If there’s that one room in your home that you wish had just a little extra square footage – you’re definitely not alone. Regardless of whether it’s your bathroom, your kitchen, or maybe even your bedroom – not every home owner can be given the luxury of a house full of big spacious rooms. Because knocking down a wall and throwing an addition on isn’t typically an option for the average American – there are plenty of little tricks and tips you can follow to open up the room and make these small spaces appear larger.
o If you have a small room, stay far, far away from dark colors. Dark colors are going to inhibit any light that comes into the room, making the space appear even smaller than it already is. Bright colors can be okay, but when used in a smaller room – they can be a bit overwhelming. If you want to play is safe with color, choose a pale pastel shade. The pale hue will help light reflect off the walls and fill up the room without feeling too constricted or overwhelming. A bright white color on walls will also help to liven up a small room.
o Keep accessories simple and coordinated. Even in large rooms, if you have too much going on – it can almost make a room feel like it’s closing in on you. One way to accomplish this is to stay away from patterns in the room. If you’re dealing with the bedroom, choose to go with a solid colored bedspread as opposed to one with a heavy floral pattern. A nice, white bedroom can be complimented by a beautiful light blue bedspread that isn’t too harsh or distracting.
o Once you choose a complimentary color for your walls, keep accessories to the room along the same lines. For example, if you’ve chosen to paint your bathroom walls light green and have chosen Kelly green accessories for the room, don’t throw in random punches of blue and orange. Adding too many colors into the room will have the effect that a heavy pattern will. By keeping things simple, but cute – you’ll end up with a perfectly coordinated space that does the most justice for the size of the room.
o If you can, stay away from carpet in smaller spaces. Wood floors work well in small spaces because they not only cut down on the amount of dust that tends to build up in smaller rooms – but the give the space a more open and airy feeling. If you currently have rugs in your small bedroom and are looking for a quick fix for the space, replacing the carpet with wood flooring should be your first priority. You’ll be amazed at the difference your flooring makes in the overall look and feel of your room. If you’re worried about furniture scratching the floor, choose to go with a throw rug that compliments your room’s color scheme.
o Finally, make sure your area is well lit and let in as much natural light as possible. Natural light and air are always great ways to make a room feel more open and larger overall. Instead of thick curtains, install blinds in small rooms that can be left open during the day and closed easily at night.
Many homeowners struggle with the headache that a small room can cause, but as you can see with these simple tricks – opening the room up may be much easier than you would think. Instead of just “dealing” with your space, make these subtle changes. You’ll not only have a more neutral palette to work with if you ever decide to change the decor of the room, but you’ll end up feeling less cramped overall.