Whether it’s a studio pad in central London, or a cosy cottage in the countryside, sometimes homeowners can end up compromising on the amount of living space they were hoping for. This means that many of us are all too aware of the need to create the illusion of more space.
From opting for vertical lines that will lift the eye and make a room appear taller, to choosing a neutral colour scheme that’ll help you wave goodbye to any feelings of claustrophobia, finding ways to make your home appear more spacious than it actually is could be less of a challenge than you might think.
So today, we’re bringing you five simple ways to make your home feel more spacious than it actually is, so you’ll be one step closer to living in a home you love.
1. Trick the eye with tiles
Dark shades can instantly make a space feel more compact, and by using excessive patterns when designing your walls and floors, your rooms can appear disjointed and cramped.
Planning a unified, more simple look when choosing your tiling options will give any room a more sleek and polished finish. Choosing large floor tiles means there will be fewer grout lines, so the busy floor pattern won’t dominate the room’s design.
Opting for tiles with more neutral tones will open up the space even more, as natural light will be able to reflect off the tiles and brighten up any room.
2. Extend your walls with painted ceilings
A well chosen wall hue can transform a room, and it’s muted tones that will create the illusion of space. But why stop at the walls?
Lighter toned paintwork will allow light to bounce around the room, and opting for a white ceiling will often be the most effective way of opening up the space you do have.
When paired with the neutral shades on the walls, subtle shades on the ceiling will make it seemingly disappear altogether – extending the walls almost infinitely and ensuring that it’s the furniture and wall features that are monopolising your guests’ attention, rather than the size of the room.
3. Position furniture away from the wall
When it comes to smaller spaces, it can be easy to focus your efforts on maximising floor space. Placing furniture against the wall means we can fit more into a room, but in actual fact, that’s where so many of us are going wrong.
In fact, your time could be better spent by thinking about your furniture choices and where they’re positioned, as moving furniture away from the wall – even by a couple of inches – gives the impression of more space.
When deciding how to dress a room, interior designers recommend using the cantaloupe rule, which suggests that all items and trinkets in any room should be the same size as, or larger than the fruit. This will help to stop a room feeling too cluttered.
From sofas to dining tables, you should also opt for furniture with visible legs, which means you’ll be able to see the entirety of the floor, opening up the room even more.
4. Hang shelves closer to the ceiling
Whether it’s in the fashion industry or interior design, forcing the eye to focus on vertical lines will always give the impression that something is taller than it actually is.
Making full use of overhead space – a section of the room that’s often forgotten about in home design – means your eyes will be drawn upwards, and focus on the height of the room rather than floorspace.
Hanging shelves closer to the ceiling will provide additional storage options, and this will help to guide the eye around the interior.
5. Leave your windows bare
Let the outdoors in by keeping your window ledges clear. But if you’re not willing to do away with curtains or blinds entirely, opt for light and airy voiles to allow any natural sunshine to shine through.
From opting for a minimalist design to using tiles to make a room appear more spacious, there are a number of ways to visually expand a room. Size isn’t everything, but by following just a few of our interior design tricks, you can make the most of the space you’re working with.
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