by Priscilla Benfield

Created on: June 11, 2009

Unless you are able to do a total demolition on your small space to enlarge, you are just going to have to make the best use out of your small space. There are tricks to making a small space appear larger and most are easy to accomplish. Take into account what you need the room to function as and try to work with that in mind.

Take a look at the furniture that you currently have in the space. Heavy, over-sized furniture will make the room appear smaller. Make the room appear larger by removing those pieces and replacing them with smaller ones. A twin sized bed with a heavy wooden headboard and foot board might overpower a small bedroom but when the bed is replaced with a smaller metal headboard only it will make a huge difference. Substituting smaller versions of the furniture that you must have in the space makes the space easier to use.

Another way to open up a small space is to take advantage of outside light. Heavy drapes or blinds do not allow enough natural light into the space. Sheer curtains or even a cafe curtain will allow more light into the room. If privacy is a concern, use mini blinds that can be open during the daytime and closed at night. Use a scarf valance to bring some color into the room and to finish the window. A mini blind alone might look like something is missing.

Consider adding mirrored tiles to one wall or even a larger framed mirror. This is an old decorator trick to open up a small space. Placing a lamp in front of the mirrors will also help to add additional light to the room.

Color is important. The room does not need to be painted white but focus on light colors. Just as darker clothing gives a slimming appearance, darker walls will close up a small space making it appear even smaller than before. Pastels lighten and give an illusion of space.

Watch the clutter in the room. Minimize the furnishings.Keeping the room clean is another way to avoid it becoming a catch all for items not frequently used.Sometimes the smaller spaces in our homes become a magnet for clutter.

Use light colored frames and avoid heavy,ornate accessories. Changing the flooring also makes a difference. Lighten up the floor by using smaller throw rugs. Removing a dark colored rug and having a bare,light-colored wood floor makes a big change.

These are all examples of illusions. Your small space will not become bigger but it will appear to be. Changing the furniture might give you more space which can help significantly but it is still a small space. Making furniture changes will just help you to be using the space more efficiently.It can be frustrating to try and make a small space work but unless you can make extreme changes like knocking down walls, you should resolve yourself to try these tricks to make your small space work for you.

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