It may not be possible to actually have more living space, but it is possible to make small spaces feel bigger! If you’ve been feeling like your home is more cramped than cosy, keep on reading for our top ways to create the illusion of space. From using the power of colour and light to clever decor placement, these are the best interior design tricks to enhance the feeling of spaciousness.
If you have more time and budget, you should consider remodelling to increase storage or improve flow. Whether you have big reno plans in mind or are simply looking for some quick styling tricks, these are our best tips to make your small space seem more spacious and comfortable.
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1. Start with better lighting
Using light in interior decorating is one of the best tricks to make a space feel bigger. Start with natural light. How can you enhance natural light in your space? Perhaps your windows are drowning in heavy curtains and pelmets and would benefit from new window treatments. Sheer curtains immediately make spaces feel larger, lighter and more airy — especially when you hang them high and wide. This makes windows appear larger and maximises natural light. If you have some reno budget to play with, consider replacing small windows with larger windows or installing a skylight.
You can also use artificial lighting to give your space the illusion of depth. Our resident lighting expert gives all his tips to create a lighting plan for your home in this article.
How to use artificial lighting to make small spaces feel larger:
- use overhead lights for general brightness, such as down lights. Install dimmers so you can control the level of light and we suggest using warm globes rather than cool, to create a cosy and inviting feel
- add wall sconces or floor lamps to create ambience and reduce shadows. As well as being stylish accents, lamps also offer flexible placement so you can move them around as needed
- include task lighting, like pendants over a bench
- use accent lighting like under-cabinet lights to highlight specific features or areas, adding depth and drama to your space.
2. Use light-coloured paint
Light colour paint is one of the easiest ways to make a small area feel larger. If you’ve ever repainted a room from a dated drab colour to crisp white or cream, you’d know paint can work like magic to make a room feel more spacious. Light, neutral shades are your best friend because they reflect light and create an airy feel. However, you can also use clever colour tricks to enhance the illusion of space.
Best paint colours and tricks to use in small spaces:
- paint walls and ceilings the same colour: this blurs the boundaries and makes the room feel larger
- use cool tones: colours like soft blues, greens, and greys recede visually, adding depth
- try accent colours: accent walls were overdone for a while there and are often considered ‘dated’ but some ways to get around this is to add a wall of texture and painting that a different colour. For example, a panel wall painted in pop of colour or a darker shade, will draw the eye outward, giving a sense of dimension. Alternatively you could install coloured or timber joinery along one wall.
3. Create a visual continuity
The eye can be tricked when you use visual consistency in an entire space. By repeating materials and colours in a space, it makes the eye travel across the room, taking it all in as a smooth impression. This prevents visual stops that can make a room feel small or fragmented.
The easiest way to achieve this is to pick a colour or material and repeat it 5 times across a room. This could be in the furniture, artwork, textiles or decor. Space them out across a room and you’ll instantly give the impression that the space is larger!
4. Play with mirror placement
An oldie but a goodie! It’s hard to beat the impact of a well-placed mirror to reflect light and views. Using an oversized mirror can literally make a room seem twice as large!
When positioning a mirror, look at how you can reflect at least one or two light sources. For example, you may like to position a floor lamp next a floor mirror, or a table lamp next to a mirror hanging on the wall. As well as giving the illusion of space, you’ll also create a gorgeous styling moment in your home.
You may like to check out our round up of the best floor mirrors here.
5. Declutter your space
A fabulous and free way to make your small space feel larger is to reduce the amount of stuff you have! Tiny areas can quickly feel overpowered if you have clutter all over the place. Give your space breathing room by having some blank surfaces, more free floor space and less visual interest on your walls.
We share our best decluttering tips in this article. And if creating the sense of a larger home isn’t incentive enough, just consider the extra styling money you can make by selling items you no longer want or need.
Once you’re left with only the items that are useful and special to you, adopt some clever storage solutions to organise them in the most space effective way. For example, new shelves can blur functionality with style, or you can use hidden storage solutions like under-bed storage boxes. We’ve got plenty of organising tips and tricks to help you keep your objects neatly organised.
6. Take advantage of vertical space
When decorating, it’s easy to focus on available floor space… but there’s a lot of vertical space you can take advantage of too! As well as being useful for storage and making your space appear less cluttered, you can also make a room feel larger by drawing the eye upwards.
Styling tricks to use vertical space in a room:
- suspend hanging planters, pendant lights and other decor like a wind chime from the ceiling so there are elements coming from the ceiling down and not just from the floor up
- install ceiling-height cabinets and bookshelves to make a room feel taller. There are plenty of great DIY options on the market now so this could be an affordable weekend reno project
- hang curtains high and wide over windows to create the illusion of larger windows.
It doesn’t take a major renovation to make a tiny place appear larger — you only need a few items strategically to create an illusion of space! With light colours, well-placed lighting, smooth decorative patterns, and multipurpose furniture, any small place can be given a far roomier appearance practically overnight.
