How to Make a Room Look Bigger and Brighter
Living in a constricted space can be suffocating. Some rooms naturally have a small space, whereas a few get too cluttered with unnecessary stuff. But is there a way out to make your room look more spacious just by bringing some changes to the interior? Experts say yes!
When I shifted to my new house, I was very happy with the location of the building but what made me go all grumpy was how small the living room looked. So then I started my hunt for creative ideas on how to make a room look bigger.
The good thing is that I will be sharing only those hacks which worked for me. So, you can skip trying hundreds of ways on how to make the living room look bigger and try only those recommended here in this guide.
Let’s dive in.
Tips to Make a Small Room Look Bigger
1. Change the Alignment of Stuff Kept in the Room
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I had this misconception that a lot of wooden furniture can make my room look classier but thank god I got to know that it’s the exact opposite.
Opt for something lighter and brighter because heavy furniture makes the room darker than it really is. Adding the right sofa that goes with the color scheme of the room can also do wonders.
2. Allow the Mirrors to Speak
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Mirrors are my favorite when it comes to adding extra volume to a space without spending a lot. You can add one or two large-sized mirrors to the walls of your room to add a visual effect.
However, the wrong placement of mirrors can bring zero changes in a room. As mirrors reflect the light and make the room look brighter, they must be placed opposite the windows or other light sources.
You can get a large sized mirror for your living room from Amazon here.
3. Make Your Wonderland with the Right Choice of Colors
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You can do everything right, but if you choose the wrong paint, then nothing will make sense.
When looking for ways on making a room brighter with paint, you will get a lot of suggestions to use the light/soft hues over the dark/warm ones. Soft colors like sky blue can make the room look airier.
4. Do Not Buy Contrasting Furniture
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Gone are those days when contrasting colors were in fashion. I did the same at first, but then something felt off, so I tried to coordinate the color of my furniture and walls. Gladly, that worked out pretty amazing! Since then I love coordinated painting techniques that make a room look bigger.
5. Remove the Excess
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Overstuffing a room can make it too clumsy. Try to keep only those stuff in the room without which you absolutely cannot do. Remove the other unnecessary items to some other room.
If you are a reader like me, I believe there will be a bookshelf in your room. In that case, try to keep space between the books or the other things kept on the shelf.
6. Skip the Curtains or Use Airy Drapes
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Rooms that have small windows need no curtains, so you can totally skip them. But some people like me feel drapes are an important part of the room.
In that case, use something light and airy. Please do not go for thick, dark-colored drapes because they block the way of natural light into the room. Instead, to add a modern touch to your living room, go for patterned drapes that come in subtle colors.
7. Pay Special Focus to the Ceiling and the Floor
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While choosing the right colors for your walls, do not miss out on the ceiling and the floor. I personally love using glossy tiles on the floor because they reflect light effectively and make the room look brighter.
You can also use premium quality pastel color rugs to make a room look bigger. For the ceiling, you can use pale white or give a metallic touch for added shine!
8. Opt for Low Height Furniture
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I recently visited a friend’s house where there was a room with the mattress lying on the floor. The room looked much bigger and airy compared to her other rooms in the apartment. Then I understood that keeping low furniture is a better choice.
So, next time you go furniture shopping, choose a low height table, sofa, bed, or anything you buy!
9. Let the Eye Travel to the Focal Point
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Every room should have a focal point to attract the guest’s attention. One of the biggest assets to keep in the focal point of a living room is a coordinated couch.
You can also keep other furniture close to the sofa and keep the décor minimal for the rest of the room.
10. Add Light to Make it Bright
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What else can make a room BRIGHT besides good LIGHT? No, it’s not just a rhyme, but I am spilling the ultimate secret of how to make the living room look bigger and brighter.
Use creative lighting like overhead lights in the ceiling, standing lamps beside the couch, table lamps, scented candles, and so on!
You can get a stylish standing lamp for your living room from Amazon here.
11. Remove the Barriers
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An open kitchen is a new trend in the home décor market. When I heard of it for the first time, it sounded weird, like not having a separate kitchen space at all. But when I tried it, I was glad because it turned out so well!
Combining your living room with your kitchen space can make the area look much bigger. It will also give you extra space to add more furniture if you want!
12. Decorate the Corners
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Usually, the eye travels to the corner of the room first. So if you have a shelf or a beautiful piece to place, keep it in the corner of the room.
Putting up a painting in the wall corner is also a great idea to make the room look brighter!
13. Add Greenery
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Another element that can add brightness to the room is an indoor plant.
Do not overstuff the place with indoor plants but choose one medium-sized plant and place it at the farthest focal point of the room.
14. Install Dimmer Switches
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If you want to control the room’s brightness, then installing dimmer switches is a good idea.
I personally do not use it because I like my room all lighten up throughout the day, no matter how bright the natural lighting is. But some people like less light during the day, for them this is a perfect device.
15. Do Not Overstuff Walls
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Less is always more when decorating your room, especially the walls.
Do not hang a lot of pictures or paintings on one single wall. Keep it minimal and add something that goes with the color palette of the walls.
FAQs
Q1: Why Do Mirrors Make a Room Look Bigger?
People often wonder how adding mirrors can help the room look bigger. Well, when you add mirrors in a room, an optical illusion of depth is created.
The mirror also helps in reflecting the light and color of the room. All of these together strengthen the illusion effect!
Q2: What Colors Make a Room Look Bigger?
If you were wondering what color makes a room look bigger, here is a list for you:
- Lavender
- Pale blue
- Light green
- Blush pink
- Cool gray
You can choose anything from a soft or neutral palette, and you will be good to go!
Q3: What Furniture Style Can Make a Room Bigger?
Some furniture tips that you can keep in mind to make the room look bigger are:
- Buy low-height furniture.
- Keep the color of the furniture coordinated with the walls.
- The furniture legs should be visible.
- Do not go for dark-colored pieces.
- Do not overstuff the room with furniture. Keep it minimal.
- Buy furniture that can be used for multiple purposes so that you don’t have to buy separate pieces.
Q4: Do Round Rugs Make a Room Look Bigger?
Ever wondered do round rugs make a room look bigger? Yes, they do! Unlike rectangular or square rugs, they do not define the floor, which gives an illusion of space and depth.
Q5: What Color Carpet Makes Room Look Bigger?
My personal experience with carpets has been really good over the years. So, I can assure you that checked rugs are the best for this goal!
Q6: Do Ceiling Tiles Make a Room Smaller?
This depends on the size of the tiles you choose. For instance, if you choose small tiles, your room might look cluttered and small. On the other hand, large ceiling tiles are great for creating an optical illusion of space.
Q7: Does Wainscoting Make a Room Look Bigger or Smaller?
Wainscoting is not recommended at all when you are trying to make your room look bigger because it does the exact opposite. Low height wainscoting might look fine, but it is still good to avoid.
Final Thoughts
If you successfully follow even some of these tips, trust me; you won’t be disappointed! When I started figuring out how to make a room look bigger, it drained a lot of energy and also took time. But gladly, I learned the correct ways with time, and now all my rooms look airy and spacious. What a relief!
I am sure you are super excited to try out these tips. I get you! So, do not wait any further and get ready with planning your dream room. Which tips will you try first? I am thrilled to know!
