Quick ways to make small spaces look bigger, better

There are times when we wish our space could be bigger, or at least look bigger, but we’re limited by factors such as finances or tenant agreements. Today we look at few tricks to make small spaces look roomy. 

Dark or light walls

Contrary to what many people believe - that dark colours drain light from a room- it can actually hide the corners in the walls and make a room appear bigger. 

The trick is to avoid a medium tone and use a lighter or a dark tone. This will give the room the illusion of being large. Place mirrors on dark walls so that they can attract light that would have been absorbed by the walls.

Table lamps

This is an element that is usually ignored. Instead of using an overhead bulb in a room, use table lamps. Overhead lamps tend to make the room look smaller and affect depth at the same time. Use evenly distributed lamps.

Floor-to-ceiling curtains

Floor-to-ceiling curtains will be closer to the ceiling and this will give the illusion of a bigger space. The curtains will go with the floor line and ensure that even if you have a small window, the room will seem bigger.

Artwork magic

One large artwork will give a wall depth and ensure that there is space for light to balance the walls. Instead of using many pictures on a wall or gallery, spin the look with one large piece of artwork. It will bring attention to the wall and grab people’s eyes.  

Get rid of ...

Do away with unnecessary items to avoid crowding the room. Use unused storage areas or incorporate shelves beside or behind seats.

When using shelves, make sure that you play around with items of different colours to bring out the hue and intensity of the room so that it feels warm and welcoming. Do not overcrowd items so that the shelves have spaces to breathe.

Use rugs

Rugs help to define space, pull together details on the floor and increase the square footage. If your furniture is colourful, contrast it with a plain rug and vice versa. 

Still on the floor, when you buy furniture such as chairs, sofas and tables, ensure they have exposed legs as they make the room look bigger and create a sense of space. 

Multi-functional furniture

More furniture will make a room look smaller, so go for multi-purpose pieces to do away with unnecessary pieces. Ensure that furniture doesn’t touch the walls so that there is space, balance and depth.