Shelly's Interior Design/Decoration Tips & Tricks

How to Make a Small Space Appear Larger

Are you dealing with a space so small that you just cannot seem to decorate and get the right 'feel'? Are you moving to a new space where some of the rooms are smaller than what you currently have? Are you and empty-nester and downsizing – from a large house to a condominium? 

Decorating a small space can be a challenge…for the best of us :-) However, there are some simple tricks to make the decorating process a tad easier. Your room CAN appear larger than it is. It can also gain the added benefit that comes with that – a space you can live in and love.

Paint colour can have a huge impact on the feel of a room – both for how small the room is, and the mood in the room. For your small space, choose a lighter shade. 

Light colours open up a room by making the walls appear further away - while dark colours tend to have the effect of making the walls appear closer.

Even if you like a dark colour on a particular paint chip, move up the paint chip to a lighter shade for your small space.  Good colour choices include neutral tans and beiges.

Make sure your furniture is not oversized for the room. That is, make sure you can actually enter the room and move around once in there :-). You may laugh…I have seen it happen.

A homeowner did not realize how small the room was in their new condo. When they moved the sofa and love seat into their new living room, the furniture overfilled the room.)

Keep your fabric pattern and print choices to a minimum. Using a few solid colours in all of the room will give the space a more natural, peaceful flow.

If you want to add interest with fabric, use textured fabric of the same colour. Some examples include damask, raw silk or a decorative fabric with embroidery. Shop for a huge selection of Home Decor fabrics up to 60% off!

Window coverings should not be in high contrast to the walls. If your window is the focal point of the room, you may want to choose a fabric with only a slight contrast to the walls. This will allow the window to remain the focal point without having the affect of making the room appear smaller. If you have privacy and a fabulous view at all times, using no curtains at all may be best.

Do not clutter the room. Limit the number of accessories you display. Do not fill your tables with knick-knacks. Leave empty spaces on bookshelves – they don’t need to be completely full. Your company should be able to leave your house without having sore, overworked eyes :-)

Even having books with similar book bindings and/or covers will give the room a cleaner look. "I can afford it" Tips: Make your own book covers out of a handmade or specialty paper. It will give your room a very clean, custom and designer look.

Modern and contemporary furniture will work best. Any furniture with clean and simple lines will appear less busy to the eye. Victorian furniture with its detailing and curved lines, will act as an accessory itself – attracting too much attention - 'busy' attention.

If this type of furniture is your style and a ‘must-have’ for you, then use it only in very small quantities. You may need to lessen your Victorian accessory count if you don’t want the room to feel overpowering and uncomfortable.  

Lighting should be appropriate for the room and its function. Overhead lights will give the room an overall glow.  Reading lights are required close to a reading chair. Table lamps provide gentle lighting. Added highlights can be added to book cases or artwork. 

Use tables with open legged bottoms or glass tops. They appear lighter and allow natural light to travel through their open spaces, giving the illusion of more space in the room.

The opposite solution of making your small room appear larger is to work with the small, cozy space and make it just that - a cozy, comfy place to curl up and read. That article on cozy decorating is still to come...

If you are having more trouble with your interior space than you care to think about and you are not enjoying your new room, call your local Interior Designer/Decorator. They will be able to help you out and transform your space into a space you can live in and love!

Enjoy your Small Space...just think how quick and easy it will be to clean :-)