How to Make a Room Look Bigger: 7 Sneaky Tips You NEED to Try!
Are you stuck in a small space for now and need some tips for how to make a room look bigger? We understand, and we’ve got you covered! Maybe you’ve downsized to help save up for a down payment on a home. Or maybe you think you’ve found a home that might be right for you, except it has a few smaller rooms and you’re wondering if you can make it work.
Either way, small spaces don’t have to feel cramped or inconvenient! With the right strategy and a few sneaky tips, we can tell you not only how to make a room look bigger, but feel bigger and more spacious, too. Here’s how!
- Eliminate clutter and employ hidden storage
- Use light, breezy colors and fabrics
- Use mirrors
- Get the most out of your windows and light
- Be strategic with rugs
- Leggy furniture is key
- Incorporate the concept of accents
1. Eliminate clutter and employ hidden storage
Nothing will make a room seem smaller than clutter. So when you’re already working with a small room this issue becomes increasingly significant. So one of the most important tips for how to make a room look bigger is to eliminate clutter. Go through your entire home and keep only the things you need.
Eliminating clutter in your home might sound simple. But if you’re the type that tends to keep everything this can seem like a daunting task. You can follow several strategies to make eliminating clutter in your home easier and more methodical. One particularly effective method you can try is the Konmari Method by tidying expert Marie Kondo. You can read up more about this in her detailed book The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up that expands on steps you should take.
After you’ve eliminated all of the clutter in your home, you might still have some things you need to keep, but having them out in the open would add to visual clutter, especially in a small space. If this is the case, make all the use you can out of extra-functional furniture with hidden storage. Choose an ottoman that opens up and allows you to store blankets inside. Create a window nook that doubles as extra seating – bonus points if it includes drawers for storing books, DVDs, or other knick-knacks!
Also, if you have a lot of the same kind of items, store them all together neatly in a way that hides the clutter from view. For example, if you have multiple throw blankets, fold or roll them up neatly into an attractive and neutral basket.
2. Use light, breezy colors and fabrics
If you’re wondering how to make a room look bigger, the key is using light, neutral colors, and light, breezy fabrics throughout the space. Dark colors absorb light and make a room feel smaller and cozier. However, if your room is already small and cozy, that’s not what you want. Light colors, especially the various shades of white, reflect light and create an open and airy atmosphere, which expands a room. Especially if your walls and ceiling (and sometimes even your floor) are all the same color, it can blur the definition of segmentation, making you feel less boxed-in.
The same can be said for fabrics. Some heavier fabrics in dark colors not only absorb the light but also carry with them visual weight. For example, instead of thick, heavy, dark curtains, use lightweight white linen curtains. The same goes for things like throw pillows and furniture when possible. Keeping your decor monochromatic is also an asset. You can use varying textures instead of colors to provide contrast and dimension.
3. Use mirrors
If this is your first time trying to figure out how to make a room look bigger, welcome to the wonderful magic of mirrors! If you have a small space, mirrors are about to become your best friends. Mirrors not only reflect the light available in a room but the space in the room as well. This creates an illusion of extra dimensions and larger size.
While mirrors will have this effect anywhere, it’s best if you can be strategic with their placement. Place your mirrors so that they directly reflect a window, a light, or an opening to another room to maximize the reflective effect of light and space.
4. Get the most out of your windows and light
Whether you are blessed with lots of natural light in your small space or you have very few windows to work with, you need to get the most out of your windows and light. A well-lit space, especially natural light, will always feel larger and airier than a dimly lit space. To encourage the most light possible to come through your windows, do away with heavy, dark curtains or drapes and opt for light, breezy options instead. Or do away with them altogether!
However, if you need privacy and it just doesn’t seem complete without curtains, choose white, neutral, and sheer colors and lightweight fabrics such as linens. Another trick for how to make a room look bigger with your curtains is to always hang them all the way up from the ceiling to the floor. This visually draws the eyes upward giving the illusion of extra height. Hanging curtains midway breaks up the wall and draws the eye downward making the room look lower. It also has a stumpy appearance, especially in a small room.
Also, if you just don’t have much natural light in your room and mirrors can only do so much, be sure to supplement with artificial light and lamps placed strategically within the room. Where possible, try to leave surfaces open and use sleek floor lamps and wall sconces instead of tabletop varieties.
5. Be strategic with rugs
There are a few differing opinions about rugs when it comes to how to make a room look bigger. Some say that area rugs break up an already small space too much and make it look smaller. However, there is agreement that if you do use rugs you need to be very strategic with them. And when you are strategic, they can even be an asset.
When dealing with smaller spaces, the key is to always visually draw the eye upward to create a sense of height. If your area rug is too bold in color, patterned, or a distracting size or shape, this draws the eye downward. To avoid this, keep your area rugs light, neutral, and free of patterns. However, when used appropriately, a rug with stripes can elongate a room, much in the same way wearing vertical stripes can elongate your silhouette.
If you have a small but open floor plan, a couple of well-placed rugs can help define areas throughout the room, such as designating a dining area and living room area. However, this does break up the space, so play with it and see what works and what doesn’t.
6. Leggy furniture is key
If you’re dealing with a small space, every bit of space is important. The way air and light flows through the room is also important. Therefore, furniture that takes up too much space or visually stunts the flow of space is counterproductive. Heavy furniture or furniture with skirts or a design that doesn’t allow any space underneath can appear blocky, chunky, and weigh the room down. An extremely effective tip for how to make a room look bigger is to incorporate “leggy” furniture. Sleeker, mid-century modern style furniture with exposed legs and lots of room underneath creates a visual sense of airiness and openness.
If mid-century modern isn’t your style, there are still plenty of styles that can still give this effect as long as they allow visual space to flow underneath and have slimmer legs.
7. Incorporate the concept of accents
Lastly, an important conceptual tip for how to make a room look bigger is to think in terms of accents. This concept can be applied to almost every decor element.
For example, if all-white walls are just too boring for you and you crave color or patterns, concentrate all of that onto one accent wall. Likewise with artwork. Instead of having things hanging on every wall breaking up the space, concentrate your need for artwork into one large, light-colored piece on one accent wall, or a few medium or smaller-sized pieces arranged together on one wall.
Also, if you’re the type to collect lots of trinkets, scattering them throughout your room can have a cluttering effect visually. Instead, if you must display them, keep all of your smaller items displayed together in one contained space or set of shelves to create a more organized feel.
Are you considering moving into a new home? Maybe one with more space and larger rooms? Give Ruth Stultz a call to see how she can help! Ruth Stultz is a highly experienced realtor who understands Lake Conroe and Montgomery County better than anyone. When it comes to the sale of your current home or finding the perfect property with everything you want, Ruth knows exactly where to look. You can trust Ruth Stultz with buying and selling your home.
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