Visually Expand a Room

Your options for home decor may depend on the size of your home, but even a small space can seem spacious with the right design scheme. Whether you live in a small house, a condo, or a tiny home, the following tips can help you transform your space into something inviting. They don’t require hiring a contractor and they won’t break the bank.

Declutter the space.

If you want to make a room feel cramped, just add more stuff. Even a cavernous space with 20’ ceilings can feel stuffy if you fill it with things. Now might be a good time to do some Marie Kondo-ing so your room won’t be too cluttered.

As for the things you can’t part with, try to store them as neatly and as out-of-sight as possible. Stylish storage boxes, for example, can double as end tables or coffee tables.

Think big, but simple and low.

When you have a small space, you might think that more miniature furniture would make it feel more open. The opposite is often the case, though. Multiple small pieces of furniture can make a room feel too busy. A few larger pieces can create a calmer atmosphere. If you can find furniture that stays fairly low to the ground, you can keep the rest of the room more open by creating more space above the furniture.

Above all else, keep it simple. Leave enough space for people to move around or through the room. Don’t re-clutter the room with new furniture. Determine what would be the bare minimum for the space, and stick close to that.

Let there be light.

The more you can rely on natural light, the bigger your room will seem. Any source of light will help a room seem larger, but natural light tends to work the best. Windows can also help make the room seem like it’s part of a larger world, so lose the drapes.

For artificial lights, go for something that will brighten the room with relatively soft light, and that doesn’t take up too much space on its own. Recessed lights and track lighting can often do the trick.

Go with a light, neutral color scheme.

Warm or dark colors can make a room seem small. Lighter colors can open the space up. The reason is simple — lighter colors are more reflective, which enhances the effect of the light you’re letting into the room. Darker colors absorb light, which creates the impression that a space is closed off.

You don’t have to make everything bright white, of course. That might be too bright. You can temper white or off-white walls with some neutral furniture, throw rugs, and other accents.

Smoke and mirrors… minus the smoke.

We mentioned that reflective surfaces, such as a wall painted white or another light color, can increase the apparent size of a space. You can take that further by making surfaces in the room literally reflective.

If you’re ambitious, covering an entire wall in a mirror can make a room seem twice as large. Covering two opposite walls in mirrors can make a room seem infinite, which might be more than what you want. You don’t have to go that far. Almost any type of mirror can reflect light and trick the eye into perceiving more space than is actually there.

Ready to buy a home?

Owning a home provides an opportunity to express yourself. Create a space uniquely for you.

When you’re ready to buy a home of your own, the mortgage professionals at The Wood Group of Fairway are available to help. You can get started on your free pre-approval today by answering a few questions.