The tiny home trend, coupled with the tendency of homeowners to downsize once they become empty nesters, means decorating for a small space is increasingly top of mind for designers, furniture manufacturers and consumers alike.
Decorating for a small space requires one to decorate with an extra keen eye for both utility and comfort. There is less room for “stuff”, but this careful approach when editing a room is highly rewarding, and in the end can make the room appear bigger and as a result more comfortable. Here are some of our favorite ways to make a room appear bigger.
Full Size Furniture: This is something we often talk about on the blog. Tiny room, doesn’t mean tiny furniture. The best way to maximize a space is to get full sized, comfortable furniture. A room filled with tiny pieces actually appears more cluttered and ends up feeling smaller and less comfortable. A comfy sectional like the Aarhus Sectional Sofa in a small room is highly functional and makes the room appear wider.
Hidden storage: Storage is a must in any home, but when square footage is limited, it can pose a challenge. The Otis Ottoman is one of our favorites as it can be used for seating, storage and its lid also doubles as a tray when flipped over.
Draw the eye upwards: Make the room appear taller by drawing the eye upwards. There are lots of tricks for this, including placing shelving by the ceiling. This not only draws the eye up, but also makes use of underutilized space by having it serve as storage.
Painting the ceiling or applying wallpaper also tricks the eye, making the ceilings appear taller.
Mirrors, clear materials, glass: Reflective and clear items like mirrors, glass and lucite all cause light to bounce around the room, making it appear bigger. Mirrors are especially good at making the room appear larger as they create the illusion of there being more depth to a space.
Uncovered windows: Like mirrors, leaving windows uncovered adds depth to a room. It also encourages light to enter, which inherently gives the space a more open and airy feel.
