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6 practical solutions to make a small room look bigger

You can make a small room bigger instantly without knocking a wall down – it is all about style, colour, deception and illusion. Make most of the square footage you have by combining these six practical solutions that promise to open up any room, creating an impression of spaciousness.

1. Paint and décor colours

Stay away from bold colours. Consider a totally white room or at a minimum go for soft neutral tones. If you paint skirting boards/window frames in a lighter colour than the walls, it will fool the eye by making it seem like the room has increased in width. Combine it with an off-white sofa which to intensify the openness effect.

2. Curtains

Big heavy curtains work well in massive rooms, especially in the old European homes. But for the average Australian home in 2018/19 they are definitely old-fashioned and overpowering. The less you have on the window the more open the room will feel. Soft, lightweight curtains (similar colour to the walls) that go to the ceiling and touch the floor immediately create the illusion of more space.

3. Lighting

Natural lighting is crucial to any room in a house, but we do have to work with what we have. if your windows are not letting enough light through, add extra artificial lighting. Recessed lighting is very popular – talk to your lighting expert to choose the right globes for your particular area. Do also clean your windows on a regular basis, as dirt reduces the amount of light in a room.

4. Mirrors

There are so many ways mirrors can be used to make a room appear bigger and brighter.  Long tall thin mirrors make you look up which elongates a room. Sliding mirror doors in a bedroom will give the room width. Oversized mirrors are a great option, they are extremely elegant plus they reflect an enormous amount of light especially when they are placed opposite a window.

5. Furniture

No matter how much we would like to update our furniture to fit better in a room, we have to be realistic, changing furniture can be a prohibitive cost. There is another way: remove rather than replace some of the bigger pieces of furniture. Can you manage with one lounge, or maybe get rid of that chunky wooden cabinet? You can totally change the feel of the room without spending a cent.

6. Clutter

Clutter does not create inspiration in any room, instead you feel cramped with a sense of confusion. Interior designers try to follow the Cantaloupe Rule – display items should be taller than a cantaloupe. So why not remove all those little dust-collecting knick-knacks and replace them with a couple of taller décor items and group them together for effect.

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