Julie-Ann
16-07-2010, 01:04 PM
Last week I wrote about how choosing the right colour can make your small room appear much larger. (http://www.decoratingforum.com.au/showthread.php/small-rooms-colour-1029.html?p=10726#post10726) There are also several things you can do when decorating the room which will also help:
1. Get rid of the clutter. Small rooms will look even smaller when filled with lots of ornaments. Less is more in small rooms.
2. You want to open up the space. Do this by moving furniture so walkways are not blocked and when you walk into the room you can see the floor of the room. Using furniture like armless armchairs and ottomans. Push your taller furniture towards the wall.
3. Create as much light as possible whether it is natural or artificial. Remove heavy curtains and use sheer fabrics. Consider adding more lighting either in the ceiling or by using lamps.
4. Use larger but fewer pieces of furniture. Larger furniture can surprisingly make a room look uncluttered.
5. Use texture rather than pattern in your fabrics and wallpaper.
6. Keep the larger pieces of furniture a similar colour to the walls. This will help the furniture to blend and not have different colours breaking up the space.
7. Use furniture made of glass so you can see through it to the floor. It can make an enormous difference in a small room.
8. Use large mirrors by hanging on the wall or standing against the wall. Ikea have some fabulous and affordable large mirrors for sale.
Maybe look at using mirrored furniture in the room or furniture with a reflective surface.
As I was writing this I realised that I had implemented several of these ideas in our home. The furniture is similar in colour to the walls, I have sheers in almost every room, I have glass coffee tables and dining table, I have a large mirror in the bedroom, I don’t use a lot of pattern but more texture and my furniture is placed to keep the room open.
Have you ever used any of these ideas to create the illusion of a larger space?
1. Get rid of the clutter. Small rooms will look even smaller when filled with lots of ornaments. Less is more in small rooms.
2. You want to open up the space. Do this by moving furniture so walkways are not blocked and when you walk into the room you can see the floor of the room. Using furniture like armless armchairs and ottomans. Push your taller furniture towards the wall.
3. Create as much light as possible whether it is natural or artificial. Remove heavy curtains and use sheer fabrics. Consider adding more lighting either in the ceiling or by using lamps.
4. Use larger but fewer pieces of furniture. Larger furniture can surprisingly make a room look uncluttered.
5. Use texture rather than pattern in your fabrics and wallpaper.
6. Keep the larger pieces of furniture a similar colour to the walls. This will help the furniture to blend and not have different colours breaking up the space.
7. Use furniture made of glass so you can see through it to the floor. It can make an enormous difference in a small room.
8. Use large mirrors by hanging on the wall or standing against the wall. Ikea have some fabulous and affordable large mirrors for sale.
Maybe look at using mirrored furniture in the room or furniture with a reflective surface.
As I was writing this I realised that I had implemented several of these ideas in our home. The furniture is similar in colour to the walls, I have sheers in almost every room, I have glass coffee tables and dining table, I have a large mirror in the bedroom, I don’t use a lot of pattern but more texture and my furniture is placed to keep the room open.
Have you ever used any of these ideas to create the illusion of a larger space?