It is not cheap to buy or rent a big and spacious home. Still, we don’t want to live in a home that seems cramped and small like a squirrel’s den, wouldn’t we? It is easy to put everything out so you can see where it is, and – boom – room looks filled to the top and chaotic. Smaller spaces can look like a Zen retreat or a minimalistic paradise, but not without some planning. Luckily, we’ve shortened it for you. The following list should be considered when arranging a room or a house with the spaciousness illusion as a goal.
1: Keep it simple
The key is in simplicity, everything written under this statement is only the advice that will be emphasized by or emphasize the simplicity. Overdoing in any way easily creates the room to appear even smaller than it is, and certainly not looking like a place to rest and enjoy.
2: Colour palette
A small room is certain to look bigger if it is brighter. The easiest way to achieve that effect is with soft, light colors, like different shades of white, beige, or any pastel. The color, even the undertone is so effective that there is a color psychology theory that explains how different tones affect our mood.
3: Natural light
One of the main assets a property can have is the source of natural light, impossible to make a replacement. Since changing windows can be impossible, or costly, it is best to connect to a real estate buyer’s agent, who could help you locate only the properties with a proper source of natural light in every (or most) room of the house. Even a smaller source of natural light can have a great impact when enhanced with a reflective surface, like a mirror.
4: Ambiance light
If there is no source of natural light, or you for any reason prefer to have the blinds shut (bad view from the window, your window is on the street and you want privacy), the nicest thing you could make for yourself would be ambiance lights – any time of the day can be mimicked, and with the lamps, it could make a great replacement for the natural light source.
5: Try with a focal point
Since a small room gets easily crowded, avoid having a variety of contrasting details. Go with a few that are the same color as everything else – so make a monochrome palette, and add a strong focal point, like a deep-colored couch against a beige room, or a big painting in a mostly off-white room. A good perspective and a place to walk around a focal point will make your room have a chic vibe.
6: Multi-use furniture
The lack of space does not mean not to get cozy and insert everything you need for a pleasant experience in the room. Multi-functional furniture could make your room not only more easily usable, but also a nice detail, a focal point mentioned previously. Depending on the rest of the furniture, even a bean bag can be a bed and a couch, therefore completely changing the purpose of the room on a daily basis. Or a bland storage basket that could be used as storage and as a detail, if the colors are played so.
7: Hidden drawers
Even though the hidden drawers are a part of the furniture and most definitely are multi-use, they are too versatile not to give them a special paragraph. Under the stairs, in your couch, as a part of the fake wall, or as a part of the decoration – possibilities are limited by your needs only. All of the documents, or that special set of glasses, or a place for a secret jewelry box – any could be fitted accordingly. Additionally, the internet doesn’t lack homemade ideas, so you could even have a DIY project for your own happiness.
8: Embrace the lines
When it comes to a design that will definitely make a strong illusion, the lines are where you need to pay attention. Vertical lines will give the illusion of the high ceiling, and multiple of those, or something as simple as legs on each piece of furniture is bound to create an illusion of spaciousness. Horizontal lines, however, can make your room look wider if repeated in a pattern. But if you make strong design moves that emphasize horizontality, you will feel you have a lot of space in the room, from both perspectives.
9: Make a flow
The tip which completely embraces simplicity is to just leave a room for a room to ‘breathe’. Cheeky, but think about it this way – when you are passing through the corridor, do you stare at the end of it? Does every detail on the floor bother you? Chances are that is true, so why not make a ‘corridor’ around your room? Empty space will feel greater and it will look classy. Either way, that space is yours to enjoy in, so make the spot to enjoy it from every angle!