How to make a small room appear bigger

If you have a home full of smaller rooms, or just one tiny room in a house, you may love the coziness of it or hate the containment of it. Whatever your feelings are towards a small room, the good news is there are things you can do to make it appear bigger. Some are clever tricks, some are well-known strategies you probably already know. Either way, we’ve decided to share them with you.

Go deeply colourful or bright white – nothing in between

It’s a common myth that using dark paint on walls will close the room in. When in fact, using bold colours in a small room can create depth and the illusion of space – especially if contrasted with bright whites. Then, of course, you could decide to keep everything bright white which is also effective, especially if there’s a lot of natural light in the room.

Adopt a tiny-home mentality

Tiny homes seem to be all the rage at the moment and they’re actually very clever. Designers of tiny homes use creative storage solutions to maximise the use of every part of the home. And when you decorate a small room it should be no different. Use hidden storage or multi-functional furniture such as window seats with a built-in blanket box or a bookshelf bedhead.

Hang the curtains from floor to ceiling

The traditional way to hang curtains is just above the window frame. But, if you have low ceilings, simply extending that and hanging the curtains from the point where the wall meets the ceiling, down to floor will give the illusion of height.

Use mirrors

This one probably doesn’t come as a surprise but we’ve included it just in case. Hanging mirrors on the darker walls of the room – the ones that don’t get much natural light – can help to reflect what light they do get and give the illusion of a bigger room.

If it doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it

Now we’re not sure if you’ve heard of Mary Kondo but she’s a Japanese organising consultant who has written books and even has her own TV show. She advises to hold on to things and if they don’t “spark Joy” it’s time to let them go.

Now, we’re not entirely sold on the “sparking joy” notion but the message is clear – declutter, declutter, declutter to better organise your space.

Choose your furniture wisely

Opt for a couple of big statement pieces, rather than lots of little ones. And choose your furniture with the space in mind. For instance, if you have a rectangular shape room, choosing a long thin dresser or table may help to elongate the space. Also, try and choose furniture with exposed legs to make the space feel more open.