Small spaces come with their own perks, they are easier to maintain and organize, and when done right, you get a cozy retreat that feels like a warm hug. With some clever tips and tricks, you can notch up the decor of a small space and make your room look bigger. It’s a total win-win situation!
Making a small space appear big is mostly about the game of perception and proportion. From using white curtains or roman blinds as window treatments to using mirrors for maintaining adequate illumination, we have rounded up the top 7 easy tips for you to simplify decorating a small space while creating the illusion of larger walls and higher ceilings.
1. Clear the Clutter
Clearing the clutter is your first port of call to make a small room appear spacious. A plethora of scattered items, disorganized furniture, or open storage can quickly clutter a small space. They act as hooks that prevent the eyes from gliding smoothly across the room. Small spaces tend to get cluttered easily and, therefore, keeping everything organized becomes crucial. Use baskets, bins, or furniture with built-in storage to quickly organize and keep your clutter hidden in plain sight, immediately making your room look more spacious.
2. Paint the Walls with Gentle Hues
Colors can trick the eye and make the room look bigger or smaller than it is. So, pay attention to your wall’s colors as well as how you use them. Light, soft shades can make your room feel airy and spacious as they tend to recede further away from the eye. Think of pale neutrals like beige or cream, or bring some subtle vibrance with pastel green or blue. Also, painting the walls and ceiling including the trims the same color blurs the boundaries and thus makes the room seem larger than it is.
3. Opt for Fewer but Larger Wall-Hangings
When it comes to gallery walls, instead of a crowd of small pictures and art pieces, opt for fewer but larger wall hangings in the same space. This will make the pieces stand apart with their personality without overwhelming the small surface. Remember- we are aiming to keep things minimal to reduce visual hooks and maintain a sense of airiness.
4. Embrace Low Profile Furniture
A bulky piece of furniture set can be a good focal point in a large room, but it may fill a small space quickly. Avoid putting space-hogging furniture and bring minimal pieces that are multi-functional. Consider lofty beds with large storage or a desk that tucks away. Replace a pair of bulky armchairs with a sleek chaise or use nested coffee tables instead of a single enormous one that devours all the space. Look out for low-profile furniture that has sleek legs, low height, and clean silhouettes so that they don’t block light but allow it to traverse around and under. This will do wonders to make the room appear bigger.
5. Maintain Adequate Room Illumination
A room that is well-lit creates a similar effect of light colors and therefore creates a sense of openness by enhancing visibility. Introduce lamps on walls or hang pendant lamps from the ceiling to maintain ample illumination for visual clarity.
Apart from putting more light sources in your room, you can create a similar effect by installing large wall mirrors by placing them against the source of light. This will turn the surface from light absorbing to reflecting, more light! In addition, it also creates an illusion of a bigger room in the reflection.
6. Use Linear Items to Create Illusion of Space
Vertical elements in a room tend to draw the eyes upward and create an illusion of a higher ceiling. Try to include more vertical elements in your room, such as through wallpapers with vertical stripes, or tall lamps attached vertically to the floor or ceiling. While vertical elements create the illusion of a higher ceiling, horizontal stripes can draw the eyes from sideways and expand the sense of space by giving a wider look.
7. Don’t Overlook Windows Treatments
You can treat your windows to either dissolve them with your overall decor or make them a focal point – it all depends on how you dress them. While keeping the windows undressed can reduce a few “additions” if privacy is not a concern, treatments like floor-to-ceiling made-to-measure curtains tend to guide the eyes upward through their vertical folds and pleats, further enhancing the perception of height while securing your privacy. You can also opt for roman blinds for windows featuring vertical stripes that will maintain a clean and custom look while accentuating the ceiling height. While choosing fabrics and colors, opt for the ones that will allow ample light inside the room while maintaining a clean and lightweight profile such as sheer or linen drenched in beige or white colors.
To Sum Up
With some conscious efforts and tricks, any small room can be transformed into a spacious haven. From tips like clearing visual clutter to tricking the perception with striped roman shades or curtains and low-profile furniture, this blog has brought you the top techniques used by experts to make small spaces look expansive. Although your room is more like a cocoon than a lofty space, use these tips as your honest companions and confidently decorate your room while making it appear bigger. Happy decorating!
