Sneaky Ways to Make a Room Appear Larger

Ever increasing property prices mean that many people are forced to spend their time in smaller and smaller living spaces. And sometimes it doesn't take long before everything starts to feel a little cramped and cluttered. Dealing with a small living space can be quite stressful but this doesn't have to be so. There are lots of ways a room that feels no bigger than a cupboard can suddenly feel like there's enough room to hold a large dinner party or at least invite round some friends. You can create a space that is multi-functional and really doesn't look half bad with the following easy to follow room expanding tricks.

• Choose window dressings that are the same colour as your walls. Using identical colours will make a room appear bigger than it is.
• Using any natural light effectively will also open up your space. Don't forget that to get more light into a room you need to keep the windows clean. That requires either a bit of effort, or booking the services of a ​window cleaning company.
• Keep clutter to a minimum. This does mean you might need to be a bit ruthless but if you haven't used something for some time take it down to the local charity shop or pass it on to a friend.
• Furniture that doesn't sit directly on the floor will create a sense of space and light.
• Neutral and light colours expand a space visually.
• Choose rugs and other accessories that are plain or have small print. Too much going on will make a room very pokey.
• Try and find furniture that serves more than one purpose. An ottoman for example can be used for storage but also double up as a seating area.
• Add mirrors, as the reflection will create an illusion of space.
• You might be tempted to go for smaller pieces of furniture in order to fit more in but the truth of the matter is that a few large pieces of furniture will actually make a room feel much bigger.
• Make your ceilings look much taller than they are by adding a ceiling to floor or wall to wall bookcase. It's also a great way of creating some extra storage space.
• Certain pieces of furniture aren't used as much as others so why not add some fold up tables or chairs to the room. That way you can store them away when not in use bringing them out only when needed.
• Don't feel the need to fill every available space as a bit of empty space will make a room more airy.
• You can create the appearance of a longer room by installing a built in desk or countertops that expand and take up the entire length of a room.
• Blend some of your furniture into the room by choosing the same colour as the walls. This will serve to widen the space.
• You might think the best place to put your furniture is up against the wall but the opposite is true if you want to make a space look much bigger.
• Streamline the space and accessories by colour coordinating knick knacks and books.
• You can give the appearance of a never-ending floor by using stripes.
• Trying to make the best use of available space takes a certain amount of outside of the box thinking. Why not try filling the space with a bed for example, that takes up the entire room and then building in some custom shelving?
• Overhead lighting is not a good addition in a small room as it draws attention to one spot. Much better is to have several different lighting elements dotted around the room.