If you are or have been a student living in a dorm, or have lived in some of the most expensive cities where small apartments are priced extravagantly, then you know very well the shenanigans of living in a small space. You have struggled at one time or another, thinking about how to make a small room appear bigger. Think about the small cramped living rooms that can barely fit the TV, a dining area or that comfy couch. Also think about that small bedroom that can barely take your bed and you will agree that trying to fit all of your things in a small space is not a very easy task. However, all is not lost if you have found yourself in such a dilemma because there are many things you can do to create more space, or make more use of the space that is available.
Here are 13 ways to go about it:
- Get rid of all the stuff that you do not need. This is the very first thing to do in a small, cluttered room. If there are items that you have not used for months or years on end, get rid of them unless they have sentimental value to you. Make it a habit to de-clutter your space after every so long.
- Try to let in as much of the natural light as possible. When you can draw the curtains back and let the air and the light come in, your space not only looks, but also feels bigger than it is. Also the fresh air is good for your indoors.
- Buy drapes that are the same color as the walls of your room because they will give the illusion of space. Contrasting colors make the already small room look much smaller and more confused. If you can find sheer drapes, they will make the room look bigger than it is.
- When buying sofas, chairs and seats, try to look for the ones that have raised legs. This serves two main purposes. One, it creates an illusion of space and light. Two, it gives you some room to push small boxes and stuff into the space that the sofa leaves between its bottom and the floor.
- When buying furniture, go for big furniture pieces instead of the small ones. Big furniture makes small space look bigger while small furniture makes small space look small.
- Try to look for multipurpose furniture. For example, a sofa bed can be converted into a bed at night or when you have extra guests coming over. An ottoman can be used for seating or as a table, as you may please.
- When choosing rugs, carpets and other fabrics that you need for your space, go for neutral, plain colors or small prints. Such colors create an illusion of space. Avoid color contrasts.
- Try setting a mirror or two strategically because the reflections of the mirrors increase the feeling of space.
- Buy a dining table that has detachable parts like drop leaves so that you can remove them when you are only a few people and attach them again when need be.
- When buying a bed, consider one that has storage drawers underneath. Store as much stuff as the drawers can hold and you will create more space.
- For extra storage, add a floor to ceiling set of shelves or bookcases. If it is big, it makes the room appear bigger than it is and you create more room for storage.
- To draw the attention of people from the smallness of your room and to create an illusion of space, paint the ceiling a brighter color, which will capture the attention and lead you to see how high the ceiling is. The norm is to paint the walls a soft white, taupe or other similar color while the ceiling is done in brilliant white color.
- Do not push the sofas against the walls completely. It would be much better to place them at an angle to the walls as that creates the sense of “See? I have got space to spare!” while you actually don’t. Just leave a couple of inches of space between sofa and the wall, at an angle.
Conclusion
Making a small space or room look even slightly bigger needs skills. If you are not sure that you can do it, you can always hire a professional interior designer to do it for you. If you are from Los Angeles, there are plenty of quality modern interior designers Los Angeles but not as costly as you may think. If you are more specifically from Palm Spring, the interior design firms Palm Springs can help you make your small space look gorgeous and obviously bigger than actually it is.
