11 ways to make a room look bigger
When it's time to show your home, you need to make sure it looks as big, light, airy, and spacious as possible. Even when a buyer is looking for a "cozy" space, they don't want it to feel small. Help your home sell faster by following these great tips by this awesome local interior designer, Simrin Nichole Interiors.
-Ronel
Decorating and furnishing a small space can seem like an impossible task, with a few of these quick and easy design tips from Simrin Nichole Interiors you can create a beautiful, open and inviting space no matter the size.
1. Eye to the Sky
Paint or wallpaper the ceiling to draw the eye upward. Too often we forget about that 5th wall in a space. Instead of an accent wall use the ceiling as a canvas to draw attention.
Selectblinds.com
2. Soft and sophisticated
Use lighter paint colors on the walls to make the room appear more spacious. Light and neutral colors used within similar color tones throughout, create optical illusions of more space. Example: use gray neutral tone fabrics and continue with similar colors of different tone in your rug on the floor.
Grayscale neutral coloring
3. Off the wall design
If inches allow, try pulling your furniture away from the wall to create the illusion of more space. Pushing everything against the wall can make everything looked cramped, or can even have the opposite effect of making all your furniture appear way too small or sparse in a larger space. Find ways to still create usable space, add a long sofa table between the wall and your sofa this will create more storage and a usable surface but still appear off the wall from a distance.
Try this DIY sofa table
4. Two for one
In the small space you do have, use multi purpose items. Coffee tables, ottomans, and tv stands that double as storage will allow you to remove clutter and minimize the pieces of furniture you fill the room with.
Crate and Barrel Lounge II Storage Ottoman
5. Long lines (without the wait)
Hang curtains closer to the ceiling rather than the window casing, to draw the eye upward. This creates a longer line and makes the ceilings appear taller. Long curtain panels from floor to ceiling add a finished elegant look to any space.
6. Fill up on things you love
Choose fewer amazing furniture pieces that fill the room rather than multiple smaller pieces. This surprisingly reduces the look of clutter and makes the room feel larger.
7. Show off them legs
Furniture with exposed legs are perfect for small spaces and give an illusion of more floor space. Boxy furniture appears “heavy” and bulky and allows for no line of sight beyond the furniture. This cuts the floor line short of the already small space you have to work with.
YES to this style
Room & Board Modern Furniture Campbell Sofa
NO to this style
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams GiGi Skirted Sofa
8. Stripe up your life
Use stripes to elongate a room. Either on the floor in a beautiful striped rug or on the walls in your curtain panels. A striped rug will help elongate the floor space. Position the rug so that the stripes line up with the longer direction of the room. If using stripes in your curtain panels use vertical stripes to elongate the floor to ceiling line.
Decoraid.com
9. From the Window to the Wall...
Open up window coverings daily to allow light in and create more depth to your space. Use window coverings such as faux wood blinds that can be opened easily to let light in. Or a cellular shade that can be pulled tight to the top of the window almost disappearing. Keep all window coverings the same throughout the space. Choose a color that is fairly similar to the wall color. This allows your window treatment to blend in with the wall instead of causing contrast. Stark contrast causes the eye to stop and can make the room appear even smaller.
Selectblinds.com
10. Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Hang mirrors adjacent to a window. Reflect light into the space and create an illusion that there is more to the room beyond that wall.
11. Fake it until you make it
Light, open, or translucent furniture fake the appearance of more space. Being able to see through or beyond a piece gives the appearance of more space.
AllModern Liberty Coffee Table
Simrin Herrington
Simrin Nichole Interiors
Simrin is an Interior Designer providing beautiful and quality design work to Eastern NC. Services include design & color consultations, home staging, finish selections, remodels, interior furnishing & accessorizing, and much more.
Need help executing these great ideas?
Contact me today to set up your Design consultation.
For more inspiration and advice, follow Simrin on social media.
Instagram: @simrinnicholeinteriors
