by Natalia Jones

Created on: June 14, 2009   Last Updated: August 04, 2010

Interior decorating is more than just bringing beautiful things into a space, it is also focused on using the available space to its best advantage. So if the room is particularly small, an interior decorator can change the layout, colors and even the accessories in the room to make it appear larger than it is. 

While "bigger is better" seems to be the mantra of many homeowners these days, square footage comes at a premium that is not always in the budget. Luckily there are insider decorating tricks that can be used to manipulate the space you do have, to give the illusion of a much grander scale.

Use Color to Expand the Space

Warm colors such as oranges and reds contract and cool colors like blues and greens expand. The same is generally true of darker tones of the same hue. Darker shades tend to close a room in, whereas lighter shades have the opposite effect. Armed with this knowledge it becomes easier to select a color scheme that gives the desired effect of openness. Using a monochromatic color scheme also helps to create a more restful space, which allows the eye to focus on all the elements in the room without bouncing from one thing to the next. Choosing a tone on tone color scheme creates the illusion of a larger space.

Use Pattern Carefully

When using a monochromatic color scheme there is more room to experiment with different patterns and textures. The addition of a couple different patterns actually adds visual interest that can sometimes be lacking in a room that is built around different shards of one color. Be careful not to overexploit the patterns though, and generally patterns should be repeated or mimicked throughout the room to create a sense of cohesion and avoid creating the impression that the room is a hodge podge of odd s and ends.

Choose Multipurpose Furniture

Your furniture should work double duty in a small room. A sofa bed that can be pulled out for overnight guests or a coffee table that doubles as storage are typical examples of ways to ensure your furniture is giving you enough mileage in your small footprint.

Scale Furniture to the Room

Furniture should also be proportionate to the size of the space. An oversized sofa can dwarf the size of a small room. A small lean sofa that possibly stands on tiny legs can visually open up the space even further by making the floor beneath the sofa visible. Always think of the size of the room when purchasing furniture and allow sufficient space for traffic to flow comfortable around

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