Small rooms can seem cramped, dark and quite honestly, uncomfortable. If you live in a small apartment or house with rooms that tend to be on the small side, all hope is not lost. There are a few tricks you can use that will visually open up the space, making it look twice as large as it actually is. The tips you find below will help you create spaces that, while minimal in square footage, allow you to live large!
When it comes to walls, lighten up
It is a proven fact that dark colors diminish, lighter colors reflect. Think of those who diet; they often wear black because it makes them look smaller. The same thing is true of any room – dark colors make the room appear even smaller than it actually is.
Choose light colors to decorate your small spaces. You don’t have to stick to white, which can be boring and bland. Light neutral shades such as soft taupe, light gray or light apricot look bright and fresh, especially when trimmed out with white around baseboards, windows and door facings.
Keep the colors in every room of your home similar; having drastically different colors from room to room chops up the area and contributes further to the small feel.
Select furnishings on a smaller scale
It is important that you choose the right type of furniture when you have smaller rooms. You can just imagine the look of a large corner sectional sofa if you have a living room that is only 12 x 14 in floor space!
Avoid bulky or over-sized furnishings and stick to pieces that are designed on a smaller scale. In a petite living room, a regular sized sofa that is sleek in design, paired with a chair, ottoman and coffee table are all that you need.
Storage is often at a premium in small homes, so choose your pieces wisely
Smaller homes and apartments often lack storage space. If you find that you have more “stuff” than your closets can accommodate, think about creative ways to store items you don’t use often such as clothes and other things. For example, there are plastic or wood storage bins with “drawers” that can be placed underneath a bed for extra storage. Have an antique or cedar trunk? It can sit at the foot of the bed; store winter clothes and other items inside.
Make the best possible use of shelves in any room, including the living room. If chosen wisely, a shelf can hold books, the television, magazines and other items. Some units even have drawers built in.
Cut the clutter, and cut the confusion
Clutter only serves to make any room look messy and even smaller than it really is. For an open look, get rid of the clutter and use only a few well-chosen accents.
If your table tops are piled with books, magazines, candles, knick-knacks and other items, get rid of them! A small accent lamp and one decorative item is all you need to add color to a table.
Clear out the floor space as well. If there are magazine racks, several rugs, wicker baskets and other things that really just “take up space”, take them out. A single area rug adds color and warmth to the floor and gives the room a neat, organized look.
These are some of the best ideas you will find for making small rooms look much larger than their actual size. Put these tips to use in your small home, and let your home live large!
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