How to Make a Small Living Space Look Bigger and Brighter
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Interior design offers solutions for different types of households. You can easily add some pizzazz to a small space by using smart design choices and well-placed décor elements. Designers suggest techniques such as colour manipulation, furniture arranging, creative lighting design, etc.
Read on to discover how to use these methods to your advantage!
Art Works in Bright Colours
Wall decor has the ability to bring style and sophistication to any living area. Today’s modern art prints are more versatile than ever, complementing contemporary homes as well as rustic and traditional households. Those who live within smaller square footage frames often ask the question: Can artworks make my living room appear bigger?
The simple answer is – Yes, they can! Designers frequently use this technique for smaller homes and so can you. However, it takes a bit of effort to choose the right pieces and achieve this illusion.
Whether we’re talking about home design, clothing or anything in between – it’s a popular rule that brighter colours make things appear larger, while darker colours have the opposite effect. The best décor choice for smaller living spaces is modern white art work.
These pieces come in pastel bright colours that help open up the smallest rooms. The nature inspired motives relay peaceful emotions and help to ease your mind. Depending on your personal style, you can choose a vivid painting or an abstract print to create a less serious and more playful ambient.
White wall decor is neutral and soothing. It fits into every colour scheme and interior design style. If you’re not the type for hand painted pieces – you can choose a bright black and white that will simultaneously bring texture and visual interest in your space.
Here are a few other tips for picking art work for a smaller space:
- Choose pieces with contrasting colours to your interior design.
- Create a visual balance with art clusters. Place the larger pieces in the centre and surround them with smaller pieces. This adds depth and a sense of space to an area.
- Match the frame to the art print. Go for a frame in white or a bright wooden finish to complement your white art work. This will allow it to blend seamlessly into the wall.
Reflect Light by Using Mirrors
Using mirrors is another popular way for making a space appear larger. However, when it comes to the act of hanging a mirror on your walls, you will come across a lot of dilemmas and uncertainties. Here are some tips you can implement to use your mirror to its full effect:
Many people think that grouping several smaller mirrors works better than one large statement mirror like the case with hanging a range of white art work pieces; however, this can create an even more cluttered situation. Going for one larger mirror is the best way to expand the sense of visual space.
The ideal spot to hang a mirror is at the average person’s eye level, in other words – there should be around 150cm from the floor to the centre of the mirror. It’s a good practice to use this rule for hanging artworks as well. This creates a thread of continuity which makes the whole space look a lot roomier.
Place your mirror opposite to a light source. This can be a window, a lighting fixture, or even candles. This will not only expand the space, but also create a warm and soothing atmosphere. By reflecting the outdoors, you get the chance to enjoy its nature from a different angle. On the other hand, pairing a mirror with candles creates an illusion of light flickering everywhere in the room.
Choose a subtle but stylish mirror frame. No frame at all will make the wall seem odd and underwhelming, while a large and lavish one will only add more clutter. A well-picked frame makes your mirror a practical element, but also a stunning décor piece.
Use Ambient Lights
If you want to open up your space, you need to include more lighting than only a single source in the centre of the room. While a centrepiece provides enough illumination for your basic daily tasks, designers often use additional ambient lighting to create drama and illusions. Today’s modern and practical lighting fixtures make this easier than ever.
For starters, you can spice up a corner with a floor lamp, or use table lamps for the sideboards. This will spread light across the whole room and give you more control over it. As I mentioned – using bright colours is ideal for opening up a small room. You can keep this in mind when choosing a lamp shade. Go for white or brightly coloured lamp shades instead of dark ones, which can close up your room even more. Alternatively, you can even opt for glass light fixtures.
If you feel like the standing light fixtures clutter your space – go for pendant lights instead. These fixtures open up the room by utilizing vertical space. They draw your eyes up and down and emphasize the room’s height rather than its width.
Another great idea is to incorporate wall lights. You can place them in awkward recesses or corners. Designers commonly use wall lights to enhance fireplaces, mirrors and artworks, so if you want to make your beautiful white wall art décor stand out you can weigh in on this trend. To help create a soothing ambient, try a dimmer switch instead of an ordinary one.
Declutter your Space and Reorganize your Furniture
Decluttering is one of the most important things you can do to make your space look larger. Even though many people overlook this step, it can make your home look fresher, cleaner and easier to navigate around. There is no need for you to keep hundreds of magazines, toys and knick knacks that only sit around and take space. Choose a few favourites and freely get rid of the rest!
Lastly, rearranging your furniture can often open up more space in your room. Carefully examine your options and think about all the layout possibilities you can work with. If you find a furniture piece that doesn’t get a lot of use – consider removing it.
Bottom Line
Opening up a small living space is made easy with the various options of modern decor elements and the help of interior designers. If you’re experiencing such a problem, try incorporating wall art decor, a mirror, or ambient lights!