Of the many things that interior decor can do for your home, creating the illusion of space and height is one of the most impressive. A smal...
Of the many things that interior decor can do for your home, creating the illusion of space and height is one of the most impressive. A small room can be made to look larger by just altering its decor. The trick is to maximise existing space and not clutter up the room. In addition to this, factors such as the colour of your walls, amount of light in the room, the colour and pattern of your upholstery, can contribute to the illusion of space and height.
Light
The darker the room, the smaller it seems. Open up the windows and roll up your blinds. Use drapes of light shades in sunny colours for all your windows. If you do not have large windows or ones that let a lot of light in, include several sources of lighting in each room with light coming from several different directions and heights. If you choose to use minimal artificial lighting, you can make the most of it with mirrors.
Mirrors
Mirrors reflect light and spread it around the room. You could use mirror tiles all along one wall or one big mirror as a centrepiece. Placing a large wall-size mirror will make your room look double its actual size. Add a mirror in a windowless hallway or bathroom. Mirrors on the roof create an illusion of height. Besides making a room look larger, mirrors are an excellent object of decor. They create interesting patterns with light and shade.
Furniture
Use minimalist and sleek furniture, so that your space looks roomy. If your side tables are making the room look cramped, use wallmounted trays to display your photographs and other knickknacks. Instead of using an elaborate TV stand that takes up too much space, use a sleek, ceiling or wall mounted TV stand. A long, low bench or coffee table can be used along a wall to help lengthen the room. Choose bookcases that are more horizontal than vertical to give a sense of roominess. Clean line your furniture and have delicate designs on your upholstery as this creates a light and airy feel. Bright rubberwood and American cedarwood colours are also good for minimalist furniture.
Colours
Bright shades are good for creating the illusion of space. Light reflects on these colours and spreads it around the room. White creates an airy feel, when used on the ceiling and provides a sense of height. You can also use cool colours such as blues, greens, and violets. Paint the mouldings and doors in a room, the same colour as the wall. By using contrasting colours you will make the room look smaller. On the other hand, if you have plenty of natural light in a room, feel free to go with a dark colour on the walls. Accent with a light colour woodwork for contrast or for more mundane woodwork, paint with semi-gloss paint to match the flat wall colour.
Other factors
If you are open to remodelling your home, you can have French windows for creating the illusion of larger space. You can provide an opening toward an open space such as a large arched doorway from another room. Using glossy flooring increases reflectivity and works almost like a mirror to create an illusion of space. You can play with punctures in the ceiling, such as small skylights as they make a ceiling look higher. Lavish use of glass, either transparent or translucent or even glass blocks, would help make the space look roomier. Avoid multiples of anything like a pair of paintings on a wall or standing lamps. These will give the appearance of breaking a space down.
Light
The darker the room, the smaller it seems. Open up the windows and roll up your blinds. Use drapes of light shades in sunny colours for all your windows. If you do not have large windows or ones that let a lot of light in, include several sources of lighting in each room with light coming from several different directions and heights. If you choose to use minimal artificial lighting, you can make the most of it with mirrors.
Mirrors
Mirrors reflect light and spread it around the room. You could use mirror tiles all along one wall or one big mirror as a centrepiece. Placing a large wall-size mirror will make your room look double its actual size. Add a mirror in a windowless hallway or bathroom. Mirrors on the roof create an illusion of height. Besides making a room look larger, mirrors are an excellent object of decor. They create interesting patterns with light and shade.
Furniture
Use minimalist and sleek furniture, so that your space looks roomy. If your side tables are making the room look cramped, use wallmounted trays to display your photographs and other knickknacks. Instead of using an elaborate TV stand that takes up too much space, use a sleek, ceiling or wall mounted TV stand. A long, low bench or coffee table can be used along a wall to help lengthen the room. Choose bookcases that are more horizontal than vertical to give a sense of roominess. Clean line your furniture and have delicate designs on your upholstery as this creates a light and airy feel. Bright rubberwood and American cedarwood colours are also good for minimalist furniture.
Colours
Bright shades are good for creating the illusion of space. Light reflects on these colours and spreads it around the room. White creates an airy feel, when used on the ceiling and provides a sense of height. You can also use cool colours such as blues, greens, and violets. Paint the mouldings and doors in a room, the same colour as the wall. By using contrasting colours you will make the room look smaller. On the other hand, if you have plenty of natural light in a room, feel free to go with a dark colour on the walls. Accent with a light colour woodwork for contrast or for more mundane woodwork, paint with semi-gloss paint to match the flat wall colour.
Other factors
If you are open to remodelling your home, you can have French windows for creating the illusion of larger space. You can provide an opening toward an open space such as a large arched doorway from another room. Using glossy flooring increases reflectivity and works almost like a mirror to create an illusion of space. You can play with punctures in the ceiling, such as small skylights as they make a ceiling look higher. Lavish use of glass, either transparent or translucent or even glass blocks, would help make the space look roomier. Avoid multiples of anything like a pair of paintings on a wall or standing lamps. These will give the appearance of breaking a space down.
