How to make a small room look bigger

Living in a small space can feel restricting and energy draining. It tends to get overcrowded, thus making the room appear smaller. On the flip side, a small room or space can provide a pleasant environment. Before this can happen, it may be necessary to make some changes in your decorating and lifestyle. If you can identify with the above, don’t be discouraged, read on and discover how you can transform an area and make it look and feel larger without moving a brick! Too much of everything is bad The easiest and most inexpensive way of enlarging your living space is to avoid cluttering it. Too many things in a small room will only make it feel cramped. Carefully arrange the things you want to have on display and store the rest out of sight; feel the space open up. Even decorative elements when overused cause the same disorderly feeling; so use them sparingly. In addition to the visual and emotional relaxation they create, you’ll be relieved when it’s time to dust! Use mirrors to give your home stunning effectsThe use of mirrors is another way you can enlarge your living space. Although it requires some investment, the effect can be stunning. Mirrors come in different shapes and sizes, and they have a wonderful effect of making a room feel open or spacious because they offer the illusion of more space. Large mirrors are particularly effective in creating this impression effortlessly. A large mirror in a hallway can be very effective. You can enhance this by placing a table beneath it with a vase of flowers, or a decorative element on it. With this arrangement, you will be able to do a last minute check on yourself before heading out the house. In this way, you get more out of the mirror in the sense that it now provides a practical value while powerfully decorating your home. Whether you decide to hang a mirror in a hallway, a dining room or a bedroom, consider the view and make sure that it is something worthy of a reflection. For example, a mirror opposite a window will reflect outdoor scenery and give the illusion of a second window. Mirrors are a basic accessory and necessity, so if you have the money to spare, use it appropriately. Choose and arrange furniture with care Pay careful attention to the size of furniture you chose. Huge and bulky sofas may look great in a shop but in a small room they can be over dominant. If you find that reducing the size of furniture does not help much, or you are unable to buy smaller sofas, then consider decreasing the number of furniture in the room to create more space. Use all the natural light you can get Any room will look larger if it’s well-lit, either by natural or artificial lights. This is even more important in the case of small rooms. When decorating a small room, make use of all the natural light you can by using light curtains, and opening the windows to fully allow in outdoor light. At night, add as appropriate lamps of different variations of light intensities to fill the room with vibrancy. Make your room spacious by using cool light warm coloursFinally let us consider the effect colours can make on our sense of space. To avoid being hemmed in, choose colors that look similar because contrasting colors tend to break up a room. Cool light warm colors on walls gives any room a more open look. Therefore, choose paint which is receding in colour for both walls and ceilings. Also, for optimal results, ensure that furniture pieces blend with the wall colour as this will make them less intruding and obvious. If the ceiling is low, use vertically striped wall paper, or alternative paint colours to make it seem higher. With this, putting up full length rather than half length curtains adds to the illusion. The size of a room should not totally determine how it should look and make you feel. The secret is to get organized while allowing your style to shape a room. As long as you are mindful in respect to colour, furniture, arrangement and lighting, your space won’t feel cramped. Next week, I will be writing on the exciting topic of decorating children’s rooms, look out for this series and don’t miss it. ms.efuahagan@gmail.com The author specializes in interiors and fashion