by Pennee Struckman

Created on: June 30, 2009   Last Updated: July 02, 2009

Color, clutter, furniture arrangement and function all can seem to make your house look smaller. Despite the size of your rooms, you can create the illusion of space. And, if your rooms are larger, you can increase the spaciousness.

Color can enlarge a room or close it in. The darker the color, the closer the space. If dark colors are your passion, choose them for accent only. Lighter colors for the walls, though harder to keep clean, open up any room. Clutter is the number one space killer. Clutter is not only family debris, it can be found in collection displays, table decorations, floor pillows with no assigned space, and wall decorations. Furniture uses a lot of space. Room by room, access the need of each piece of furniture. Pay attention to the furniture color and wood grain, also. Here again, color plays a key role. Dark woods and fabric fill the space, contributing to a closed in look.

Easy tips to make the room appear larger.

A common decorator tip is to make your room contain rough, smooth and shiny items. This means that as your eye moves around the room, it should see differing surfaces in the way of dcor and fabric that are rough, smooth and shiny.

Uncover your windows. Choose light colored sheer panels in between the darker drapes, or take the curtains down and use the newer window film in co-coordinating room colors.

Lighten the furniture load in each room. In the living room or family room, create areas of activity or interest. Instead of having the furniture lining the walls, center the couch and create a television space. Use a large ottoman as a coffee table, and tall lamps instead of table lamps. Behind the couch, set up a small table with chairs for games, schoolwork, or reading. In the bedrooms, make sure the furniture is not lining the walls. You can create a more spacious appearance if the foot of the bed faces into the room, so that when you enter, your eye goes to the headboard and around the room.

Access your pictures and wall dcor. Since you have chosen lighter wall colors that reflect light, make sure that the wall is not covered with decorations. Add only a few pictures and be sure to include mirrors in some fashion. Mirrors reflect light, and the room itself, creating an illusion of space.

If you have a stairway or longer hall in your home, use this to display family photos. Arrange the photos at alternating heights, and add a few small mirrors between. This will keep the walls from closing in.

Consult some of the decorating magazines you see on display at the checkout lanes. These simple publications are filled with room ideas, so you will find one that suits your taste.

Remember, to create space, less is more.

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