Tips to Make Small Rooms Feel Bigger

If you have recently downsized after spending years in a larger home, decorating your new, smaller space may leave you scratching your head. Sure, you decluttered and got rid of the things you don’t need, but it can still be tricky to make the best use of the space. Hint – smaller things are not the answer. If you want your room to look a little more “cozy” and a little less “closet,” check out these tips to help even the tightest space feel roomy.

Tall Tales

Sometimes the easiest way to make a room feel larger is to make it feel taller. To achieve this, draw the eye upward. This can be done with shelves near the ceiling, such as over a doorway or window. Floor to ceiling bookcases will also have the same effect, and include the added bonus of storage space. Avoid clutter by only filling some of the shelves. Leave a few open, or the room can become cluttered and overwhelming in the blink of an eye. If you feel a little bold, or you don’t like bookcases, another method is to paint or wallpaper the ceiling itself. A flashy pattern or bright color will pull the attention up and make your room look considerably taller.

Stripe It Rich

In the other direction, elongating a room will also help it feel larger. This can be done with stripes. Though this trick can apply to wallpaper or furniture, one of the most effective ways is through rugs. Arrange the rug to stretch the length of the longest side of the room for the optimal effect. It is also important to make sure the rug does not fill the entire room. This will unfortunately have the opposite effect. Make sure some of the floor can be seen around the rug.

Make Light of It

When decorating tiny rooms, go for light colors on the walls and floor. This will help the space feel bigger, as dark colors will pull the room in and appear even smaller. This does not mean everything has to be white, but trying to avoid the richer jewel tones. If the idea of light-colored carpet sends you into a spring cleaning tailspin, consider light wood floors or tile. Don’t forget the curtains! Light-colored or sheer curtains will help tie in the shades of the room while keeping everything airy.

Lighten Up

Those sheer curtains will also let in lots of natural light, another trick to make a room feel bigger. Nothing casts the claustrophobic gloom from a room quite like sunlight, so be sure to let it in as much as possible. You may even opt to eliminate curtains and blinds altogether. This will add depth to the room and assist you in your quest for space. Looking for the happy medium? Try roman shades or blinds. When it inevitably gets dark, don’t write off the room. Strategically place a few small lamps around the room and skip the overhead lamp. This will draw the eye around the room and avoid the harsh pool of light in the center of the space.

Mirror, Mirror

Make the sunlight do double work by placing some mirrors in the space. Carefully placed mirrors will make a room feel larger and more inviting. By reflecting the light in the room, they eliminate those cramped, dark corners and open it up. This goes for lamp light, too. In addition, they visually extend the space beyond the wall, sometimes doubling the perceived space of the room. Want the room to feel taller? Hang a long, thin mirror vertically to lift the eyes up. Need the space to feel wider? Hang the same mirror horizontally and watch the space stretch. Floor to ceiling mirrors can also be effective, but the illusion is immediately lost when someone walks in front of it. To combat this, put a large dresser or table in front of a portion of the glass, with tall accents like a flower vase or lamp (or both). This breaks up the reflection while still giving the illusion there is an entire other space behind the furniture.

Make a Statement

The kneejerk reaction to decorating a small space may be to fill it with small things, but this can actually have a negative impact on the perceived space of the room. Lots of little things steers toward clutter country, and can overpower a room. Instead, find a few statement pieces for the room and let them have prominence in the space. A large, modular couch or long dining table will be the focal point of the room and eliminate clutter. Glass or Lucite furniture can also be a great choice for coffee tables, desks or dining room chairs. The ability to see through the furniture can have a significant impact on keeping the room, well, roomy. Another trick? Make sure the legs of the furniture are exposed. It creates a sense of light and space that is completely lost by a sofa skirt or boxy chairs.

Hide and Seek

Statement furniture can also multitask as storage, in many cases, serving the dual purpose of opening up the room and preventing clutter. Look for items like coffee tables and ottomans that are built with hidden storage to help hide away those piles of magazines, tv remotes and blankets. By tucking these items away in plain sight, they are easy to get to but not on display to take up space, gather dust and generally clutter a room.

Space Out

Once you have chosen your statement pieces, complete with hidden storage, arrange them mindfully to make the most of the space. Pushing all the pieces to the walls is not the only option. In fact, pulling furniture just a few inches from the wall can make a space feel significantly more open. Angle the couch to create a natural path from the door or just bring it a few inches away from the windows and let in that light. That does not mean the space between couch and wall is wasted – a console table can slip in the space and provide a convenient shelf or place to set drinks while watching your favorite shows. Simply surrounding a chair or bench with open space can also be effective.

Cuttin’ a Rug

There is nothing wrong with breaking the “place the rug in the middle of the room” rule, either. Set it to one side, place it partially under the couch or set up multiple, smaller rugs throughout the room to create the illusion of separate spaces. When buying rugs, stripes are an option, as discussed earlier, but small prints or plain colors are also great for the space. Unify the colors with the flooring or the room itself to help expand the room.

The Cantaloupe Rule

Once the room has been painted or wallpapered, and the furniture chosen and arranged, think décor. This can make or break a small room, so be careful. One way to stay on track is to follow the Cantaloupe Rule. Sabrina Soto, a home style expert, suggests sticking to fewer decorative accents that are all larger than a cantaloupe. Multiple knickknacks and anything smaller can crowd the room.

Don’t let the thought of smaller spaces keep you from downsizing to a beautiful condo or townhome. If you are in the market to make a change, all of us at GCD Communities are here to help! We will guide you through every step of the homebuying process and help you find the GCD home that meets your needs. Contact us for more information and to get started on the path to homeownership today!