Creating the illusion of a more spacious home does not have to require extensive renovations. Instead, there are some simple ideas that you can begin over the weekend to make your home both look and feel bigger. Making these strategic design decisions can improve both the style and functionality of your space. Subtle changes in layout, color palette, and lighting can make even the smallest of homes feel more spacious and comfortable.
Make your home feel more open and peaceful rather than cramped and chaotic with careful planning and the application of these essential concepts.
Make Some Space by Decluttering
One of the simplest ways to make your home look and feel larger is to create more space by removing items from each room that you no longer use or want. By eliminating these unnecessary items, you will free up physical space as well as mental energy to tackle other home projects. Focus on areas that become quickly filled with the detritus of life, like entryways, kitchen countertops, closets, living rooms, home offices, and bathroom counters.
Removing clutter from your home will allow you to create cleaner, more functional spaces. This will significantly reduce the “visual noise” in each room, making them feel more open.
Reorganizing Your Belongings
Reorganizing your belongings may not sound like the most exciting suggestion for making your home feel larger, but it is a necessary step that will make all of the other suggestions even more effective. Like decluttering, this creates visual calm, but it also frees up dimensional space and makes your home feel more open.
Before you start, look for areas where you need to direct your attention. Concentrate on visible collections of items, such as shoes, books, decor, dishware, paperwork, or toys, which you need to keep handy but could be better arranged. Invest in storage containers or furniture like baskets, bookcases, and shelves that will give these items a sense of order.
Light Color Palette
If your goal is to make your home feel bigger, it is helpful to choose a light color palette for your walls, ceilings, and trim. Light colors, particularly white, have a high light reflectance value. In contrast to dark colors, light colors reflect more light and trick the eye into making a light-colored room feel more open than it is. This effect also minimized shadowy corners, making the walls feel less confining.
White has the highest reflectance value, but even if bright white isn’t your choice, there are many other great colors to consider. Off-whites, pale grays, and airy pastels can all make the rooms in your home look and feel bigger. In addition to your color choice, painting rooms the same or similar colors can reduce the choppy effect that can be created by painting visually connected rooms different colors.
Cohesive Flooring
Similar to painting the walls the same or similar colors, using cohesive flooring throughout the home or in a contiguous area can enhance the seamless flow between rooms. This choice eliminates visual breaks that might otherwise create a sense of division and make small rooms feel even smaller.
The use of light or neutral-colored flooring can also be a benefit. These reflect rather than absorb light and create a greater sense of visual space.
Use the Right Scale Furniture
Carefully consider the dimensions of the furniture that you buy for your home. Choosing large furniture will not make your home feel bigger, but make it feel even smaller. Instead, consider buying furniture that has a slim profile to minimize their visual weight in the room.
Likewise, avoid overly bulky or puffy furniture, which can make your rooms look and feel more cluttered. When possible, opt for furniture with clean, straight lines, or if you prefer curves, keep them minimal.
Show Some Legs
Using furniture that has legs rather than pieces that sit directly on the floor can make a home feel larger. Raised furniture gives the illusion of openness by allowing light to pass underneath, preventing the room from feeling closed off and heavy.
To prevent the furniture design from appearing too weightless, anchor the space with a few pieces that meet the floor. Choose pieces that optimize storage, such as an ottoman with a hidden compartment or a floor-to-ceiling cabinet.
Optimize Mirror Placement
Mirrors are an effective tool for making a small home appear brighter and more spacious. They can visually expand a room by reflecting both natural and artificial light and creating the illusion of depth. The placement of mirrors in the room is critical for maximizing their impact.
Mirrors can be hung beside or opposite windows to reflect natural light and views. Placing a mirror at the end of a hallway adds depth; angle it so that it reflects a nearby window, or place a light near it to increase the volume of light.
Furniture Layout
Create an optimal furniture layout that maximizes both function and visual space. We have already discussed selecting furniture with clean, slim lines that is appropriately sized for your space. Make sure the furniture you choose leaves enough space to pull it slightly away from the walls.
Try to keep the number of pieces in the layout to a manageable number, avoiding adding items that are not necessary for your layout or lifestyle. Arrange the furniture to create clear pathways, allowing for free movement throughout the room.
Keep Decor Minimal
Giving the eye multiple places to rest will not only make your home feel calmer and more serene, but it will also make it appear larger. Limiting the number of decorative items to a few well-chosen pieces helps to avoid the visual clutter that can make your home feel cramped. Look for simple, streamlined decor that maintains a consistent style from room to room. Consider multi-functional pieces, such as floating shelves, which provide both functionality and style to the room.
Highlight Vertical Elements
Adding or improving vertical features in your home can make small rooms appear taller and more expansive. By drawing the eye upward, you can include the entire vertical area of the room while distracting from the limited floor space.
This can be accomplished through a variety of methods, including vertical wall paneling, tall shelves, and vertical wall art. Vertical lines can also be created by using lined wallpaper or painted effects. Beyond the walls, consider elongated furniture and curtains to emphasize the room’s vertical space.
Minimize Soft Furnishings
This concept may appear contradictory to other room design advice, but it is effective at making small rooms feel larger. Minimizing soft furnishings such as throw pillows, cushions, heavy draperies, and plush rugs will automatically make your room feel more open. This does not imply that you must avoid these items entirely; rather, you should exercise caution when making your selections.
For example, instead of thick velvet curtains that block out natural light, choose light-colored fabrics that allow in more light. To simplify the appearance, select slim, tailored panels without fancy fringes or flounces. Apply the same principles to choosing rugs, cushions, and throw pillows. Minimize both the number and the style of these items to make your space feel more open.
