7 ways to make a small room look bigger
- magda
It’s almost inevitable that at some point in your life, you will end up with a small room that you like it look bigger. Whether it’s a living room, bedroom, or office space, a large room tends to be more airy and welcoming and can feel much less claustrophobic than a small area. Try these seven great ideas to make that cubicle feel like a cavern.
1. Clean out the clutter
Clutter builds up over the years and has a way of taking over every empty space in a room. Have a spring clean to tidy away knick-knacks and unnecessary items. You can either relegate them to a larger room in the house, hold a garage sale or give them to a local charity. You’ll be amazed at the difference such a small change can make.
2. Mirrors make a difference by making a small room look bigger
Mirrors reflect light, and with more light in a room, the space will feel so much larger. Try to put a large mirror where it can catch the most natural light (such as opposite to a window), or even set up a couple of decorative mirrors around the room for something both stylistically attractive and functional.
3. Lighter paint = bigger room
Light-colored paints are well known for their ability to make a small room look bigger, just as dark paints are known for making rooms looks smaller.
You can also aim to renovate with light-colored glossy paint, which acts a little like a mirror does in that it will help to reflect light around the room.
4. Use furniture to widen the space
Try moving your furniture around to see if you notice a difference in the space that way. Move large pieces of furniture such as couches, beds, and shelves against the walls to leave as much space in the centre of the room as possible.
If you have any items in the middle of the room, this can essentially cut the space in half, so aim to move them to the corners or off to the sides.
5. Turn up the lights
Low lighting can make a small room look a lot smaller than it is, so simply replacing your light bulbs can make a huge difference.
Look for bulbs with a high lumen count. Your usual 60-watt incandescent bulb produces approximately 800 lumens, for example, but you can replace this with a bulb that offers as much as 1,600 lumens.
6. Change your flooring
In the same way that light paint shades and brighter lights can help a small room look larger, so can paler furnishings. If you have a medium- or dark-toned carpet, you could either replace it completely or simply add a large pale rug that will have the same effect.
7. Refresh your furniture
Dark, heavy furniture can also fill a space and make it seem smaller than it really is. If the room is a bedroom, look for a bed frame without a foot, and try to find one in light colours.
Opt for low couches over high-backed ones, and shelves with finer planks rather than thick ones. One trick is to opt for clear furniture such as shelves, which is very trendy at the moment and perfect for smaller rooms.
