And even though those have had less than stellar reputations over the years, they are not the only option for multi-purpose furniture anymore. Ottomans that double as side tables, sofas that fold out into beds, desks that fold out from the wall, bookshelves that double as desks and tables, countertops that roll out from underneath kitchen islands, drawers hidden in stairs, storage benches, and more have come a long way over the last few years. There are so many cool pieces out there that are giving compact and multi-purpose a new name.

Mirrors

Mirrors can be the ultimate optical illusions. With a little trickery, a mirror and mirrored furniture can give the impression that a room is larger than it is. It’s best to use a larger mirror; go full length on the floor, put a big mirror on one wall along with other items, or arrange two or so mirrors in a neat grouping. They key is to not go too small, but to find a mirror that will leave some empty space while still being a focal point.

Built-Ins

Anything that pushes out into the room from the walls and takes up extra space will make your room look and feel smaller. That’s why built-ins are such a wonderful solution. Not only do they add tons of charm, but they sink into the walls, leaving you with all the original floor space. Now, the biggest problem is that built-ins may require some construction, but if you have the chance to integrate them into your home, take it! You won’t regret it.

With these simple tricks, you can take that small space from cramped and dark to bright and spacious! It’s all in how you approach filling the space you have and maximizing every inch.

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