how to make small spaces look bigger
For the most part, we all want our spaces to look and feel bigger, right? Even if we want a room to feel “cozy” we still want a spacious feel. Here are some super easy ways to lighten, brighten and enlarge your rooms (without taking down walls!):
1. Choose a Light Paint Palette for the Walls
I think this tip probably goes without saying but I definitely wanted to throw the idea out there. If you want a space to feel open use light, neutral colors on the walls. My favorites are Swiss Coffee (Benjamin Moore), Intense White (Benjamin Moore), Super White (Benjamin Moore- I use this for trim in almost all of my projects), Dover White (Sherwin Williams), Simply White (Benjamin Moore) and Pale Oak (Benjamin Moore).
Another way to lighten up a room is to add a chair rail with trim below and paint it all in a neutral, light color palette like the foyer shown here from A Thoughtful Place Blog:
2. Mirrors and Reflective Surfaces
When I was growing up my grandmother had an amazing master bathroom with a soaking tub and crystal chandelier. The space wasn’t huge but the tub was surrounded by mirrors. We loved looking in the mirror and seeing the reflection of the space because it seemed to go on forever…a million twinkly lights from the crystal chandelier went on for miles in that reflection.
Any sort of reflective surface will make a space look bigger. A large floor mirror on an empty wall, a mirror above the fireplace, a mirror in a foyer are all things that will give the illusion of more square footage. End tables with mercury glass tops or armoires with reflective insets will also serve the same purpose.
3. Use Furniture Pieces with Open Legs
If your goal is open and airy then don’t use solid furniture pieces. When your line of sight is stopped by a sofa or a bed that go all the way to the floor or a coffee table with a heavy, solid base then your space will fill smaller and closed in. Try to find pieces that are open underneath or have thinner legs/bases. This family room by Davide Lovatti is the perfect example of using pieces with open bases to create the illusion of space in a room:
4. Take Down Window Treatments
Normally I am a fan of beautiful, floor to ceiling window treatments but, if you are looking for space, open those windows up! Sometimes taking things AWAY from a space is what you need to do to “decorate” the space. Allowing as much natural light in as possible will not only make a room feel bigger but it will make you feel happier! Who doesn’t love natural light pouring in through a window? If privacy is a concern, replace heavy drapes with light colored or sheer drapes, a natural roman shade or install 3” plantation shutters that allow plenty of light in but can be closed as needed for privacy. And always hang your drapes as high and as wide as you can to maximize the light filtering into the space like shown in the room here by Studio McGee:
5. Lamps and Lights
Here I go with the lamps again. If you have followed my blog for a while then you know I have a deep love for lamps. Rarely do I switch on overhead lighting in our home (with the exception of bathrooms and the kitchen). Lamps scattered throughout a room give light to otherwise dark corners that make a space feel closed in. In my own house we have lamps in the dining room, family room, laundry/mudroom, and all of the bedrooms to not only give warmth to our spaces but to make them feel bigger and more spacious. Layering lamps with overhead lights (on dimmer switches), like shown here in my family room and kitchen, allows you to control the level of light in your home throughout the day and evening.
