You don’t need to build an extension to make a home feel bigger. There are plenty of tricks that can create the illusion of having more space. Here are just a few ways to make your poky home feel like a palace.
Declutter
Too much clutter can shrink a room. Whilst living in a small home may mean having less space to put stuff, you may still be able to hide away this clutter simply by evaluating your storage options. Consider multi-purpose furniture that doubles up as storage such as an ottoman footstool or a sofa with inbuilt storage. As for the stuff you simply don’t need, try and take steps to get rid of this by selling it, donating it or chucking it. Ideally, you want a more minimal look – there are many brilliant design ideas using minimalism that could help to inspire you. With less stuff in each room, there will be physically more space and your home will feel much bigger.
Use less floor space, more vertical space
The more visible floor, the larger each room will feel. Consider ways of freeing up the floor by making the most of the height of each room. Use shelves instead of taking up floor space with extra storage units. Rather than having a TV on a stand, consider mounting it on a wall. You can even store bicycles vertically on the wall with a rack and get fold-up tables that can be put away vertically in a cupboard.
Put your furniture on legs
Opting for sofas and wardrobes on legs will expose the floor underneath and hence creating the feeling of more floor space. Not only will this make your home feel bigger, but it could make cleaning easier allowing you to hoover under it! You can even put your bathtub on legs (in fact, freestanding bathtubs are now all the rage).
Add in extra windows
A more drastic option for those that own property and have a big budget to play with could be to add in extra windows. Windows help to create a sense of openness by offering a view of the outside world. Consider if there are any outside walls in your property in which you could add a window (or expand an existing one). This is a job best done by professionals as walls can contain plumbing and electrics which may need to be dealt with first. You may even be able to substitute an entire wall for a window or a sliding door in some cases. A skylight meanwhile could help to open up a low-ceilinged attic room or kitchen.
Go open-plan
Another option for those with the money and means could be to knock down interior walls and opt for an open plan layout. Rather than having a separate living room, kitchen and dining area, this gives you one large space that helps to make the whole home feel airier. It can also allow natural light to penetrate the most central rooms of the home. Knocking down walls is a job best done by a professional – removing a load bearing wall could be dangerous, plus you have to consider pipes and electrics within the wall. If removing the whole wall isn’t practical, you may still be able to get away with a cut-out which is likely to have the same impact.
Use mirror magic
Have you ever walked into a shop or restaurant with mirrors and thought it was much bigger? Mirrors are ideal at creating the illusion of space and are ideal in poky rooms. A huge wall mirror can make a tiny bathroom feel less claustrophobic whilst a smaller mirror opposite a window can create the illusion of another window. Mirrors also help to reflect light, brightening up your home.
Create depth with art
You can also create the illusion of depth by using art. A large landscape painting can have a similar effect to adding an extra window. You could even consider a full wall mural or some kind of themed wallpaper – city skyline themes and beach themes are just two popular examples that could help to create a sense of depth.
