We have all been to shops and showrooms and seen bedrooms that we would love to have. Stylishly decorated and perfectly tidy, we often end up wondering why our rooms never look like that at home. One issue is the amount of space. Many people have much less room to work with than the designers have in stores like Ikea. This does not mean you cannot have a spacious-looking room, only that you need to select the furnishings carefully and use a few optical tricks to help you. Here are some of the most effective.
1. Leggy furniture
Something that will make your space feel bigger even when it is quite limited is the amount of floor and wall that you can see. This means that tall furniture which stands on legs is a good choice when you are choosing things like your bed or bedside tables. For the latter, floating options which are attached to the wall maybe even better.
2. Keep furniture sizes consistent
This is also something that mostly applies to the bed and the nightstands. A large bed with tiny nightstands either side will draw attention to the lack of space in the room. A more modestly sized bed with slightly larger nightstands either side will make the room look much better.
3. Use mirrors
Mirrors help your room appear more spacious in two main ways. Firstly, they reflect natural light, which really helps to open up the room. Secondly, they reflect more of the floor and walls. As we mentioned earlier, the more you can see of these the bigger the room will appear. There are lots of different ways to include mirrors in your room, from wall-mounted varieties to custom mirrored wardrobes.
4. Light floor colours
You have probably heard that painting the walls in bright tones can help small spaces look bigger. This is true, but the same also applies to the floor, and the best thing is that you do not even need to paint it. A light coloured rug helps to reflect light and make the room feel larger too.
5. Draw the eyes upwards
People notice the lack of space more when looking at the ground, so draw their eyes upwards instead. Artwork on the walls, high shelves, a tall headboard and hanging lights are all ways to shift their focus up.
Conclusion
Now you know five simple tricks that designers use to make small spaces feel larger. You can apply some of the lessons, such as using lighter tones, to things like bedding, lampshades, and other decorations for maximum effect.
