5 Ways To Make A Room Look Bigger
Whether you live in a smaller space like a flat, or you have a box room or study that you needs some inspiration. It’s easy with the right treatment, furniture and accessories to make a room look bigger.
So here’s our guide to making a room look bigger. No extensions or walls needing knocking down - just optical illusions and clever tricks.
Bring In Mirrors
The first, easiest and most effective way of making a room bigger is the mirror. It may seem obvious, but including a mirror in your decor can instantly open up a space.
A mirror helps to reflect light and simply reflect the room back to give the illusion of extra space. Adding depth to a wall that before may have seemed closed in. An easy and minimal style to try? The Freya Mirror in Oak.
When it comes to using a mirror for this, it is important to bear in mind height. If you have a room that is small due to a sloping ceiling, reflecting the slope can help to further close in a space. You want it to reflect a full wall and light where possible to be the most effective. Reflecting a focal point of a room can only add to the space a mirror brings.
Declutter A Space
Another one that may seem obvious is to declutter a space. A space that is busy with little trinkets and mess can look smaller and cramped.
If the space is a home office, make sure to store away your laptop, mouse and other work pieces at the end of the day. A small change that can help to open up a space. The best way to enable this is to smartly use storage. In ways that are on trend and lend to the interior. As every bit of space in a small room needs to be used smartly.
If the space is narrow but long, a sideboard is a perfect way of adding extra storage. Also, doing this in a hallway means space that wasn’t previously really utilised now helps to free up space elsewhere - a win-win. We love the Daisy Oak Sideboard to do just this.
Try Lighter Colours
In a similar way to the use of mirrors, the use of lighter and natural materials can help to make a room look bigger. Think airy and light to open up a space.
If you have a small space and use dark colours it can absorb the light and close the space up, so you want to work to the opposite effect of this. Light and bright walls help to reflect the light, just like a mirror.
Paint the walls light, use sheer curtains if it’s not a bedroom to let light in and opt for natural woods and rattan pieces.
We adore something like this Sorenson Coffee Table in a light oak with black legs for a stylish way of opening up a space.
Yes, Bigger Furniture
It may seem counter-intuitive, but bigger rather than smaller furniture makes a room feel bigger.
Consider coming into a small room, a small sofa and small table makes the room feel cramped as everything seems miniature - including the space of the room. Choosing for bigger but less furniture helps to make it seem less cramped. Ensure to scale the furniture to the space so it still fits, but bigger pieces will lend to creating the illusion of a bigger space. Corner sofas like this Grey Linen Sofa are also great at using up space that might not have been used in a smaller lounge.
It will give you more space to relax and make the most of what might’ve been a redundant corner - all while making the space bigger.
Ensure to not push the sofa right against the wall, as this also brings attention to the smaller space. If everything is crammed up against the wall, it will seem cramped and tight - give it an inch or two of breathing space to keep the room looking open and larger.
Show Some Leg
Building on what we’ve already brought into a smaller room, opting for furniture that has legs helps to make a room look and feel bigger.
It allows the eye to continue seeing the floor under a piece of furniture, tricking the eye into thinking it keeps going. Meaning it looks bigger. It also allows light to shine underneath and doesn’t block a valuable space up, generally helping lighten and open up a space.
If you have space for a sofa, side table or even a chaise lounge in your space - choose one with legs on show to help. Something like this Phillipa Chaise Lounge.
The 4 legs are made from stainless steel and finished in antique gold. Styled in a bedroom or dressing room this piece is sure to be a timeless statement piece
So will you be bringing some of these techniques into your space? Let us know in the comments!