5 Best Interior Design Hacks to Make a Tiny Room Look Bigger

Don’t have room for a media console or a ten-foot sofa? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

Many people who live in an urban neighborhood reside in apartments where space is very limited. Others choose to downsize and live in tiny homes. Whether it’s by choice or due to specific circumstances, living in a place with space restrictions shouldn’t keep you from feeling comfortable in your own home.

Reducing clutter is always the best way to create more space in a small room. Do a purge and get rid of the things you no longer need or use. Once you’ve done this, you can already proceed with redesigning your home.

From installing mirrors to selecting the right color of paint, you can trick the eye and create an illusion of a bigger space through the clever use of interior design. To start, try the five interior design techniques listed below:

1.   Ditch Those Trims to Extend Your Walls

Decorative paint can do more than just make a room look lovely – it can also expand visual space.

While most people only paint the walls, those who live in a tiny home should consider extending the color to the ceiling, doors, and trim. These features of the interior design, which mark the “end” of the wall paint, tend to limit the space where the eye can travel in the room.

Since these lines will disappear when you expand the color scope, you create an illusion of a more cohesive and seemingly larger room.

2.   Choose Lighter Hues and Clever Contrasts

Aside from painting the entire room a uniform color, you can also trick the eye into thinking that a room is larger through the clever use of lighter hues and contrasts.

Most people already know that the use of light colors can make a room appear brighter and bigger. This is because light-hued walls reflect light better than darker ones, thus making a space feel more open.

Brighter hues also help maximize the natural light that allows people to see the empty spaces in the room better. In contrast, dark colors tend to absorb light, which makes a room feel smaller.

To maximize the effect of color, you can opt for a color palette comprising softer shades of blue, white, and green. You can also paint the trims in a similar-yet-lighter tone than the walls. This will help make them appear farther back, thus, making the entire room look bigger.

3.   Install Mirrors and Other Reflective Surfaces

Mirrors are your best tools when it comes to creating illusions of a bigger space. Aside from bouncing off light, they also reflect the surroundings that can trick the eye into thinking of open space. This is especially true with mirrors placed adjacent to windows or doors.

When installing a mirror, be sure to choose a big one to help extend the visual space. Tall rectangular mirrors can even make an impression of a room beyond the room.

One great example of this is placing the mirror behind the kitchen sink. Since it resembles a window, it can trick the mind into thinking that there is an open space beyond your kitchen. Plus, it allows you to see the rest of the room while washing food or doing the dishes.

4.   Embrace Large Furniture

While it may feel counterintuitive, having large furniture is actually a good thing when you have limited space. The truth is, using only small pieces can emphasize the size of the room and might even make it look cluttered.

If you want your home to feel bigger, embrace large furniture in your interior design. One or two big pieces are better than several smaller ones since bigger furniture help anchor the room.

To make it work even more, choose pieces that have multiple functions. This can be an ottoman that serves as extra seating and a coffee table or a custom-made bed with drawers for storage underneath.

5.   Choose Long, Flowy Curtains

Aside from paint and furniture, you can also use curtains in place of blinds or roller shades to make a small room look bigger.

When choosing a curtain, be sure to go with those that extend from the floor to the ceiling. Pick draperies that are tailored using flowy fabrics like silk or rayon.

To make sure that you get it at the maximum height, set up the curtain rod near the ceiling rather than the top of the window frame. Then, measure the height from the curtain rod down to the floor to make sure that the curtain you select billows about two to three inches onto the floor.

If you can’t find panels that are long enough, it may be best to have your curtains custom-made to suit the height of the room.

A Final Piece of Advice

There are many ways by which you can make your tiny home feel and look bigger than it is.

Aside from rethinking your paint, furniture, and curtains, you can also opt for a continuous decorative flooring across different rooms to “connect” them to each other. This way, you won’t have to take down walls or make other major structural changes to have a roomy and airy home.