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It’s incredibly easy and affordable to make smaller rooms in your home appear more Spacious. In fact, it doesn’t have to cost anything at all. By following these 3 steps, you can easily add length, depth and height to any space.

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Use low-contrasting, cool colours

Lighter Colours reflect light. Darker colours absorb it. In the world of decorating, there are several ways to manipulate colour to make a space feel larger:

• Lower the contrast among the colours in a room. Stick with neutral tones in adjacent shades throughout your design.
• Paint trim and moulding a shade or two lighter than the walls. This helps to make walls appear as if they’re receding.
• Use colours that are cool, as opposed to warm – icy blues, greys, mint greens – these are all colours that give the illusion of spaciousness. Carry them over from your wall colours to your designer curtain fabrics, wall art and throw pillows.
• Consider your art work. If you’re decorating a small room, covering the walls with multiple large canvases or frames can often make the space feel more overcrowded. If you’re wanting to make an artistic statement in your room, try installing wall murals instead.

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Create room flow

Avoid interrupting the flow of your space as much as possible. Rooms that are cut up into sections by furniture, rugs or other elements feel smaller than rooms with plenty of open space. There are a few simple methods of optimising the flow in your home.

• Consider installing seamless flooring, such as hardwood or tile, that flows uninterrupted from room to room. Choose larger flooring units, as opposed to smaller ones. For instance, 18-inch tiles make a room appear more spacious than 12-inch tiles because there are fewer grout lines that intersect, making the overall pattern appear less busy.
• Purchase furniture that serves a dual purpose, such as an ottoman that doubles as a coffee table or an armoire that stores your television and electronics. This will help you streamline your furnishings and eliminate extra pieces that take up needless space. You also want to make sure the furniture pieces you’re displaying are proportional to the size of your room. While oversized couches, cabinets, dressers and beds look dramatic; they take up much more space than needed.
• De-clutter and organise. Go for a minimalist approach to help your space look larger. Make good use of vertical space in the form of bookshelves and wall-mounted ledges. This will help to get articles such as books and collectibles off tables and stands that take up precious floor space.

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Reflect soft, natural light around the room

The way in which a room is lit goes a long way toward creating a mood, whether it’s small and cosy or spacious and relaxing. There are many creative ways to bring openness to a space using light:

• Introduce natural light. Cut daylight-blocking shrubbery away from the windows of your home, and clean and polish the glass on both sides. The addition of natural light to a space gives it an airy and open appeal.
• Where natural light is not an option, use lamps. Try to create soft shadows as opposed to stark contrast between dark corners and bright white walls.
• Use mirrors – mirrored doors, back splashes or decorative mirrors mounted as art. Mirrors help reflect light around a room, giving it depth and fullness.

These simple design tips will easily and instantly make a small space seem much more spacious.

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