Unless you’re completely remodeling your home, it’s impossible to make a room larger. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use these tricks to make your room appear larger. Here’s how to make a room look bigger through color, lighting, décor, and layout.
Color Ideas to Make a Room Look Bigger
What colors make a room look bigger? In general, you’ll want to start with light colors. Light colored walls are more reflective, which means they can help maximize the natural and artificial light in the room. This makes the room appear bigger and more open. You can also create the illusion that your walls are farther back by painting your trim and moldings in a lighter shade than your walls, which can also make a room appear larger than it is.
Lighting Ideas to Make a Room Look Bigger
One of the best ideas to make a room look bigger is to take advantage of natural and artificial light. To do so, try hanging mirrors directly across from windows and lighting fixtures. Not only will this help better reflect light, but the reflection from the window can also add depth and the illusion of extra space. In general, be sure to add floor lamps, table lamps, and other lighting fixtures to your décor so the room will feel as light and airy as possible.
Décor Ideas to Make a Room Look Bigger
Whether you’re furnishing a small bedroom, living room, dining room, or home office, there are certain furniture and décor decisions you can make to make the room appear larger. Start by choosing furniture with multiple functions when dealing with smaller rooms. You might, for example, choose a bed with built-in drawers or a coffee table with built-in storage. You can also choose versatile furniture like dining tables with extendable table leaves. That way, when you don’t need the extra seating options, you can save space in the room. Glass tables and furniture with skinny legs can also make the room feel larger and more open.
Layout Ideas to Make a Room Look Bigger
When decorating a small room in your home, there are certain layout tricks that can help create the illusion of space. For one, make sure to scale your furniture for the size of the room. If you’re decorating a small bedroom, for example, you might want to choose a platform bed rather than a sleigh bed. You might also consider floating your furniture and placing your furniture at an angle. Because the longest straight line in any room is the diagonal, positioning your furniture at an angle leads the eye along the longer distance rather than the shorter wall.
Need help decorating a small room? Our interior design blog covers how to decorate a small living room, how to decorate a small bedroom, and how to make a home office in a small space. You can also check out our guides to decorating living rooms, dining rooms, master bedrooms, and your home office.