How to get a bigger home without moving
If your living space is small, it’s sometimes hard to de-clutter and see your home’s potential. Smart colour choices, storage and clever furniture arrangements are easy ways to create the illusion of space, however small the area.
Bringing the outside in
If you have a large window or a beautiful view from your living area bring the colours of the outside landscape into your room, matching them in furnishings and décor. This will create a unified look to your room and expand the look of the space.
Light is right
Natural light is the ultimate way of making a space look bigger. It opens up the room, adding character, creating different drop shadows and bringing a sense of freshness.
It’s not always possible to use the power of natural light, but ‘layered’ artificial lighting is an ideal way to create a feeling of space. Choosing wall lights saves floor footage.
Open plan living
Removing as many doors as possible within your house will give you an open plan living space that increases the sense of space and creates a free flowing living environment.
Clever Furniture
Adding something like a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf not only saves space but creates a focal point and tricks the eye into expanding the room by pushing the walls and ceiling out.
Multi-functional furniture pieces like settles, ottomans and storage seats are perfect ways to hide away clutter. Any space-saving furniture is great. Things like stacking chairs or wheeled tables that can be pushed to where they are needed help de-clutter and provide more space.
An oversized mirror or sets of mirrors allude to space and add extra light into a room.
Always avoid unnecessary frills! Ruffles on furniture and window treatments make a room seem busy. Stick to simple panels and lines to create a spacious effect.
Vertical shelving, cubby holes or bookshelves in the hallway of your house de-clutter and create a tidy space that gives the impression of a longer taller room. Don’t be afraid of the built in. Built in wardrobes, window seats and cupboards really free up floor space and provide interesting architectural details that will appear to expand your room.
Colours to create space
Using cool colours like a sky blue makes the walls visually recede. Even one focal wall of a cool colour can make a room seem bigger.
Light, fresh colours and neutral tones make a space expand. They also create a blank background for artwork and patterned furniture so the overall effect is not busy or over-complicated.
Link adjacent rooms together using colour. This helps gives a linear flow to the decor of the house giving the impression of a bigger space.
Whether you live in a flat, bungalow, or small build, use these clever tricks and make your mini-home feel more like a mansion.