5 Tips on How to Make the Interior of Your Home Appear More Spacious

Having enough space in a home is an issue for many people, especially those who don’t live in a big house. Sometimes the entire home feels too small (such as with a studio apartment). Other times it may just be one or two rooms that seem too small. The good news is that there are tips and tricks that interior designers use to make a space appear more spacious than it really is. Here’s a look at five ways to make a room or your entire home look more spacious.

1. Paint Colors

Usually, darker colors make a room look smaller, while lighter colors make a room look bigger. However, a mixture of both dark and light used correctly can create depth and make a room look more spacious. Keep in mind that light and cooler colors (e.g., greens, blues, and violets) expand a space. Dark and warmer colors (e.g., reds, oranges, and yellows) tend to make a room feel more closed in and cozy.

With that being said, in a rectangular room, you should paint the two longer walls a lighter shade and the two shorter walls a darker shade. This will make the room appear longer than it is, and the contrast in the colors also creates depth.

2. Lighting and Mirrors

Light is one of the essential design elements, and you can use it to your advantage when trying to make a space look bigger— particularly natural light. Natural sunlight provides the brightest and most vibrant light. Also, opening up your curtains and blinds to bring this light in will make a room appear bigger. Use natural light to your advantage, especially if you have large windows and/or skylights.

If you don’t have large windows, or skylights and you want to know how to make the interior of your home appear more spacious (and even if you do), mirrors are another great way to make a room look bigger. In combination with lights— preferably natural light— mirrors reflect the light across the room, giving the appearance of having more space. 

3. Furniture 

Larger furniture pieces in a small room will make the room feel smaller. If possible, choose smaller furniture pieces for your small spaces. When it comes to your bedroom, you may have to put fewer pieces in the room if you don’t want a smaller bed.

“Floating” your furniture (i.e., not having it placed against the walls) also created the illusion of more space. The opposite may seem true since placing your sofa and loveseat(s) against the wall creates more floor space. However, “floating” your furniture creates more airspace, which looks and feels more spacious than floor space. So this could also be a way to make the interior of your home appear more spacious.

4. Declutter

This tip surely goes without saying when it comes to making a room look more spacious. Clutter can make even larger spaces look and feel smaller. In the same time it’s easier for small spaces to become cluttered quicker than larger ones. One hack to try is to use multi-purpose furniture or furniture that can also be used to store items. For example, some coffee tables and couches are designed to function as storage units and furniture pieces, and you can even use decorative baskets to store things.

5. Curtains and Drapes

Hanging your curtains and drapes much higher than the actual window— even right below the line where the wall meets the ceiling— can make a room appear bigger. Using a track rod for curtains or drapes, hang them as high as possible, and ensure that your curtains touch the floor (drapes usually always touch the floor). You’ll want to remember that drapes may add to clutter since they’re thicker and heavier than curtains. Instead, you may want to stick with long, sheer, light-colored curtains to let in some natural light to make your room look more spacious.

You can use all five of these tips together to make a room or your entire home feel more spacious. Sometimes a space may only look small, and this can also make it feel small. This can make you think that you need a bigger place when all you need to do is declutter and try one or more of these decor tricks to make your space look and feel bigger. After trying these tips, you may be surprised at how different your home looks.