When you live in a small home, apartment or unit, tiny prefab kit home, and other tiny dwelling, the lack of square footage can be a struggle. Making the wrong furniture, paint, and home arrangement choices can make your tiny, box-like living space look even smaller and more cluttered.
The good news is there are lot of ways to trick the eye to make other people (and even yourself) think that your humble abode is much larger than it actually is.
We’re not talking about tearing down walls, building an extension, and any other major renovation that could break the bank. We’re talking about cheap and easy design solutions that make a huge impact, from buying the right furniture to moving your curtain rod a little bit higher.
1. Go for anything transparent and see-through
Glass, acrylic, and other transparent elements work best in small places. They don’t just make a powerful style statement – translucent pieces of furniture also prevent obstructing the view when you look around. They seamlessly blend with the interior, giving you illusion of a bigger space while enhancing the room’s overall flow.
Aside from considering glass partitions and shelves, you can use transparent furniture, like lucite chairs, consoles, desks, and coffee table.
If not glass or any clear furniture, opt for pieces with sleek, raised legs which have less visual weight.
2. Choose low furniture pieces
Low furniture pieces are your best bet when you’re living in a small home or a cramped quarter with low headroom.
Low height seating, like floor sofas, and other low to the ground pieces including low-rise coffee tables, dining sets, and beds make your ceilings appear much taller than they are. They make your space look relaxed too.
3. Swap bulky bookshelves for floating shelves
Bookshelves obstruct the view, making your already small home look even smaller. One easy peasy trick is to invest in lightweight floating shelves.
They can be used for storage and displaying home accessories without crowding and cluttering your space. It can be made of wood or acrylic. It can also be invisible.
4. Arrange your couch facing the window
Whether you’re claustrophobic or not, it’s easy to feel uncomfortable when you’re sitting on a couch facing the wall in a tiny room – it’s as if you’re enclosed in a box.
A quick fix is rearranging your furniture. Make sure your primary couch is facing a window to make the space feel airier and more open. If you’re short on windows, place the couch in front of a mirror.
5. Place big wall mirrors
One foolproof way to double the sense of your space? Use oversized mirrors.
Golden rule: the larger the mirror, the larger your space will appear. A thoughtfully placed mirror, which amplifies light and creates interesting reflections, can trick the eye and make your small home look larger than it is. Mirrors function like windows too, making rooms look bigger, brighter, and more open.
6. Raise and widen your curtains
Instead of placing curtain rods directly above the windows, take it a little bit higher – somewhere close to the ceiling. Extend it in terms of width too by choosing curtains that go from wall to wall.
The simple trick makes your ceilings appear higher, your windows seem larger, and your space look grander. Another friendly tip: Ditch heavy draperies and go for light, sheer, and flowy curtains.
7. Choose monochromatic colors
We’re huge fans of mixing colors for bold and attention-getting spaces. But if you’re looking for a proven way to make a small home appear larger with visual tricks, stick to one color or choose multiple shades of that color.
Unify the room with color. Monochromatic schemes allow the eye to move easily around the room without sudden interruption by other colors. To kill the boredom, use different color values only for adding depth and interest.
8. Unify your flooring
Instead of breaking up your room by installing different flooring in the kitchen space and a different one in the living room, limit your home to one style of flooring. Solid continuous flooring makes the rooms look more spacious than they are.
Go for simpler designs. Avoid most patterned carpets and rugs, unless you’re using patterns (like vertical stripes) to create the illusion of a broader space.
9. Add more light
Letting a generous amount of light in is a natural way to expand tiny spaces.
Maximize both natural and artificial lighting sources. If you have a large window, use them to the fullest. Leave them bare or use sheers to protect privacy. If you don’t receive a lot of sunshine, use artificial lighting by means of minimal pendants and modern chandeliers.
Keeping your paint colors in lighter shades is another foolproof way of adding more light.
10. Minimize the clutter
Maybe your home isn’t that small – it’s just too messy.
If you have a lot of open-shelving units, make sure the items you put are displayed in a neat and organized fashion. This will make them a pleasing décor rather than an overbearing clutter. You may also buy decorative storage boxes and baskets for both function and aesthetics.
Author Bio: Carmina Natividad is a daytime writer for PAAL Kit Homes, a renowned construction company that specializes in manufacturing and supplying top-quality steel-framed kit homes in Australia. She loves writing articles focused in real estate and interior design.