If your home is not very large, there are several ways to make the rooms look more spacious. The advantages of doing so are mainly enhanced lifestyle as you won’t feel cramped up or that the walls are closing in on you. And you won’t feel disadvantaged when friends or relatives with larger homes come to visit. Of course, we all know that the latter should not matter, but we are all human and so it does – at least for many people.
Keep out the clutter
One way to make rooms look larger is to keep furniture minimal. Don’t clutter up the room with small items of furniture in every corner. Too many occasional tables filled with photographs, figurines or flowers will eat up your space. Even too many pictures on the walls will make them tend to close in on you.
Toy or craft clutter will also make a room look smaller as well as crowded and messy. If you have kids with lots of toys or are a crafter, keep tubs handy to put all the stuff into when it is not used. Even papers and magazines can spread out over the sofa and floor if you are not careful and they too, cause a room to look smaller.
Small furniture makes the room look bigger
Furniture size and placement are other elements of making your room look larger. If your lounge room is small, choose a smaller sofa and place it along the wall rather than out in the centre of the room. Many lounge suites have really wide arms that take up space that is rarely used. A 3 seater with narrow armrests takes up much less room than a three-seater with wide armrests.
Window treatment is important
Furnishings such as window treatment is also important. Heavy drapes will make your room look dark and smaller. Let as much natural daylight in by using net or nylon curtains in white as they will diffuse the light without reducing it. Add a mirror to the wall opposite the window to reflect the light and help bring the outside view in. This is especially great if you have a nice view or garden.
Mats or carpets count
The floor treatment is also important and can make your living space look a great deal larger. If you intend to have a wall-to-wall carpet, choose one in a light colour with a small fleck or pattern or none at all. If you have a large carpet mat that does not reach the walls, make sure that the edges of it disappear under the sofa rather than creating a line just in front of it.
You may need to buy one a little larger than expected, but it will be worth the investment. Having a carpet square large enough for the whole lounge suite to sit on, rather than a small rectangle with the edges showing, will make the most of your floor space. By the same token, never divide the floor with half carpet and half – or any percentage – a different flooring choice, as this will make a small room appear even smaller.
Glass table tops are terrific
If the family or lounge room needs a table, one with a glass top will create an illusion of space. Minimalist chairs with sleek lines and pale colours will also help.
Once you instigate these tips, your room and your house can appear much larger and this will create a relaxing space for the whole family to enjoy their leisure time.
