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If you’re a small space dweller, you know every square foot counts. And although it’s impossible to actually make your home bigger without taking some major renovations, there are some key decorating decisions that can help it look and feel more spacious.
If you’re ready for a refresh and need ways to open up and expand each room in your home, these interior designers have you covered with their go-to tips, tricks, and techniques for making the small living room, bedroom, kitchen, and dining area in your house or apartment feel so much larger.
Meet the Expert
- Arin Agase is a Chicago-based interior decorator and content creator at Happily Inspired.
- Elizabeth Vergara is the owner of New York-based design and construction firm Vergara Homes.
- Kathy Kuo is an interior designer, and founder and CEO of home decor brand Kathy Kuo Home.
Maximize Natural Light
Looking for the best tool to make your small house look bigger? Interior designer Kathy Kuo says to look no further than the natural light pouring in through the windows.
Increasing natural light in a room and allowing it to bounce around the space will instantly make it feel more spacious—and there’s a decor piece Kuo always reaches for to do the trick.
“Wall mirrors are a great way to add light and depth, and you can use them as a standalone design element as well,” she says. “Playing with light to your advantage will make a small room feel airier and more inviting.”
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Use Light Paint Colors
Another instant way to make a small space feel more roomy is with a new shade of paint, and colors such as white, beige, and soft pastel shades of blue, pink, and green will encourage more natural light to reflect and expand the look and feel of the room.
“Lighter wall colors are going to help with adding an illusion of depth and expansiveness,” Kuo says. “Darker wall colors, while often beautiful, can have the effect of feeling heavier and really drawing finite borders of where a space begins and ends.”
Choose Furniture Wisely
Thoughtful layouts are essential when deciding how to decorate a small space, and according to design-build specialist Elizabeth Vergara, building a sense of balance and an open feeling through furniture size and placement will make all the difference.
“Keep furniture scaled to the size of the room, and avoid oversized pieces which can dominate the space,” Vergara says. “Arranging furniture to maximize flow and keep pathways open is also important, and moving a couch or chair away from the wall will allow for better circulation.”
“Opting for chairs and sofas that are elevated on legs will also create more visible floor space, giving the room a less crowded feel,” she says.
Find Multifunctional Pieces
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One tip all three of our designers swear by to make a space feel bigger is making the most of multifunctional furniture whenever possible. These pieces can create hidden storage space, extra seating and sleeping options, and help to keep floor space as open as possible.
“Any time you can bring in something that serves multiple functions is a win for a small space,” Kuo says. “Storage ottomans that can function as extra seating when you have a larger amount of guests, coffee tables with multiple tiers of shelving under the surface, and media cabinets with plenty of drawers and cabinet space are all great choices,.”
Utilize Vertical Space
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Although smaller homes may have less square footage, they tend to have just as much vertical space available as their larger counterparts. And for interior decorator and small space dweller Arin Agase, tall and narrow nooks are ideal to turn into a storage or shelving area.
“I like my clients to think out of the box—learning how to utilize every crevice and corner is an art for small spaces,” she says. “For example, console pieces don’t always need to live in an entryway, and ladder shelves can house pottery, cutlery and elevate your space while creating vertical storage solutions.”
Install Chic Curtains
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Vertical space can be used for much more than storage in small homes, when decorated from floor to ceiling, Agase says it can also be a great way to make a living room or bedroom look bigger.
“Curtains will instantly elevate an entire space,” she says. “No matter the size of room or length of curtain, always make sure to hang the rod as close to the ceiling as possible.”
To ensure light is still able to enter through the windows and expand the space, our designers suggest a set of sheer, lightweight curtains in a white hue or natural linen material.