Need Bigger Space? Here Are 6 Ways to Make What You Have Work for You
If you happen to find yourself in the process of decorating a new room, you might be dealing with a lack of space which is usually a frustrating place to be. I should know, ‘cos I’ve been here, twice. As sad as it sounds though, it’s not the worst of things, especially because you can work your way around it. Again, I should know, ‘cos I did it. And I’m here to show you how. Join me!
- Declutter
The first thing you need to do if you find yourself in a new space is to declutter, regardless of whether the space is big or small. Decluttering brings a wave of peace, cleanliness and freedom to organize. In small spaces however, decluttering helps take away the cramped feeling. You do not need to put too much stuff in small spaces. Rather than clog your space with duplicates and irrelevances, work out ways to get your collections neatly organized behind doors, tables or on shelves. By neatly arranging your stuff, and keeping them out of sight, the space left in view will appear open and orderly, which is exactly what you should strive to achieve.
2. Make Use of a Neutral Color Scheme
When trying to make small spaces appear larger than they are, one trick that is capable of fooling the eye is to make use of neutral color scheme in your space. Avoid using colors in different families, but instead, go for colors in the same family. It is also advisable to make use of textured wall finishes and fabrics with tonal drapery. You can also choose cool colors on your surfaces to give your room a more open look. For instance, you can choose to have neutral wooden chairs with faux sheepskin pillows.
3. Ensure That Wall and Furniture Colors Are Coordinated
When contrasting colors are used in any space at all, big or small, they tend to break the space up causing it to appear even smaller than it is. When you match your furniture pieces with the wall color, you create a less jarring space as the matching color allows everything to blend together, thereby creating the illusion of a bigger room.
4. Allow the Light In
Once a room is well lit, it will look larger than it actually is. Regardless of the kind of lighting used, whether natural or artificial, the result is always a larger looking space. Do away with those heavy curtains and drapes, and open up your windows to let the light from outside find its way in. You can also amp up the lighting by adding more lamps to your space.
5. Keep Walkways Open
One interesting way to make your space appear bigger is to open up pathways. If your furniture and accessories block the view that leads into the room, it will appear cramped. Do your best to move furniture out and away from your walkways. By so doing, your space will become more open and will create a feeling of largeness. You can equally select short furniture pieces like armless open chairs, low tables and ottomans for your room. Rather than place tall pieces in the open space, place them along a wall. The trick to keeping pathways open is pretty simple: if you can see the floor, the room will look larger. It’s that simple!
6. Make Use of See-through Materials
When you use materials that you can see through, you dramatically cause your space to appear bigger. Materials like glass and Lucite are built in such a way that anything beyond them will appear farther away. For instance, place a clear, frameless glass shower enclosure in a small bedroom, as opposed to an opaque one. Even though the room is the same size, it will appear larger due to the presence of the clear glass.
Even though the difference might not exceed three feet, it will look much more dramatic to the eyes. Get this trick moving by using glass or Lucite on your tabletops, while creating a base from wood or metal. This will open up the view beyond.