Your home can have rooms that are too big, too small, or exactly right – although that last may seem elusive. It may seem easier to fill a large space with more furniture than making a small space appear larger than it is. In this blog, we look at how to make a room look bigger, and in the process, make it function in ways you never imagined.
There are some benefits to having a smaller space to work with as you are decorating. It is easier to organize, and you need fewer furnishings to fill it up. The services of an interior designer can be invaluable when working with a small space to help you get the most out of your surroundings.
When you are trying to decide how to make a small room look bigger in your home, consider the following:
- Paint and Color
- Furniture
- Lighting
- Mirrors
- Drapery
- Decorations and Artwork
- Reduce Clutter
How to Make a Room Look Bigger
Paint and Color
People often ask what colors make a room look bigger when they are getting ready to paint the inside of their home. Light and dark colors, creating contrast, can give a room depth. When you look at how to make a small room look bigger with paint, keep in mind that medium shades will make your space appear smaller than it is. Using dark and bright white colors that open up a room, in contrast, creates the illusion of a much larger area.
Small rooms are not always square. Some may be narrow and long. When considering how to make a narrow room look wider with paint, keep in mind that light and cool colors recede – they seem farther away. Warm, dark colors advance towards us. For long narrow spaces, paint the opposing shorter walls a slightly darker (one or two shades) color than the two longer walls. That will make them feel closer, giving the image of a square shape. Conversely, you can also paint the longer walls a darker shade, emphasizing the room’s length – depending on which way you want to present the space.
Some painting techniques to make a room look bigger include:
- Stay with one color – when different colors are used, the eye automatically stops at the line where one color ends and another begins, creating boundaries in the room. When you use only one color, the space appears continuous.
- Use stripes – horizontal stripes will make a wall appear longer, and vertical stripes will make it seem taller.
When considering colors that make a room look bigger, white, in its many shades, is always an optimum choice. Its reflective qualities help to open a space and make it appear light and airy.
For more painting room ideas, check out the image below, showing how different painting options can change the appearance of your space.
Furniture
Next up in our ideas to make a small room look bigger is choosing furniture wisely. Now is the time to think about proportions. If you put your furniture up against the walls, it will make the room appear smaller. By leaving some air between the walls and your furniture, you create a feeling of roominess.
It is also good to avoid large, heavy pieces of furniture. Not only do they use up too much space in a small room, but they also draw all the focus to that part of the room. If you have tall pieces of furniture, place those against the wall to avoid breaking up the room.
Another way to make a room look bigger with furniture is to keep the furnishings lower to the ground. That also helps add more height to a low room be leaving more space above them. A chair such as the one below is an excellent example of keeping furniture lower in the room. Because it also shows the legs, it allows space, air, and light to flow around it.
Lighting
Natural light is one of the best ways to make a room look bigger. Remove the blinds and allow light to flow into your space. If possible, add some skylights to the room so that light can stream in from above.
When working with artificial lighting, place a few lamps around the room rather than one light overhead. Multiple light sources help expand the feel of the room and create ambient and even lighting.
Mirrors
Mirrors are an excellent way to make a room look bigger as they help reflect and bounce light from the windows. Another benefit of hanging a mirror on the wall is that it reflects the view and tricks the eye into the perception of increased space.
Drapery
Just as high heels will make any woman appear taller, floor-to-ceiling drapery will provide an instant height boost to any room.
Another option is to eliminate curtains, as they only add more for the eye to look at. If you do want drapes, consider breezy, lightweight fabrics, which provide an airy touch.
Decorations and Artwork
The décor you use in your room can make it seem smaller by cluttering up your space. Every surface of your room does not need to be covered in décor. The more you can open it up and let it “breathe,” the larger the space will feel. Place décor arrangements in groupings of 3 or 5 items on tables or dressers. Placing them on a tray helps to reduce the visual clutter.
Utilizing one large-scale piece of artwork on a wall rather than a gallery display of smaller ones will help open the room. If you do have many smaller pictures to display, place them all on one wall.
Reduce Clutter
Clutter is the enemy of small spaces. If you wonder how to make small rooms look bigger, getting rid of clutter is the number one thing you can do right now. That does not mean getting rid of your cherished items – it means finding creative ways to store them out of sight.
That optical illusion is especially important when thinking about how to make a small bedroom look bigger. The bedroom is our safe space – it is where we go to unwind and relax. It is hard to get a restful night’s sleep when clutter is all around you.
Baskets, such as those below, placed in the corner, can hold extra blankets, magazines, books, and pet toys out of the way. Goodbye clutter – hello space!
Another excellent way to make a room look bigger while eliminating clutter is with shelving units. Placed on either end of a window, you can even put a storage bench between them to create a window seat in a bedroom.
An excellent option is the Almora shelving unit shown below. The open back of the cubes allows for the light walls to shine through while providing plenty of room for your favorite books and decorations.
There you have it – many ways for how to make a room look bigger that are both beautiful to behold and functional at the same time.
The HK Collection is a beautifully curated collection of fine furnishings and décor for your home. We can help you find that special piece for any room or design.
Contact HK Interiors today at 954-401-8542 for all your interior design needs and more information.