In many cases, space is now in short demand, particularly in metropolitan cities. Even a large country home may have a proportionally smaller room. This can pose a unique decorating challenge. If you want to make a small space to look bigger, there are several decorating tricks that you might find useful.

1. Use color with care

Light colors help can help make areas of the room recede and therefore visually enlarge the space you have. In reverse dark colors advance closing a space in. The color of your walls, floor and ceiling can therefore have a dramatic impact on how roomy a space feels. To make a space look as large as possible, it is beneficial to decorate with a light colored, monochromatic color scheme. If your room is wider then it is tall, or taller then it is wide, you might like to try to vary the depth of color slightly. In a room that is short and wide, you could try painting the ceiling a bright white to help make it seem higher. In a room that is narrow, with a high ceiling, you might like to use a bright white on the walls to help it appear wider.

2. Edit, edit, edit

In a small space it is much better to let key decorative pieces shine, rather than using multiple sources of decoration. This will help make your room feel comfortable, rather then cluttered. For a streamlined look, try to integrate practical appliances seamlessly into the room. For example, flat televisions and speakers can be wall mounted.

3. Utilize clever storage

It is also important to minimize junk and keep clutter out of sight, this can have a much greater impact then you may first realize. Look for furnishings, or storage items that do double duty. For example, there are beds and sofas that include hidden storage, or choose attractive storage boxes that can double as a decorative feature. If the room has a dead space like an alcove, or under stair area, you could turn this into a storage place.

4. Consider using mirrors

Mirrors are a real space enhancer, because they multiple light therefore creating the illusion of more space. Try placing a mirror so that it reflects the natural light into corners that might otherwise be shrouded in darkness. Or place one mirror opposite another to really multiple the light in a room.

5. Think about proportion and scale

It is often assumed that a small space, requires small furniture, but this isn't necessarily the case. You can use larger pieces, if you only use one, or two key pieces. For example, in a living room you could choose to only use one sofa and a side table. Too many small pieces can actually look quite cluttered. In addition you want to choose a layout that makes the best use of the space you have. You want it to appear open, not blocked off in any way.

6. Make effective choices in lighting

Central solo lightening has a tendency to cramp a room. It is more beneficial to use multiple light sources with a softer, diffusing light to help the eye travel around the room, but avoid wires trailing everywhere because this can clutter. Light sources that points upwards can also help make a space seem larger.

A smaller space can require more planning and attention to detail, but it is worth the effort because at the end of the day it is so much nicer to come home to a comfortable space, rather then a cluttered shoebox!

Learn more about this author, Kimberley Heit.
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